*****
Chapter 58.
~Katrina~
My throat went dry the moment I saw them—Queen Fortuna, Princess Rania, Rosalind, and Marissa. The most powerful women in the quarters. They were all standing together, waiting for me. That could only mean one thing—they came looking for me. But why?
Fortuna was supposed to be at the main building. What was she doing here?
I took a shaky breath and tried to walk past them quietly, hoping I could slip into my room without being stopped. But luck wasn't on my side.
"Where are you coming from?" Queen Fortuna's voice cut through the silence like a blade. There was fire in her eyes, and I had no idea why. Was she angry because I went out with the king?
No!
No one knew about it…except Rania. She stood quietly, her face unreadable.
"I—I went outside the quarters," I said, my fingers trembling. I couldn't tell them the truth. It was supposed to stay between the king and me.
"It's clear you were outside," Queen Fortuna said, folding her arms. "But that's not what I asked. Where exactly were you?"
My heart raced. I hadn't expected to get caught. I was panicking inside, trying to come up with something believable. I looked at Marissa, hoping for help. She gave a slight shake of her head—she hadn't said anything.
Thank God.
"I was feeling sick," I said softly. "It was hot inside, and I needed some fresh air."
Rosalind gave me a look. She didn't believe me, but she stayed silent.
"I didn't see you outside when I came in," Fortuna pressed. Her voice was sharp, suspicious.
My chest tightened. Why wouldn't they just let it go?
"I went to the garden," I lied. "I ran into Lord Rowland. We talked for a bit, then I came back."
That was risky. But I knew Rowland would cover for me if it came to that.
"With Lord Rowland? Alone? In the garden? At this hour?" Rosalind's voice came fast, full of shock. The look on her face said everything—she hated the idea.
But why? Why did it bother her that much?
"Y-yes. I was alone when he joined me," I said, trying to smile, but it didn't come. Was Rosalind really accusing me of having an affair? With Lord Rowland—who was like a brother to the king? No, that couldn't be…
"How dare you?" Rosalind snapped, her voice shaking with anger. She clenched her teeth. "Do you even remember who you belong to?"
Queen Fortuna stayed quiet. She looked surprised by Rosalind's harsh tone, but she didn't stop her either.
"You're going too far, Princess Rosalind," I said, my voice low and confused. "There's nothing between Lord Rowland and me. We were just—"
"I don't care what you say," Rosalind cut me off and stepped closer to me. "You've clearly forgotten the rules. I don't know if Queen Fortuna told you or not, but no woman is allowed to leave the quarters in the middle of the night, especially not to meet another man. You belong to the king. Only him. Do you understand?"
Her voice echoed through the quarters, sharp and loud. My heart was pounding. I noticed some of the women stepping out of their rooms, drawn by the noise.
"Watch your mouth, Rosa," Rania finally spoke. I wished she had stopped it earlier, but at least she said something now. "You're judging both her and Rowland without knowing the truth. That's not fair."
"I knew you'd defend her," Rosalind said with a bitter laugh. Then she turned to me, her eyes burning. "You might be the sweetheart of the palace, but not to me. You came here to ruin everything, to take what was never yours. But you picked the wrong palace."
"Exactly," Fortuna chimed in with a smile, clearly enjoying every second.
"Maybe she still doesn't get it," Rosalind sneered, stepping so close that I could feel her breath. "You need to be taught."
I stepped back, too stunned to speak. They really believed I was having an affair. I wanted to defend myself, to scream the truth—that I had been with the king—but if they found out, things might get even worse.
So I kept quiet, letting them believe what they wanted.
Let them think what they will. The truth…was something I had to protect.
"It's high time we reminded the debtor's daughter that she is not a princess in Xylonia," Rosalind said coldly, her eyes filled with hate. "She's just a concubine. Nothing more."
"Enough, all of you."
It was the queen mother. She stood at the entrance, wearing a soft blue dress with a white veil wrapped around her. She looked tired, like we had just dragged her out of sleep.
"What is going on here?" she asked. "Can't we have one peaceful morning in this quarters?"
Rania quietly left her sisters' side and walked to her mother, clearly done with the drama. She looked like she just wanted to go back to bed.
