Chapter 7: The Girl With My Face
For a moment, Elia forgot how to breathe.
The young woman standing behind Lord Voss had her face.
The same brown eyes. The same delicate nose. The same small curve at the corner of her mouth.
Even the faint scar across the middle knuckle of her right hand was there.
It was like looking into a mirror that had been waiting nineteen years to speak.
Elia stepped out of the carriage.
"Who are you?""
The stranger stared back.
"My name is Isabelle.""
Eleanor made a sound that was almost a sob.
"Isabelle...""
The young woman turned toward her.
"Don't say my name as though you have any right to it.""
The queen reached for the carriage door.
"Isabelle, my darling...""
"Stop!""
The stranger stepped backward.
"You don't get to call me that.""
Adrian moved in front of his mother.
"Lord Voss, explain yourself.""
The chancellor smiled.
"Gladly, Your Highness. This is Princess Isolde's twin sister, Isabelle. She was raised under my protection after the unfortunate events of the nursery fire.""
Elia stared at him.
"You raised her?""
"I ensured she received an education, security, and everything a royal child required.""
Isabelle gave a bitter laugh.
"Everything except a mother.""
Eleanor's face crumpled.
"Your father and I believed you were dead.""
"Then you should have looked harder.""
"Isabelle, I searched for you.""
"Not hard enough.""
Voss placed a reassuring hand on the young woman's shoulder.
She did not move away.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," he said.
"But the princess has endured considerable hardship. She has been raised without the comfort of knowing her true family.""
Elia stepped closer.
"So have I.""
Isabelle's eyes shifted toward her.
For a moment, their expressions were identical.
Then Isabelle noticed the faded gray uniform.
"You're the maid?""
Elia nodded.
"The one who awakened the crystal?""
"Yes.""
Isabelle's mouth tightened.
"Then you stole something that belonged to me.""
"I didn't steal anything.""
"The royal bloodline. The recognition. The attention.""
"I didn't ask for any of it.""
"Yet you stand here wearing my face and pretending to be a princess.""
Elia looked at the queen.
Eleanor was crying silently.
Adrian stepped toward Isabelle.
"Nobody is pretending. The crystal recognized Elia. You have not demonstrated anything.""
Voss raised one hand.
"Which is precisely why we are here. The kingdom needs certainty.""
He gestured to the soldiers.
"Your Highness, you will return to the palace. Her Majesty will accompany you. Both girls will undergo the appropriate royal examination.""
"And if we refuse?"" Adrian asked.
Voss's smile vanished.
"Then I will have no choice but to declare you an obstacle to the security of the crown.""
The soldiers raised their weapons.
Captain Rowan was nowhere to be seen.
Victoria, who had been sitting silently inside the carriage, slowly reached for the dagger hidden beneath her traveling cloak.
Elia noticed.
She shook her head slightly.
Victoria hesitated.
Then she lowered her hand.
Adrian looked at the soldiers.
"Lower your weapons. I am still the crown prince.""
Voss nodded.
"Of course, Your Highness.""
He turned toward the soldiers.
"Search the carriage.""
Two men approached.
Elia suddenly stepped between them and the queen.
"Please don't frighten her.""
Voss looked amused.
"How noble of you.""
"She's your queen.""
"She was.""
The words made Eleanor flinch.
Voss continued.
"Times change. Crowns change hands. And sometimes, children who were thought lost return at the most inconvenient moments.""
He looked directly at Elia.
"You should have remained in your village.""
Elia stared at him.
"You knew Mara?""
"Very well.""
"Did you order her death?""
A shadow crossed his expression.
"Your foster mother made some unfortunate choices.""
"She was murdered.""
"She interfered with matters far beyond her understanding.""
Elia's hands curled.
"She loved me.""
Voss leaned closer.
"Love is a poor protection against power, child.""
Before anyone could answer, Isabelle stepped forward.
"Enough.""
The chancellor turned.
"Princess?""
"Take them to the palace. I want this settled.""
Eleanor looked at her.
