Little Revenge

Annalise burst through the lounge door with a powerful kick.

Screams broke out inside, and in an instant, every head turned toward us.

It was chaos—things had spiraled way too far. But I couldn't get over her strength. Despite her slim build, she scooped me up with one arm and pulled me close. I felt so secure.

"Miss Ysabel?!" Mila shoved her way through the crowd.

Annalise knew her as the maid who'd come for me before and passed me over to her.

"Where's the head maid?" Annalise's rage made the other maids shake. They dropped their eyes, too terrified to look up, afraid her anger might land on them next.

"She went to report to Lord Velmont…" one muttered.

Annalise stormed off again, like a force of nature. Mila squeezed me tight and hurried to keep pace, her face a mix of worry and confusion. "Miss, what's happening?"

My face went pale. "Annalise is sticking up for me. She's going after the head maid…"

"What did the head maid do? Are you okay, Miss? I should've been there—it's my fault…" Mila's voice cracked with guilt, but how could she think that? I reassured her with a few quick words, and she brightened up a bit.

"If Miss Annalise puts that head maid in her place, it'll be perfect! No one will mess with you again!" Mila said.

If only it were that easy.

The head maid wasn't just anyone. The old tales said her family had served the Velmonts for ages.

She'd looked after the Duke himself and even raised Cedric as a boy. In the Duke's Castle, she carried herself like she was half-noble. That's why she always sneered at me.

Once Annalise let loose, I knew the head maid would turn it back on me later. I could already see the rough days coming.

On our way here, I'd pleaded with Annalise to drop it—I hadn't even been hurt much—but she brushed me off entirely.

At last, in the grand hall, Annalise caught the head maid speaking to Cedric. I figured she'd at least ask something first, but nope—she went straight for it.

SMACK! THUD!

It all spun out of control in a flash.

One second, the head maid stood there, calm and relaxed; the next, she was flat on the floor.

That slap from Annalise dropped a woman who was maybe five-foot-seven and at least seventy kilos. My cheeks stung just watching it.

If that hit someone smaller, they'd have sailed across the room. When Annalise promised to take her down for me, she meant it—dead serious.

Cedric glanced at the head maid sprawled out. Mila and I stood frozen, mouths open, but his face didn't twitch.

I sometimes wondered how he kept that perfect mask of calm.

"Annalise, tough day?" he said, like it was nothing.

Then his sharp, blood-red eyes—bright as roses—shifted to me. A chill ran through them. "You've been so quiet lately, staying out of trouble. I thought we'd finally found someone to tame your wild side. Guess it's just a slower burn."

The head maid pulled herself up, veins throbbing at her temple. Still, her voice stayed polite. "Miss Annalise, did I do something wrong?"

Annalise pushed Mila—who was still holding me—forward. "Say sorry to Ysabel."

The head maid's sharp eyes slid to me. She'd figured out the source of this storm.

The hall was packed with people watching now. I even caught sight of my tutor in the crowd. Embarrassed, I hid my face in Mila's neck.

If I could turn back time, I'd never have told Annalise a thing! She thought I hid my face out of fear, though, and lifted her hand for another smack.

The head maid flung her arms up to block it. "Miss Annalise! I'll say sorry, but tell me what I did!"

Annalise's anger flared, shocked by the woman's nerve. "What you did? You shoved Ysabel in front of the rose garden and told her to get lost. And you've got the guts to ask?"

The head maid turned to me, her face dripping with fake surprise. "I saw Miss Ysabel near the garden, sure, but I didn't say a word to her. Miss Ysabel, you can't just make up stories!"

She was going to deny everything. Annalise's temper already had a bad rap—people could easily brush off her words as hot air. And me? A kid's voice didn't mean much, especially since Cedric dumped me in the servants' quarters from day one.

That sly woman knew Cedric wouldn't stick up for me. If she held her ground, this would just turn into another dumb tale about Annalise losing it.

No chance! Annalise has my back because she cares. How can I let her get trashed for it?

"I was heading to see Annalise so we could admire flowers together," I said. "But you stopped me right at the garden gate. You told me someone like me didn't belong there and to beat it!"

I'd been crying not long ago, so tears came easy. As they rolled down, I could feel the crowd starting to side with us.

I pointed to my chest, sobbing, "Then you poked me here—hard—and pushed me off."

The head maid kept yammering, refusing to own up.

Annalise's face grew darker, her patience running out. She looked ready to lunge and knock her flat. I grabbed her sleeve, scared she'd go too far.

"Hold on." Cedric stepped in—way too close.

His hand reached for my neck. I stiffened, barely able to breathe.

Up that near, I could see every thin, long lash under his eyes.

He pulled my collar aside, showing off an ugly bruise on my pale skin.

"She hurt a kid that little…" murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Someone else nodded, adding, "The head maid's always been rough with the staff. Didn't think she'd sink this low!"

Before long, the hall hummed with anger aimed at her. The head maid tried one last weak excuse. "Kids get bruises all the time! I—"

"That mark wasn't there this morning," my tutor cut in, her sharp voice slicing through the noise. "Ysabel wore her nightgown for lessons today. Her collarbone was clear then. We were in the room all morning. She only put on these clothes this afternoon to meet Miss Annalise!"

The second Annalise spotted that bruise, her fury hit a new level. I could practically feel her pulse pounding from where I stood.

I clutched her arm. "Don't be mad! It doesn't even hurt!"

Cedric stepped back, his expression dark—probably ticked about the Velmont name taking a blow.

"I'll make sure every noble hears you got fired for hurting a child," he said, his voice ice-cold.

The head maid's face went white. She collapsed, pleading and throwing apologies at me. I tuned her out.

Annalise lifted me from Mila's arms and carried me toward the rose garden.

Tears still hung in my eyes, but I beamed up at her, full of awe. "Thank you. You're the first one to ever stick up for me. You're my hero!"

If only you'd never fall for that guy, I sighed internally.