Caelia burst into the room like a gust of wind, cheeks flushed, breathing uneven, eyes wide.
Mira, Eliza, and Isobel were lounging inside. Eliza brushing her auburn hair, Isobel sprawled on her bed humming a tune, and Mira flipping through the palace's duty scroll.
All activity came to a screeching halt.
Three heads turned in unison.
"Caelia?" Mira sat up straight, concerned. "What happened? Why did you run in like that?"
Before Caelia could respond, Isobel raised a brow and quipped, "Was something chasing you? Or did you see a ghost?"
Eliza leaned back on her elbows, glancing at the time dial near the window. "Weren't you supposed to be cleaning one of the rooms in the royal residence? What are you doing back so soon?"
Caelia didn't lift her head. She moved slowly toward her bed and sat on the edge, gripping the edge of her skirt.
One word left her lips.
"Midnight."
The room fell silent.
Mira blinked. "Midnight? What's that supposed to mean?"
Before anyone else could speak, Isobel leaned forward, a knowing smirk curving her lips. "The Prince?"
Eliza looked from one girl to the other, confusion flickering in her eyes. "Wait—how is the prince part of this conversation?"
Isobel rolled her eyes dramatically. "She meant the Midnight Heir, Eliza."
At that, both Mira and Eliza gasped softly.
"Oh."
"Oh."
The realization settled like a drop of ink in water.
Isobel clapped her hands once. "Alright, Caelia, drop the gist. Now."
Caelia swallowed, her face impossibly red. She looked around at the eager, sparkling eyes waiting on her. There was no escape.
So she told them.
Everything.
From the cold, dark room she thought was empty, to the sound of the bathroom door opening, to the man—the man—who stepped out with water dripping off his skin and not a thread on his body.
The room went silent again.
Then—
Eliza's mouth hung open. Mira's eyes widened. Isobel looked like she had just been handed the best gossip of the year.
Isobel, being Isobel, leaned in with mischief practically glowing in her bright blue eyes. "Wait, wait, wait—did you see it?"
Caelia snapped her head in her direction, glaring with all the embarrassment she could muster.
"Isobel!" she hissed.
And that was it.
The room erupted.
Laughter burst from all three girls. Mira leaned back, covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. Eliza chuckled with disbelief. Isobel clutched her side, laughing freely.
"Well, that's one way to make an impression on royalty," Eliza teased.
Mira smiled, nudging Caelia gently. "At least now you've officially met the Midnight Heir."
Caelia groaned, dragging a pillow over her face as the others continued to laugh and chatter.
This wasn't how she thought her royal service would begin.
But apparently, fate had a twisted sense of humor.