Isabella… did you understand what she said?"
I looked at her closely. "Would you like to tell me?"
But before she could reply, my thoughts were already spiraling—
Gabrielle. He was angry. But why? Was it because she helped me? Or… because she brought me to the palace?
The answer came quicker than I expected.
Gabrielle reached out and gently held Isabella's hand. His expression softened, and he said quietly,
"My sister… you know how dangerous the forest is at night. During the day, it belongs to us. But at night... it belongs to them."
He paused, his voice barely above a whisper.
"If you had been even a little late—tell me, what would I have done?"
It hit me then.
He wasn't furious because of me.
He was terrified… for her.
And he had every right to be.
That night, I had barely slept. As I left my room and walked down the long corridor, I heard voices from inside Isabella's chambers. I stopped, hand still on the doorknob. Her words floated out, gentle and comforting.
I turned around and walked the other way, not wanting to intrude. The vast palace swallowed me whole as I wandered aimlessly, lost in my thoughts.
What will I say to Mama when I return home after disappearing for two whole days?
How can I explain this… any of this?
I was still trapped in that whirlwind of thoughts when a familiar voice called my name.
"Ada!"
I stopped and turned.
It was Isabella—smiling as always.
"Ada, how are you?" she asked.
This time, her hair shimmered with a deep maroon hue. I blinked.
Again? The color had changed.
She kept talking, but I wasn't listening. My eyes were fixed on her hair.
She noticed my distraction and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "What happened, Ada? Are you really okay?"
Before I could stop myself, I asked, "Isabella… can I ask you something?"
She nodded.
"Your hair… it keeps changing color. Why?"
I smiled sheepishly. "I thought I'd rather ask now than be surprised every time."
Isabella chuckled softly and touched her hair. "My father left my mother," she said with a sigh. "That's why she is… like this."
Her answer confused me. My face must have said it all, because she quickly added, "Ugh, I mean—my hair changes based on my mood."
"Oh!" I blinked in realization. "That's… actually kind of beautiful."
She smiled. "When I'm angry, it turns red. When I'm happy, it turns golden."
We laughed gently together as we returned to her room—the same one I had slept in last night.
"Isabella… why are we back here?"
She turned to me and took my hands in hers. "Ada, why are you so sad?"
I didn't answer. My throat tightened, and I looked away.
Seeing my pale face, Isabella shifted the mood quickly. "Alright! Time to change those strange clothes."
Her words made me realize—I had been wandering around the palace in the same dirty dress I had slept in. Embarrassment flushed through me. How did I even appear before the king like this?
But there was no undoing it now.
Isabella handed me a stunning gown—deep red with intricate gold embroidery that shimmered like sunlight on water. The hem grazed the floor.
It looked exactly like the fairytale dresses I used to dream of as a child.
I held it carefully in my hands, overwhelmed. She led me to a marble tub, its surface steaming with hot water.
"Come now. Take a long, relaxing bath. Once you're ready and we've eaten, I'll take you around the palace."
I nodded, grateful.
Isabella stepped outside, but two maidens remained, standing silently in the corner. I waited, hoping they would leave too. Minutes passed. We simply looked at one another.
Finally, I cleared my throat.
"Excuse me… would you both mind stepping out as well?"
They glanced at each other, then wordlessly left. I exhaled in relief.
The bath was warm, almost magical. I let myself soak in the water, the heaviness of the past two days slowly washing away.
When I stepped out, clean and dressed, I felt almost like a different person.
But nothing could've prepared me for what—or rather, who—was waiting just outside.
As I emerged, I froze.
He was standing right there.
Tall. Still. Watching me.
My lips parted involuntarily. "Mr. Gadde…"
He didn't say a word. His gaze met mine—intense, unwavering. It felt like he could see straight through me.
My hair, still damp, clung to my neck. I reached up and instinctively gathered it into a braid, trying to compose myself.
His eyes followed the motion, and I understood.
He had already read what I was thinking. His silence spoke volumes.
His presence, the weight in his stare—it reminded me of something, or someone.
Mr. Garde…?
Was it him?
Before I could say anything more, Isabella appeared again, her expression gleaming with mischief.
"My brother came to get me," she said lightly, as if the tension in the air wasn't thick enough to cut with a blade.
That's when I realized—Gabrielle and Isabella were siblings.
And Gabrielle—he had been watching me the whole time.
Without another word, he turned and left.