CHAPTER 54: CAUGHT

Charlotte had just taken her bath and was now seated in front of the mirror, struggling to braid her hair. It was proving harder than it looked. She had never been good at styling it, which was why she usually kept it tied up or let it fall freely over her shoulders.

After what felt like hours, she finally managed to create two somppwhat decent braids. Smiling proudly at her reflection, she rose and stepped out of her room. During quiet moments like this, she enjoyed wandering the palace halls to clear her mind before heading to the dining room for dinner.

As she strolled leisurely down the hallway, soft whispering caught her attention.

She froze, then quietly slipped into a narrow, nearly hidden space behind a pillar. Though she couldn’t see the people speaking, she could tell they had stopped just a few feet from where she was hiding.

Charlotte strained her ears, trying to catch their conversation, but their voices were hushed too low. She was about to give up when she distinctly heard one of them say Lilith’s name—followed by the word "disappeared." Her brows drew together in a frown.

More whispers followed, Lilith’s name surfacing again, and this time, she heard the fear in the woman’s voice. It was unmistakable—shaky, fragile, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

Charlotte’s frown deepened. What could possibly be so serious to stir that kind of emotion?

She heard the other woman say she would handle everything and instruct the other to return to her chambers. Charlotte listened to the soft click of shoes heading one way, then the fading steps of the second woman going in the opposite direction. She waited a few seconds more to be sure they were truly gone before stepping out of her hiding place.

After quickly glancing around to confirm the coast was clear, she turned and headed toward Viktor’s chamber—the only person she could talk to about the strange exchange she had just overheard.

His room was on the same floor as hers, but in the opposite wing—second door on the right. She took a deep breath before knocking. When there was no answer, she began pounding harder with her fist, only stopping when the door suddenly swung open to reveal a half-awake Viktor. His shirt hung loosely from his shoulders, and his hair was a wild mess, sticking out in every direction.

Charlotte frowned. "It’s almost nightfall. Why are you still sleeping?"

"I was up all night," he muttered groggily, blinking rapidly to adjust to the light. "What are you doing here, Lucy?"

She pushed past him into the room without answering, her eyes scanning the papers scattered across his desk—and a few on the floor—before turning to face him again.

"I heard something strange a few minutes ago," she said, her voice serious.

His frown deepened. "That still doesn’t explain why you were banging on my door like a madwoman."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "I overheard two people talking in hushed tones while I was out walking. I couldn’t make out much, but they mentioned Lilith’s name a couple of times—and one of them said something about her disappearing. The other sounded completely shaken, like she was about to burst into tears. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m telling you, something isn’t right."

Viktor sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "I don’t think it’s anything serious. Maybe they just had a disagreement with Lilith. These things happen."

"Oh, or maybe they’re planning to kill her. Who knows?" Charlotte said flatly, arms crossed.

Viktor let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "You have the wildest imagination, Lucy. Everything’s fine. You don’t need to worry."

He placed his hands gently on her shoulders and began guiding her out of the room. "I’ll see you at dinner."

The door clicked halfway shut—then stopped. He looked down and saw her foot wedged firmly in the gap.

"I need you to go check on her," Charlotte said firmly, her voice low, "Just make sure she’s okay. Then I’ll be able to sleep tonight."

Viktor let out another tired sigh, clearly running on fumes. He looked at her for a long moment before giving in. "Alright. I’ll check on her."

He tried nudging the door to close again, but her foot remained unmoved.

Groaning, he turned back, grabbed his jacket from the chair, and pulled it on. Running his fingers quickly through his hair in a weak attempt to tame it, he stepped out of the room beside her.

"Does she stay in the servants’ quarters?" Charlotte asked as they walked side by side.

"No, she doesn’t. She stays with the prince," Viktor replied.

Charlotte’s eyes widened as she looked up at him, making him arch a brow in return.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

She quickly looked away. "Mmm... nothing. I was just surprised, that’s all. I didn’t take the prince for someone who would share a chamber with a woman."

Viktor smirked. "The prince is full of surprises. I didn’t think it was possible either—but here we are."

As they approached the grand staircase, they crossed paths with Lucian, who stepped out through a nearby door. His eyes flicked between Viktor and Charlotte, and he gave them both a polite bow, which they returned.

"Have you seen Lilith, Lord Lucian?" Viktor asked.

"Not since this morning," Lucian replied.

"Oh? Morning? Was there no training today?" Viktor inquired, his brow lifting.

"There wasn’t. His Highness has given me a list of urgent errands to run. Once I’m finished, we’ll resume the sessions," Lucian explained. He paused, then added, "Is something the matter?"

"Well, Charlotte here thinks Lilith might be in some kind of trouble," Viktor explained. "She overheard two women whispering about her, though she couldn’t make out everything they said."

"Did you see who the women were?" Lucian asked, his tone curious.

"Unfortunately, I didn’t," Charlotte replied.

"Very well," Lucian said with a nod. "I’ll go check the prince’s chamber for her." Without wasting another second, he turned and ascended the stairs, his steps swift.

As Viktor and Charlotte waited at the foot of the staircase, Thalia came into view. The moment she spotted them, she instinctively froze, then shifted as though to turn around. But Viktor had already seen her—and he noticed the hesitation.

"Thalia," he called out, "would you spare us a moment of your time? It’s rather important."

The older woman paused, then approached with a composed, if slightly forced, smile. She greeted them both with polite bows.

"Do you happen to know where Lilith is? Charlotte’s growing concerned," Viktor asked.

Thalia’s smile faltered. A flicker of tension passed over her face before she drew in a breath.

"I believe... there’s something I must tell you," she said quietly.