Jana was relieved from her kitchen duties, and she was allowed to return to her calmer routine of attending to the princess. She moved through her tasks with practiced ease, not letting her pain show, maintaining the composed demeanor expected of her. Every step and movement was carefully controlled, her injuries hidden beneath a mask of normalcy.

  Later in the day, Jana found herself walking through the palace gardens with Sir Gareth, the knight who had always been kind to her. The sun was gentle, and the air carried the scent of blooming flowers as they strolled along the gravel paths. They spoke of trivial matters—weather, the state of the kingdom, and the recent changes in the palace. The conversation was light, a pleasant distraction from her current situation.

  As they reached a secluded bench under the shade of a large tree, Sir Gareth paused and turned to Jana. “I wanted to talk to you about yesterday,” he said, his tone gentle yet serious. He moved towards the bench, offering his hand to Jana as a gesture for her to take a seat first.

  Jana, hiding her injury well but knowing that sitting down was particularly painful, tried to decline his offer in a friendly manner. “We are past the formalities, Sir Gareth. Not letting me sit first doesn’t make you any less of a gentleman.”

  Sir Gareth chuckled, but there was a warmth in his eyes as he replied, “Perhaps, but it’s a habit I can’t quite shake.” He withdrew his hand, allowing her the freedom to sit as she wished.

  Jana steeled herself and carefully lowered onto the bench, fighting the grimace that threatened to cross her face. The sharp pain in her left shoulder made the simple act of sitting a challenge, but she managed to maintain her composure. Once seated, she looked up at Sir Gareth with a faint smile, and he returned it, taking his place beside her.

  After a moment of comfortable silence, Sir Gareth spoke again, his voice filled with quiet admiration. “The prince was very grateful for what you did in the dining hall. It wasn’t an easy situation, and you handled it with remarkable grace.”

  Jana inclined her head slightly, acknowledging his words. “I did what was necessary to avoid a larger issue. I’m glad it turned out well.”

  Sir Gareth’s expression grew more serious as he looked at her, his concern evident. “But it could have ended very differently. You took a great risk, and I can’t help but worry about what might have happened. I’m glad you’re all right, but… you need to be careful, Agnes.”

  Jana appreciated his concern, though she didn’t want to dwell on the dangers. “Thank you, Sir Gareth. I’ll be more cautious in the future.”

  He nodded, his eyes softening. “I’m glad to hear that. You’re too valuable to this palace—and to me—to be taking unnecessary risks.”

  After Sir Gareth’s words, Jana found herself sitting in silence, her gaze locked with his as she tried to process what he had just said. But after a moment, she diverted her eyes, not wanting to dwell on the matter. They remained on the bench, continuing their small talk, until Sir Gareth finally stood up.

  “The prince needs me back,” he said with a hint of regret in his voice. He then offered his hand to Jana again to help her stand, his other hand respectfully resting behind his back.

  Jana chuckled softly, her eyes falling to the ground. “You never learn,” she teased, a small smile playing on her lips.Sir Gareth replied with a good-natured grin.

  Standing up was more difficult than Jana anticipated. She knew she couldn’t lean too heavily on his hand, the gesture was more out of courtesy than actual support. She tried her best to rise without putting too much pressure on it, but as she struggled, she felt herself starting to fall back. She decided to push harder, using more force than she should have, and couldn’t stop the sharp hiss of pain that escaped her lips.

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  Sir Gareth immediately sensed something was wrong. “Is something the matter, Maid Agnes?”

  Jana quickly tried to brush it off, forcing a weak smile. “It’s nothing, really…”

  But Sir Gareth wasn’t convinced. He gently insisted, his concern deepening. In response, Jana pulled him closer and whispered in his ear, “Just the usual… monthly flu.”

  Understanding dawned on Sir Gareth’s face, and he suddenly apologized, his voice soft with genuine regret. “I understand.” The atmosphere between them turned slightly awkward, a tension lingering in the air despite their attempt to return to lighter conversation.

  Once they reached the palace entrance, they bid each other farewell, and Jana watched as he walked down the halls, his figure disappearing into the distance. The awkwardness of their earlier exchange still lingered in the air as she stood there for a moment, lost in thought, wondering what she should do next.

  Thomas leaned forward, his brow furrowed with curiosity. "So, you're saying that with this thing, we can also track the orb's signal if it’s close enough?"

  Agent Leon, standing nearby, glanced at Amina with a sarcastic smirk. "It might as well be useless because if it's close, we don’t really need a machine—we have eyes."

  Sergei chuckled at that, but Lydia and Amina didn’t seem amused by their attitude. Elowen, who had been quietly reading some documents by a shelf, walked over to them. "Do you know if Jana will be coming tonight?"

  Hassan, who was seated in a chair, absorbed in a literature book with one leg crossed over the other, glanced up but didn’t lift his head. "She’s been neglecting us lately," he murmured, still focused on his book.

  Elowen sighed, "I’ll ask the rest," and crossed the room to the door that separated their meeting space from the tavern. Once inside, she scanned the area until she spotted one of Jana’s crew members. Approaching him, she asked, "Do you know if Jana will be coming tonight?"

  The man shrugged, shaking his head. "I’m not sure. You should ask her most trusted man—he’s over there." He pointed her toward another table where a group of men sat drinking.

  Elowen approached the table, and as she drew near, the conversation around it fell silent. She stood behind a broad-shouldered man, who turned slightly to face her with a calm, unreadable expression. He eyed her from head to toe before speaking, his tone neutral. "What do you need?"

  "I was wondering if you knew where Jana might be tonight," Elowen asked directly.

  Jack, who had been with Jana from the beginning, responded with a hint of amusement, "I’m very glad you think I might know that woman’s plans, but sorry to break it to you—I don’t."

  Elowen stood there for a moment, studying him, but Jack didn’t bother to stand. He simply turned back to his drink, taking a long sip before glancing at her again. "Is there something else you need?" he asked, his voice carrying a slight edge.

  Elowen hesitated, sensing the tension, then decided to leave without another word. As she walked away, she couldn’t help but notice that Jack’s gaze, and those of the men around him, were far from appropriate.

  One of the men at the table muttered, "I still don’t understand why there are so many bitches around here. Do they think this is a place for them?"

  Jack continued his conversation with his comrades, his tone serious. "What I’m more concerned about is that room they keep coming in and out of—and those people that keep appearing in that house in the woods."

  At that moment, another man from a nearby table, dressed in a refined black cloak, leaned forward slightly, his voice calm as he interrupted, "I couldn’t help but overhear. You’re talking about some house in the woods?"

  Jack didn’t stand or react aggressively, but his gaze sharpened as he turned toward the man. "And who might you be?" he asked, his tone measured.

  The man smiled faintly. "I’m just here looking for some services. I overheard your conversation and got curious."

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. "Haven’t they taught you not to meddle in other people’s business?"

  The man remained unfazed. Instead, he placed a heavy pouch of money on the table beside him. Jack’s expression shifted from irritation to indecision. He clicked his tongue, glancing at his comrades, who were all looking at each other with contemplation.

  These men weren’t loyal to Jana—they were just paid for specific jobs, mercenaries from their own guilds, Jack was different. He was part of Jana’s guild, bound by a certain loyalty. Taking the money would be a betrayal, but for these men, loyalty. But what was loyalty to these kinds of people if not easily swayed by the promise of wealth?

  Once the money was on the table, the unspoken question hung in the air: Who would be the first to take it and betray the information about the mysterious house?