The maid who had followed Lin Xu all the way to the inn finally arrived, panting softly as she hid in the shadows. She had been terrified the whole night, but she kept searching checking hallways, slipping between corners, and avoiding the guards who walked back and forth.
At last, she found the door that had been guarded earlier by the Crown Prince's men.
But the guards were gone.
They had stepped out for only a moment.
This was her chance.
The maid held her breath, her hands shaking as she reached forward. She pushed the door open just a little just enough to peek inside.
The room was dim, barely lit by the moon.
She squinted.
For a second, she couldn't understand what she was seeing.
Then her eyes widened.
Lin Xu was lying on the bed, in a man's arms.
The maid's jaw dropped so fast she almost gasped out loud. She slapped both hands over her mouth to stop the scream rising in her throat.
Her heart hammered.
