"She has stated in the past that she likes baby's breath. However, if I remember correctly, her father used to give her daisies when she was younger." I shrug. "Choose your fighter. Both hold value."
Florian nods eagerly, absorbing every word like I'm sharing an age-old mantra. There's not a single drop of wisdom in what I'm yapping, it's all trivia, but the prince doesn't seem to mind.
Florian's nervousness seems to have dissipated now that he has a girl and a goal in mind.
As of a matter of fact, this is the first time I've seen him be capable of eye contact. He's staring straight into the core of my mind, attempting to dissect it.
"Aurelia also has quite the sweet tooth. She'd appreciate receiving anything, really."
The conversation is starting to get tiresome.
Agitation starts to pick at my demeanor. I have no idea where the cat has been for the past who knows how long. Perhaps it's changed its mind and escaped the palace.
Unfortunate. That'd lead me back to square one, not knowing how to deal with the existence of my murderous husband.
"Prince Florian," I try to bite back my irritation, but it seeps into my voice. "I do still have urgent matters to attend to. I hope I've provided you with sufficient information."
He blinks repeatedly, gathering himself. In an instant, he's back to being the timid prince.
"Oh, yes. I apologize." He mumbles. "You are free to go. I appreciate your assistance, truly."
I smile, tired. "And I appreciate your accompaniment, your highness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go."
Florian nods. I return it. I don't waste much time and head to the direction I remember the cat taking.
The library's size can't be understated. It almost feels as if its ceiling stretches higher than the rest of the palace's, with shelves standing like towers.
This is the first time I've seen so many books at once. Most of them look aged, a lot are exotic and decorated.
Part of me understands why Florian adores this place so much, to the point that he removed himself from Rosewood, his comfort zone. There are entire worlds waiting to be unsheathed here, maybe entire universes.
I'll make time to examine them one day. For now, my goals lie elsewhere.
Fortunately, it doesn't take long for me to find the dark feline. It's waiting on top of a table, a scroll laid out in front of it and a quilt levitating to its right.
I approach it with resignation, ready to get things over with. Florian sucked away most of my life force, persistently asking questions and requiring detailed responses.
"You're looking to kill Valerius. You believe him to be unsafe."
It's no surprise that the cat has figured it out.
If it can read my mind, then it's already grasped the resentment I hold for my cruel husband, undoubtedly.
"He is." I snap back. "You cannot disagree with me on that."
"You don't understand."
It takes everything in me not to groan. Why is everyone trying to delay my plans?
"He is dangerous, yes, but he's a necessity to this kingdom. The military relies on him. If you were to take him out, foreign powers will view it as a blind spot and take every opportunity to attack us."
"You are protecting him. Unbelievable."
"I am not." The cat argues. "You are free to do what you must. I understand your motives, truly, but you might want to consider your safety outside of your husband."
I nod. I won't be compromising just myself if I were to take him out. "You drive a good argument."
"You think taking his life is the only way to save yours."
I look around, cautious. If anyone overhears this one-sided conversation, I'm due for a lot of explaining.
There's simply no other way to gurantee my safety. Valerius is an unstable force, regardless of who he's with.
"Why not earn his favor?"
"Killing him is easier, you know that." Hilariously enough, it's true. Valerius sleeps with anything that moves, but his emotional walls are tall and firm, reminiscent of Troy's—unbreakable.
"You underestimate your capabilities."
I huff. "You're here to sign a contract, not mentor a woman on how to soften a man."
The cat's eyes narrow, as if to criticize me. Offended, I scoff. It's true! Business is business. Why stray from it?
"I cannot stop you."
"There are little things in this world that can."
It nods. "Consider the consequences thoroughly."
When I sit down, my thoughts tangle into an incomprehensible ball. The cat made good points, ones I can't counter.
Perhaps earning my husband's love isn't such a bad idea? With Aurelia out of the playing field, it really is just me and Valerius.
However, if Penelope has been chasing after him all her life, that adds a layer of difficulty. She must appear easy in his eyes.
There are hurdles to climb here. With enough thinking and scheming, I might be able to pull it off.
"You're considering it. Good." The cat chides in.
Still, it's good to have a plan B. And I've already made the commitment of coming to the library to sign a contract.
"You know, it's a lot of trouble having to retrieve that artifact for you."
"You're a princess. You have a lot of men at your disposal."
I hum. "That's true. Ordering the guards wouldn't be so hard. It might start a conflict though."
There's a lot to consider, lot to rework. For now, "So how does this contract work?"
"Take ahold of that quilt. Whatever you write, you will be obligated to fulfill. Breaking the contract will have serious precautions, the magic is unpredictable."
That sounds dangerous. Perhaps there's a way to lighten the consequences. A few words and loopholes can take you far.
I approach the levitating quilt with my right hand. It tingles as I place my fingers around it. Like magic, the first dribble of ink drops onto the scroll.
The ink's origins are ambiguous, considering the quilt hasn't been dipped into anything. That's magic for you, I suppose.
"Let's discuss terms and conditions, cat."
"You don't have to keep calling me that."
I chuckle. "Can you blame me? You haven't told me your name."
"Aurelia has named my form Alloy. Regard me that way in the contract."
"Alright."