"Forgive us, Mother," Fortuna said first. I followed right after. Rosalind hesitated but eventually muttered her apology too.
"If I may ask," Mother said, her brows drawn together, "what's the reason for all this noise?"
"Ask your favorite daughter-in-law," Rosalind snapped, pointing straight at me. But she didn't explain further. Coward.
Mother turned to me, her gaze steady but kind. I took a deep breath and spoke, trying to keep my voice steady.
"I was feeling hot in my room, so I stepped out to get some air in the garden. Lord Rowland joined me there, and we talked a little… before I came back inside."
"Talked a little," Fortuna scoffed, rolling her eyes. She didn't believe a word of it.
If only she knew the truth—that I had spent the night with King Karl—maybe she wouldn't be so focused on a simple conversation with Rowland.
"You're not supposed to leave the quarters after dark, Katrina," Mother said gently. Her voice wasn't harsh, but it still made my heart sink. "The rules are there to protect you. You also shouldn't be seen alone with other men… it could be misunderstood."
"Exactly what I said," Rosalind cut in sharply.
"Still," Mother continued, "Lord Rowland is different. He's like a son to me. I trust him. But even so, talking with him in the middle of the night will only stir gossip. Look at your sisters-in-law—they're already jealous, thinking only of their brother."
She smiled at me, soft and understanding, but the message was clear.
I nodded, quietly accepting her words. Even when the truth is innocent, in this palace, perception was everything.
"Forgive me, Mother. I didn't know about the rules," I said softly, my voice barely holding steady. There was no point in arguing anymore.
"Good. You may go back to your room," she replied calmly.
I bowed and walked away. As soon as I stepped inside my room, I closed the door and let out a long, shaky breath.
What a mess. They had tried to destroy a moment that meant so much to me.
But they failed.
My night with the king… it was perfect. Every part of it. The way he held me, the way he looked at me like I was the only one that mattered. The way we made love, with no fear, no rules, no palace in between us.
I smiled, a real one this time, and fell onto my bed, hugging my pillow tightly. My heart was full. No matter what they said or thought, this would always be the best night of my life.
"My lady, you scared me," Marissa said as she entered, quickly locking the door behind her. She rushed to the window and pulled the curtains aside.
The sun was already up. Another day in Xylonia had begun. Another day of pretending. But for now, I still had the memory of him.
"I can't believe you," Marissa said, her hands on her hips, watching me with disbelief. "I thought it was all over out there. Why didn't you just tell them the truth—that it was the king who took you out?"
"No, Marissa," I said with a soft smile. "It's our secret. If they find out, Fortuna will make sure it never happens again. It's better if they don't know."
She shook her head, still stunned, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "You look happy, my lady."
She walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out the dress I was to wear for the day. It was deep red, decorated with silver stones that shimmered in the light.
"Really?" I stood from the bed and walked to the mirror. I looked at myself—and yes, I was glowing. Happier than I had ever been. "The king told me he loves me."
The dress slipped from Marissa's hands. She froze, staring at me with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open.
I laughed softly at her reaction. "Oh, Marissa, snap out of it."
"You don't mean it," she whispered, still in shock. "He actually said those words?"
"I mean it," I said, nodding. "I thought I was dreaming too, but it was real. He said it. He loves me."
Tears welled up in Marissa's eyes. It was as if she was the one who had been told those words. She looked at me with so much joy that it made my chest tighten.
"I'm so happy for you," she said with a trembling voice. "Everyone always said the king couldn't love. That his heart was too cold."
"I believed that too," I admitted. "He gave me the complex."
Marissa gasped, clearly surprised. "That's... that's impossible."
"No," I said, my smile growing. "It happened."
"He gave you the complex?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "If Queen Fortuna finds out, she'll lose her mind."
We both laughed now—quiet and breathless.
"She'll do more than that," I said with a grin. "We need to get ready. There's a storm coming."
"You're right," I said, turning back to the mirror, my voice calm but strong. "And guess who the storm is?"
She blinked. "Fortuna?"
"No," I said, holding her gaze through the mirror. "Me. I'll rise in this palace like never before."
For now, I wouldn't fight Queen Fortuna directly. I'd wait. I'd find a way to make her lose the king's favor without lifting a finger.