Tanya’s POV

Upon exiting Peyton’s old room, I realize that the entire palace is in chaos. Everyone is panicking over the princess’s physical state. Maids are rushing about with wet towels and water, nobles are alerting the neighboring royal families. Butlers are heading off to call the known doctors. I can see that everyone dearly cares for the princess. As do I. But my job is much different to theirs.

I hurry into one of the empty rooms, closing the door to shut out the cluster of apprehension that whiz about outside. I scrape away items off one of the tables and pull out the box, emptying the torn pieces of paper onto the workspace.

Step by step, piece by piece, like a child’s puzzle set, I connect the pages, reconnecting torn words and linking the shredded pieces. Soon I have reassembled the entire page. Satisfied, I read through it carefully, my eyes growing wider as they trail down the page.

Shock, surprise, and dread