Lady Jade sighed. "Can we have a talk, inside?"

Isadora didn’t like the idea but something about this Lady just made her curious. Be it be her looks or the tone she was using when addressing her, she found it a bit exaggerated.

"Sure," she replied gesturing her to walk in her room. Courtesy demanded that she serve her guest so she ordered her maid to set the table. A steaming cup of cinnamon tea and honey biscuits would do.

She had just finished giving her maid instructions when she stepped in her room and found Lady Jade exploring. She didn’t like people intruding her privacy but for some odd reason, she felt intrigued that someone was admiring her room, especially a woman. She had never had female friends since childhood so she didn’t know how to behave around one, an elder at that.

But why was she looking at her room as if she had ever been here before? She was running her fingers on the smooth surface of the furniture. She stood in front of the dresser and picked the portrait of little Isa and her parents, a wry smile forming on her face as she brushed her hand on the portrait. Now this woman was mysterious. She looked emotional when staring at the photos on the portrait. Who exactly was she and what did she want from her?

Isadora coughed catching her attention making her drop the portrait while she turned around surprised. Isadora looked at the portrait and she was more than glad it had not broken.

"I’m...sorry. I.. I was just curious," she said. The situation she was in currently looked awkward. Bending on the cold floor to pick the portrait with an apologetic look on her face, Isadora asked the dreadful question.

"Who are you?" Isadora could tell that something was off about this woman. And though she claimed to be from Tasia, her skin tone and aura stated otherwise. One closer look and she could tell Jade was Crescian. Or maybe she had disguised herself to be one.

Jade stiffened at her question but she was quick to mask her reaction with a staged smile. She rose from the ground and placed the portrait back at the dresser all the while avoiding Isadora’s gaze. A sigh escaped her lips before she turned to face Isadora. Was this the perfect moment to tell her this?

"Actually my real name is not Jade," she began searching for an emotion on Isa’s face but contrary to her expectations, Isadora retained her cool as if she had expected this.

"And do you know me, my mother or father?" Isadora asked. She felt there was more to this woman about her familiar looks. Or she was her mother? Could that be true? Griffin had told her that she had died and got burnt to ashes so her body was nowhere to be seen, and so was her father’s. What if they were alive and this woman was her mother? They looked alike in almost every aspect. But still, Griffin would have recognized her easily had she been her mother, right? If not her mother then, who was she?

"I knew you since you were a child Isadora. I watched you breastfeed from you mother and as you grew into a toddler until that tragic event happened. Unfortunately, I couldn’t watch you grow to the woman you’ve become. I’m sorry," she said with a downcasted face.

Now Isadora was confused. Sorry? She was sorry for what? And she said she watched as she grew... So that meant she was either a maid or a royal family member during her father’s regime. And taking into consideration her looks, Isadora could only presume she was of Crescian royalty. But why would a royal family member flee the castle?

"And who the hell are you exactly?" Isadora asked unable to hold her curiosity anymore. She wanted to choke the truth out of her but taking into consideration the fact that she willingly provided this information, she decided to be patient, one of her worst virtues.

"I am your aunt Isadora. I’m your mother’s sister. Do you remember me?" She asked.

Her mother’s sister? Did her mother have a sister? That, Isadora didn’t know, or rather remember. "Jessica. You remember that name?" Isadora raked her brain but she couldn’t remember of such a name even though it sounded familiar.

"I’m sorry but I can’t remember," she gave up.

"It’s okay dear. Don’t stress yourself, okay? You were too young by then," a sigh escaped her lips. "Your room. It looks the same as I can remember. Only a few changes here and there..."

"What do you want from me?" Isadora asked rendering Jade mute, or whatever her name was. Who knew that this might be a plot by his uncle. They were casual with each other so she might have been sent to spy on her, or worse, convince her to give her birthright to Griffin. She knew her uncle well. He would go into great depths to get what he wanted, and she was no exception to his well planned schemes. But if he thought she would fall for it, then he was daydreaming.

"I want you to kill Griffin," Jade said without batting an eye. And now Isadora was rendered speechless. She had thought that this woman was sent by Griffin to lure her but she wanted her to kill Griffin? Seems she was wrong then. But why would she want her to kill Griffin?

"Why do you want me to kill my uncle? He’s the only family I have. And if your plan here is to kill him, I’m sorry but I won’t let you." She searched for the dagger in her pocket but it wasn’t there unfortunately.

"You’re looking for this?" Isadora shot her gaze towards Jade and there, in her palm was the dagger she was looking for. "This was our family’s heirloom princess. I’m glad that you’ve kept it safe to date."

"Give it to me or else I’ll call the guards," Isadora threatened. No one plays with her mother’s dagger, not even herself.

"Do you want to know why I want you to kill Griffin? Because he killed your parents princess!" Jade almost yelled at Isadora.