The table was set with a silver tray holding cream and milk, alongside a jar of sugar. Elena felt a wave of relief wash over her as she quietly observed Hazel sipping her tea without a word. Every small gesture from Hazel set Elena’s nerves on edge, afraid she might inadvertently provoke a reaction. As she joined Cura by the fountain, Elena noticed the maids had already left the greenhouse. She took a silent breath, feeling her shoulders rise and fall.
“Unusually quiet today, aren’t we?” Cura whispered, leaning towards Elena.
Indeed, Hazel hadn’t spoken a word, as Cura remarked. While dressing Hazel earlier, Elena’s fingers had brushed against her silky black hair, adorned with jewels at the neckline. Expecting Hazel’s usual sharp disdain, Elena was surprised when Hazel simply turned away without a glare. Throughout the day, Hazel’s eyes betrayed her discomfort whenever Elena acted, and though her lips seemed poised to speak, they remained sealed.
“I wish every day could be like today,” Elena replied with a slight smile to Cura’s whisper.
While it was a relief that Hazel hadn’t seemed offended, Elena couldn’t shake her unease.
Quietly lifting her gaze, Elena observed Hazel and Carmen engaged in conversation. Their expressions were nearly inscrutable, and their voices too soft for Elena to decipher their discussion.
Time seemed to lose its meaning amidst the tranquility. Although the greenhouse itself felt cool, sunlight streamed through the glass walls, creating a warm, almost buoyant atmosphere. Cura, still bundled in her thick coat despite the gentle warmth, felt a rising flush creep across her skin. Coupled with the weight of a sleepless night clinging to her eyelids, the peaceful ambiance lulled her into a daze.
“Cura!” Hazel’s sharp voice jolted Cura awake instantly.
“Yes?” Cura responded, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.
Hazel usually directed tasks towards Elena, even with Cura present. Now, however, Hazel’s gesture and summons were specifically for Cura. Elena watched, a knot of unease forming in her stomach.
Following Hazel’s pointed finger, both Cura’s and Elena’s gazes landed on the same spot. It was the secluded area with poisonous plants, such as Vanaichi, where Serin had been when Elena first arrived. A large padlock typically secured the entrance, accessible only to Serin or those he summoned. Even Lassino, the butler, couldn’t enter freely.
“Isn’t there another garden inside too?” Hazel asked, recalling her earlier peek.
“Indeed,” Cura confirmed.
“But why’s the door locked, then?” Hazel pressed.
“Lord Serin personally tends to the inner greenhouse,” Cura explained.
“Personally?” Hazel echoed. A prickle of unease crawled up Elena’s spine. It intensified into a full-blown wave of disquiet as she listened to the exchange.
Hazel nudged Cura when she hesitated. “Well?”
Though Hazel’s voice remained level, Elena sensed a shift in her mood, a subtle souring. Elena, with her experience of navigating Hazel’s temperament, saw the warning signs in her narrowing eyes.
“Well, I—” Cura began, but Hazel cut her off.
“If you won’t answer,” Hazel said, her chin jutting towards the locked door, “I’ll just have a look myself.”
Elena watched, a tremor running through her. The once gentle Hazel now exuded a sharp coldness, like a blade held at her throat.
As Cura rose from her seat and headed towards the inner greenhouse, Hazel followed suit, rising from her seat as well. Cura turned to Elena with a panicked expression, her complexion draining of color. Gathering the hem of her dress in both hands, Elena hurriedly ran towards the two. Just as Carmen was about to grasp the lock, Elena stepped in between her and the greenhouse door.
“Just a moment,” Elena forced out her voice, pretending not to notice the pounding of her heart against her throat. Though she couldn’t enter anyway without the key, she felt a primal sense of danger. Since the moment Hazel, who usually only enjoyed tea time in the parlor or her chambers, suddenly suggested going to the greenhouse, Elena hadn’t foreseen what was to come.
“How dare you block my way?” Hazel grabbed Carmen’s shoulder, pulling her aside. Stepping right up to Elena, she raised an eyebrow sharply, glaring fiercely. A quiet rage simmered in her winter lake blue eyes, as if, in her usual demeanor, she found Elena’s audacity to block her path contemptible.
