“What kind of favour?” She asked, folding her arms and keeping her face stern. She just wanted this to be over and done with so she could go back to bed. The thought of falling asleep in the carriage and being at the mercy of Elizabeth and Merril filled her with dread.

“First things first, I am sorry. I know it is difficult to ask you now because you leave tomorrow, but I’m sorry.” Chetter said, his voice fidgety.

He apologized again and again until Levisia eventually held her palm up to him.

“That’s enough of your apologies, just tell me what you need to say.”

“May I ask you to disregard my brother just once?”

Levisia frowned, racking her brains trying to remember who Chetter’s brother was. She looked at him and shrugged.

“Who?” She asked, her frown deepening. “And why?”

“Cheta. I know it’s strange that our names sound the same, but they are spelt differently.” Chetter rubbed the back of his neck. “My name is spelt -tter, and his is spelt -ta.”

“Okay, so you want to avoid Cheta with a -ta. But you still haven’t answered my other question.” Levisia stepped forwards, letting her hands drop to her side as she scrunched her hands into tight fists. “Why should I disregard him?”

*

Pel cursed that he was, once again, unable to get a decent night’s sleep when someone began pounding on his door. He had been in a deep sleep, and he did not enjoy being disturbed at such a late hour. Throwing back the covers, he stumbled over towards the door and opened it, yawning as he greeted the person on the other side.

“Couldn’t this have waited until tomorrow? I need to sleep and… Oh, Sheila.” Pel looked at Sheila frantically pacing up and down and gestured for her to enter his room. He closed the door behind her and perched on the edge of his bed. Sheila was in such a state that her words were flying from her mouth faster than he could keep up.

“Shelia, stop,” Pel said, holding his hand out. “Start from the beginning. You say you saw Levisia coming out of her room?”

“Yes.” Sheila pulled her shawl closer around her and sat down on the armchair by the window. “I heard knocking and assumed it was for me. But then I heard Levisia talking to someone. I opened my door to listen in on the conversation, and…”

“And…?” Pel wanted to be gentle and encourage her to take her time, but he also wanted to know what was happening in case Levisia was in danger.

“She was talking to a man, and he said that he was going to take her to Chetter.” Sheila seemed to shrink in her seat. “I’m sorry, Pel. I know I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on her, but she told me that she could handle it herself and to go to bed. I was just going to go with her and check it out but she…”

“She’s grown a spine,” Pel said with a chuckle. “Of all the times for her to do so… Did she say where she was going?”

“Unfortunately not. She left before I could ask.” Sheila sighed. “I know she doesn’t need us babying her all the time, and that she can take care of herself. It’s just that… Maybe we can be too overprotective of her sometimes.”

“I suppose there are times when I feel like I should step back and give her some breathing room… But she can also be incredibly naïve and say things that get her into trouble.” Pel folded one leg over the other and leant his elbow against it. He rested his head on his fist and looked at Sheila. “So, what do we do then?”

“Honestly? I’d say we let Levisia handle this. I mean, she’s in the middle of a heavily guarded estate, and if anything were to happen to her, the Count and Countess would be in trouble with the Kraidens.” Sheila got to her feet. “I’m sorry for waking you in such a state. We should get back to bed, as we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.”

Pel curtly nodded to her. He watched her bid him goodnight and head back to her own room, and then he threw on an old cape and a pair of boots. With a torch in hand, he entered the corridor and headed in the direction Sheila had seen Levisia leave. He needed to know that she was okay, and he was willing to receive an earful from Levisia for his inability to leave her alone.

“Where are you, Levisia?”

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