Ink: Living Life as Serena Gleis

LXVIII: Mastermind

Upon awakening, a pounding pain resonated through my head, prompting me to question just how much I had consumed the previous night. With a groan, I gently sat up in my bed as the sunlight streaming through the window assaulted my eyes.

I could not even recall how I had returned to my chamber in the first place. Stifling a yawn, I rose and began preparing for the day. It was evident that the hour was already late; why had no one thought to wake me?

My preparations did not take long. Hastily, I departed from my chamber and made my way down to the main hall, where I found Maurice and Zion engaged in a quiet conversation over cups of tea.

"Good day, Duchess. It seems you have overslept today," Zion remarked, a smile gracing his features.

"Yes, I believe I indulged a bit too much last night. Have I missed anything?" I inquired, taking the vacant seat beside Maurice.

"Not much. It's good that you have rested sufficiently," Maurice replied, pouring me a fresh cup of tea in an effort to soothe my aching head. I took a sip, yet I couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that I was forgetting something important from yesterday.

I decided to dismiss the thought; I was far too hungover to ponder it further.  was unusual to see so many people in close proximity to the manor. The newly appointed magical knights were on their inaugural patrol, and observing them diligently performing their duties brought me a sense of genuine happiness.

"Do I have anything scheduled for today?" I asked, turning to Maurice and Zion, who had both served as my right hands in recent days. Zion, in particular, had been immensely helpful with the ducal duties.

"You're actually free today, so take the time to rest and recuperate," he replied, offering me a soft smile.

Though his words were meant to reassure, I could not fully escape the undercurrent of unease that had taken hold of me. The tranquility that had enveloped the manor of late seemed almost too perfect, a fragile illusion that could shatter at the slightest disturbance. Nonetheless, I forced myself to set these thoughts aside, surrendering to the rare luxury of a day without duties, even as a part of me remained on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Gleis.

Luca clenched his jaw, the muscles in his face tightening as frustration welled within him. Before him stood one of his messengers, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. The man's eyes were cast downward, unable to meet Luca's gaze, as he awaited the inevitable outburst that surely must follow his failure.

Months had passed, and still, no word had come from Serena. The early letters had found their way to her, carried by the most trusted couriers in his service. But as time slipped by, each subsequent attempt to reach her had ended in failure. The messengers sent to deliver his missives never made it to the destination—the coordinates that the Empress of Yeoris had provided. It was as if Serena had vanished, leaving no trace, no sign of her whereabouts.

The silence was unbearable, each day without word from her a dagger in his side. Luca's thoughts churned with dark possibilities, but he forced them aside, focusing instead on the immediate problem. The man before him had failed, just like the others, and though the blame did not rest entirely on his shoulders, Luca's patience had worn thin.

"Leave." The word was spoken with a cold, clipped finality, slicing through the suffocating tension that filled the room. The messenger needed no further prompting. With a stifled gasp, he turned on his heel and fled, his fear palpable as he all but ran from Luca's presence.

Alone now, Luca's thoughts returned to Serena, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him.  He could not bear the thought of losing Serena once more, not after the agonizing years spent searching for her, not now that she was so tantalizingly close, within his reach at last.