Chapter 59: Operation Matrimonial Surveillance: Part I
[Rynthall Estate—Afternoon / Lucien’s Secret Strategy Chamber (a.k.a. the Tea Room with Better Lighting)]
The teacups trembled.
The chandelier shivered.
The lace curtains tried their best not to flutter dramatically—though they failed, due to a conveniently timed breeze.
Lucien, clad in his "Operation: Betrayal Chic" robe (embroidered with tiny daggers, roses, and passive-aggressive peacocks), SLAMMED a massive map onto the tea table.
A very large, completely unnecessary, unreasonably sparkly map of the entire Rynthall estate.
It was scribbled over in glitter gel pens, dramatic red arrows, mysterious dotted lines, coded phrases like "Shady Behavior Zone" and "Don’t Trust This Door", and a tiny, angry doodle of Silas’s face with an evil handlebar mustache drawn over it.
"Code name: Suspect Number One," Lucien announced, stabbing Silas’s face with a gold-tipped pen like it had insulted his nail polish.
Across the table, Empress Elise nibbled on a macaron, eyes calm, voice deadpan. "Is that his wedding portrait... or a wanted poster?"
Lucien sniffed. "Same thing."
Lady Seraphina, twirling a jeweled pen like it was a weapon of divine justice, leaned in with narrowed eyes. "What’s the plan, Commander of Chaos?"