"We haven’t visited Cecily together in weeks," Austin said the next day after breakfast. "She’ll think we forgot her."

"Cecily doesn’t think like that," Alina smiled. "She knows everything that happens in this castle from her window."

"Still," he said, starting to walk. "We should go."

Alina nodded and walked beside him through the servant corridor to the east wing. Austin unlocked the door and they stepped inside. Cecily was at the piano, playing the full minor-key melody she had been practicing for months. She could play it now without a single mistake.

She stopped when they entered and turned on the bench. Her eyes brightened at the sight of them together.

"Finally," she said. "I was starting to think you’d forgotten I exist."

"We’ve been..." Austin began.

"Busy. I know. But being busy is not an excuse for abandoning your sister."

"We didn’t abandon you," Austin said. "It’s just..."

"Stop. Stop," Alina cut in gently, sitting on the sofa. "Let’s not talk about outside things today. No king, no letters, and no strategy. Just us."

"What king?" Cecily’s eyes narrowed as she looked at both of them. "There’s a king situation?"

"No outside things," Alina repeated.

Cecily looked at Austin, who looked at Alina. A silent negotiation passed between them, and Austin sat in the chair across from the sofa.

"Fine," Cecily said. "No outside things."

She then looked at her brother.

"Austin, you look different."

"What do you mean?"

"Kissing has softened your entire face," she said with a straight face.

Both Austin and Alina blushed. Their cheeks turning red instantly as they looked around to avoid Cecily’s gaze.

"You look ten years younger," Cecily continued. "You look less scary and haunted. You look like the Austin who existed before the fire."

"Play something for us," Alina said quickly, changing the topic. "The melody you just finished."

Cecily got excited and played immediately. The music flowed perfectly this time. When she finished, she turned to Alina.

"Your turn."

"Absolutely not," Alina was horrified.

"Just one note. Show Austin your technique."

"My technique is horrible."

"Come on," Cecily insisted. "Just one note."

Unable to say no to Cecily’s pleading eyes, she sat beside her on the bench and pressed a key.

"There," Alina said. "My complete musical repertoire."

"Now a second note."

"But you said one," Alina protested.

"I lied." Cecily grinned.

Alina played again. It was spectacularly wrong. Austin made a sound which was a mix of laugh and groan. It was the sound you make when you hear something terrible yet find it endearing.

"As expected, the worst note I’ve ever heard," Cecily laughed. "And I’ve heard Austin sing, remember?"

"You promised never to mention my singing," Austin sulked.

"And you promised to visit me weekly. But you’ve been missing. We’re even."

"I haven’t been missing. I’ve been..."

"Kissing Alina instead of visiting your sister." Cecily shrugged. "Priority matters."

Alina, embarrassed, played a third note, then a fourth to change the conversation. Each one worse than the last. Cecily burst out laughing. Austin tried his best not to laugh by clenching his jaw and tightly pressing his mouth but he failed.

And ended up laughing so hard that he crinkled his eyes. Cecily hadn’t heard that laugh in years.

Her eyes filled with tears of joy.

Alina stopped playing and Cecily held her hand tightly, a silent thanks for the terrible notes, and for make Austin laugh like that.

Austin’s laugh faded as he saw Cecily’s tears.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing." Cecily wiped her eyes. "Allergies."

"You don’t have any allergies."

"I’ve developed them in the last thirty seconds. They’re triggered by my brother’s laughing."

"That’s not how allergies..."

"Don’t ruin this with science, Austin."

This time the three of them laughed together.

When they left the east wing, Maren intercepted them in the corridor and led them to her room.

"A second letter from Audrey has reached the king," Maren said as they stepped inside. "She has told him about Alina’s royal heritage."

"As expected," Alina murmured.

Austin walked to the window. He looked calm on the outside but Alina could see the storm inside him.

"Notify Rowan to put the troops on administrative alert," he ordered.

"Consider it done," Maren said.

"Ask Harrington to make copies of all documents related to Alina in my study. If the king seizes the originals, we need backups."

Maren nodded.

"What about Crane files?" he asked.

"They’re ready."

"Good," he said. "It’s time to set our plan in motion."

In the evening, Alina met Lady Talbot in her room. When she entered inside, she saw a woman sitting across from her.

"Come," Lady Talbot said. "Meet Petra, my source in the market."

Petra bowed slightly and Alina bowed in return.

"The rumors are spreading about an Arcasedian heir living in Ravenmoor," Petra said without wasting time. "But no one knows the name yet."

"And what about Audrey?" she asked. "How is her reputation?"

"The Princess is loved by everyone," she replied. "If there are rumours about her questionable behaviour then they’re buried so deep that my sources can’t find them."

Alina was disappointed as they found nothing new and useful.

"Thank you," she said, and left the room.

She returned to Austin’s study and told him everything.

"The Crane files are our only leverage," she said. "Without them, we have nothing to counter my royal heritage revelation."

"Is Emeric still looking for the final two documents?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "But if he doesn’t find them in time?"

"Then we’ll use what we have. It’s enough to make the king negotiate on our own terms."

Later that evening, Austin sat alone in the study. Alina had gone to check on the sewing circle when Maren entered. looking a little nervous as she placed a thin file on his desk.

"While monitoring the kingdom’s informal networks, my analysts identified an organization with forty-three members communicating through coded messages in trade shipments. They call themselves the Blood Ink Pact."

Austin looked at the file. It meant nothing to him. He had never heard of it before.

"The Pact is a network of women in debt marriages, contract arrangements, and similar circumstances," Maren continued. "They communicate through coded domestic language. Some even write messages in blood when they can’t access the ink,"

Austin’s brow furrowed.

"Why are you telling this to me?"

"Because Alina is part of it."

Austin stared at her in disbelief.

"Alina?"

"Alina is an active member of this pact," Maren said. "She met the network’s leaders in a cellar in the market town and has promised to be their voice."

Austin froze.

"The Blood Ink Pact is a reform movement. It is organizing women across the kingdom to challenge the legal systems the crown relies on for political alliances," Maren explained. "The systems that fund the nobility and structure the aristocracy. Audrey was given to you through this system and Alina was sold to you through this system as well."

Austin shook his head as if refusing to believe it.

"She has been part of this without telling me?"

"I understand the cause is right but it will destroy her if the king finds it," Maren said, worried now. "The king’s inquiry is just days away. They will check everything about Alina. If they find out about this, she will become a political problem along with a diplomatic one."

Austin stood up and pushed his chair back in anger. He was furious because Alina had hidden this from him. They had promised not to keep secrets from each other anymore but she had been running a organization against the system without telling him.

This was too much for him to ignore.