Ave sighed as she watched Lucian disappear and then turned back to enter the carriage with the frightened Lydia by her side. At first, Lydia had hesitated to follow Ave into the carriage, but before they could close the door, a voice called out from the palace entrance.
"And where do you think you are going with that maid?!" came Catherine's stern voice. She walked down a few steps to approach the carriage with three maids following behind her, one of them carrying a bundle of clothes on her head, looking frightened and pale.
Ave paused mid-action, her hand still on the carriage door. She looked at Catherine, feeling a headache already rising.
She had hoped to slip away with Lydia without this little witch—who she had just realized this morning was Selene's stepsister—coming after her. Ave had planned to keep Lydia with her and then meet the Empress when she was ready to execute the secret plan she had devised last night before falling asleep.