"Isabelle, please. You don't understand what he has done.""
The young woman's expression hardened.
"At least he stayed.""
It was a simple sentence.
But it revealed nineteen years of loneliness more clearly than any confession.
The return journey was silent.
Elia sat opposite Isabelle, with Adrian between them. The queen sat beside the window, staring at her reflection.
Victoria remained in the rear compartment.
No one seemed comfortable looking at anyone else.
Finally, Isabelle spoke.
"How long have you been living in the palace?""
"Almost six years.""
"Doing what?""
"Working in the kitchens, cleaning the royal rooms, carrying messages.""
"Did you ever enter the royal library?""
"Only to dust the shelves.""
Isabelle laughed without humor.
"I had tutors who taught me the histories of every royal family in Europe.""
Elia looked at her.
"I never had a tutor.""
"Then perhaps you should be glad.""
"Why?""
"Because being a princess isn't as beautiful as people imagine.""
Adrian turned.
"Who taught you that?""
Isabelle looked toward the window.
"Lord Voss.""
Something about her answer made Elia uneasy.
She noticed a thin line around Isabelle's wrist.
It looked like the mark left by a tightly worn bracelet.
"Where did you get that scar?"" Elia asked.
Isabelle quickly covered it.
"What scar?""
"On your wrist.""
"An accident.""
"Was it always there?""
Isabelle looked directly at her.
"Why are you asking?""
Elia hesitated.
"Mara had a scar on her wrist too.""
The other woman went very still.
"What did you say?""
"She had a burn scar. The physician said—"
"Don't.""
Isabelle's voice was sharp.
"Don't speak about that woman.""
"You knew her?""
"No.""
But her eyes moved briefly toward Voss's carriage.
Elia followed her gaze.
The chancellor was watching them through the glass.
Isabelle turned away.
By the time they reached Valoria Palace, the sky had darkened.
The main gates were decorated with royal banners, but something was different.
The swan crest had been removed.
In its place hung the black-and-gold emblem of the Regency Council.
Adrian stared at it.
"What have you done?""
Voss stepped out of his carriage.
"I have maintained order.""
"You have replaced the royal banner!""
"The council has assumed temporary responsibility for the kingdom's administration.""
Eleanor stepped down.
"You cannot erase the crown by changing a piece of cloth.""
Voss bowed.
"Certainly not, Your Majesty.""
His eyes moved toward Isabelle.
"That is why we have a better solution.""
Inside the palace, servants lined the grand staircase.
Most looked frightened.
Mrs. Hargrove stood among them.
When she saw Elia, her eyes widened.
"Elia?""
Elia hurried toward her.
"Mrs. Hargrove.""
The older woman grabbed her shoulders.
"Where have you been? We've been told you were involved in some terrible crime.""
"I haven't done anything.""
Mrs. Hargrove looked toward the queen.
Then toward the two young women.
Her face drained of color.
"Good heavens...""
Voss interrupted.
"Mrs. Hargrove, the council has instructed you to prepare the royal examination chamber.""
"Yes, my lord.""
"And arrange separate rooms for the princesses.""
The housekeeper looked confused.
"Princesses?""
"Princess Isabelle and the girl who claims to be her sister.""
Elia lowered her eyes.
Mrs. Hargrove immediately stepped closer to her.
"My lord, Elia is a servant. She has never claimed anything.""
"Then she should have no difficulty proving she is not a threat.""
The chancellor continued toward the throne room.
Isabelle followed him.
But just before entering, she glanced back at Elia.
Their eyes met.
There was fear in Isabelle's expression.
And beneath it, something that looked almost like desperation.
Later that night, as Elia was escorted to a small guest chamber, a folded piece of paper slipped beneath her door.
She opened it.
Only one sentence had been written.
Do not trust the girl who looks like you. She knows what happened to Mara.
Elia read it twice.
Then she turned the paper over.
At the bottom was a familiar handwriting.
May you like
Mara's.
And beneath the message was a tiny drawing of a silver swan.
