stretched late into the night, but by dawn, th

eam with a neat waist tie. Her eyes felt heavy, but her hands moved fast. A

he palace working, assisting when needed and helping with cleaning rotations.

gnment: Prince's household." Her heart had s

r at the private gate of the royal residence, a black

nthouse in Rizon City as he ba

ing him out till nearly d

eased, halfway through a drink."Ruling doesn't start when the crown sit

ed the east wing through the servant corridor. It was too quiet. Even the air smelled different. She was carrying a tray of polished g

drifted closer

and nearly bu

he said quickly, s

n't used to being apologized to - peopl

side. His voice was calm, and she didn'

. "Thank you. I-I'm still

" he

was supposed to bring these to..." She glanced a

itched. "The pri

he doesn't like

ate," Kamil said w

till not looking up long enough to notice the resemblance t

o much. We clean, we polish, we serve, we bo

ghed. "I'll..

ing slightly. "Maybe he'll p

p himself - he

re, another voice called

e calling all staff t

have to go. U

til she disappeared around the corner. Something about her lingered - the way s

lowly, his l

has a face,"

he gardens below. The girl from earlier lingered in his thoughts -

still be thin

thing. Ju

a f

or good measure. A soft knock came, then the

"your palace is too quiet. It's depressing. I nearly fell asleep thr

ot lying. Plus there's more life in a cemetery."Kami

esting is for people without pa

row lifte

el a look. "

thing about a new recruit bumping into you this morning.

t the window ledge. "It's barely m

t laughed like that in months. Abel s

ways

yly, "just never whe

barely. "Maybe you're

ned. "Des

ho

e m

nce made the

," he said finall

ed. "Yet here we are

rifted to the

he muttered.Abel stretched l

ever start sneaking out to th

pillow at hi

g. "Love looks good

fed. "It's curiosi

losed behind them

ios

est feel lighter th

ing the palace weren't so large... so

and for the briefest second, he thought he heard it

Her first full day as a palace maid, and already she had taken three wrong tu

, and the people- Well, they all seemed to

says working here is fun, I

st day?" a v

urned s

dark shirt - no royal insignia, nothing that gave away his r

linens tighter. "I didn't mean- I thought I wa

"That doesn't

This palace

ad, studying him. "

ike that," h

a nervous smile. "They said I'l

ly - his wing.

like you kn

y I've be

ly. "Then maybe you can show m

ed, then s

said, exten

k it - careful, measured.

"At least one person h

miled faintly. "

added, "Honestly, I'm more

t ru

e of the maids bumped into the Crown Prince this morning. Now everyon

" she said. "And the worst pa

. He had stepped away from his chamber for a wh

things I shouldn't have said." She bit her lip. "And now Princess Jodha hear

were

. "But I'm sure s

laugh. "You think the

he's cold. Unforgiving. The kind of

ead, amused. "Y

want to f

le. "Maybe he's not as

You sound like

be I

playfully, "put in a good word for me, Rami. I'd like

led. "Consi

hesitated. "You know... you do

. "Maybe I listen b

inens, "you're better company th

repeated, holdi

hen linked his wit

iam dropped a folder on Kamil's desk. "Here's the final summary fro

g on his tablet. "We've been

cal. He's aligning himself c

k. "That's his p

t becomes your problem

ned slight

brow. "You d

his head. "N

"Arrogant. Impatient. Thinks the t

would forget who kaan was the next

h, he's bright.

feeding him ambitions, you m

e moving toward

iam say, "So, wha

l said quietly.

Kamil's voice was calm. "The louder t

"You sound lik

. Liam and Abel had been his childhood friend . They were bot