Lilith sighed, knowing this was going to take longer than she had the patience for. "Unfortunately, today is not a day when I have the luxury of sitting around and waiting. There will be a coronation today, and I plan to be on time."

Mary stepped forward before the maids. "Her Highness has asked all of you to speak up. Share who was working with the high priest. If you do so now, you can spare yourself from being killed for everything you have done to her in the past."

Lilith continued to study the room. Some looked more frightened than others, and avoided raising their heads to meet her eyes.

Lilith looked at the ladies who had been the main ones to trouble her before. The very ones who had tried to win Thalia’s favour.

Now Thalia was gone, and with no one to run to, they kept silent.

"I was trying to be generous and punish only the one who brought the garment, but it seems it is to be fate that I punish all of you for what you did in the past. Mary, tell the soldiers to take these maids to the dungeon. Perhaps one night there will loosen their tongues," Lilith said, rising from the bed.

"Wait! Your Highness, I first saw Ada with the garment. She brought it to Faith and spoke of it being a gift from his grace," Joan, a maid, spoke fast. She would not take the fall for anyone.

Ada’s head snapped towards Joan, her eyes filled with fury. "I did not! It was passed to me by Sarah, and she told me to give it to another maid since I had to prepare your bath. Your Highness," Ada looked to Lilith. "I was not the one who brought the garment."

"Well, neither did I!" Sarah exclaimed, denying the accusation. "Faith brought the garment to me, and I passed it on as I was told. She said that because I had troubled you in the past, you would not accept it from me."

"I received the garment from Ada, Your Highness," Faith said quietly.

Lilith’s lips curved. She watched as the maids turned on each other, the accusations spilling out one after another with each woman pointing to the next.

Lilith glanced at Mary, whose expression had shifted from amusement to plainly irritated. "Stop speaking. I know who the culprit is. Mary, have the soldiers take Ada."

Ada’s eyes flew wide open. "Your Highness," she dropped to her knees on the stone floor. "It wasn’t me. I was handed the garment and did as I was told."

"Be silent, unless you wish to add to your suffering. You should have your peers pray for your soul, so that you may be well in the afterlife," Lilith said, her gaze moving across the remaining maids.

Ada reached for the hem of Lilith’s dress, but Mary stepped between them. "I didn’t do it, Your Highness. I swear to God. I swear to you that I didn’t. It was one of those lying women," she said, her voice cracking as she accused the others.

"You should simply accept your fate, Ada. You brought the garment to me and had me pass it on to others. May God have mercy on you," Faith said, looking down at Ada.

When Faith raised her head, she found Lilith’s eyes already on her. She dropped her gaze quickly.

"Mary," Lilith said, stopping Mary just before she reached the door. "Have the guards take Faith, not Ada. Tell them to kill her at once."

Faith’s head popped up instantly. "Your Highness, another maid saw Ada hand the garment to me. I am innocent."

"It was very clever of you to let it end up in your hands once more, where someone else could see. Besides, his little followers don’t like to swear by God’s name, and you were the most eager to pray for her. May God have mercy on you," Lilith said, the words carrying the same tease as before.

Faith’s fist clenched at her side.

Ada got to her feet, her eyes fixed on Faith. "You were going to stand there and watch me be killed. May God have mercy on me? I don’t want your prayers," she said, and took hold of Faith’s hair.

Faith retaliated by seizing Ada’s hair and pulling her down towards the floor.

"Your Highness," Mary moved quickly to Lilith’s side. "Shall I stop them?"

"The soldiers will stop them," Lilith said, watching as the men moved forward to separate the two women.

"Enough!" Mary yelled, her patience running thin. "She is to be taken to the dungeon," she pointed to Faith. "The other is to be released."

"He will come for you. He will save us all from this ruin you have brought down on this castle," Faith spat, her voice carrying across the chamber as the soldiers dragged her towards the door.

"So helpless," Lilith said, watching her go. "If only you could see how much more dangerous he truly is."

"Your Highness." Ada fell to her knees again, the stone cold beneath her. "I apologise for everything I did in the past. If you would take me into your service, I shall prove myself worthy to be your maid and make up for what I did before. Please allow me to prove myself."

"No," Lilith replied, her voice flat. "You were disrespectful, and you tampered with my food. You caused trouble more times than you should have been permitted to. Why would I keep you so close and give you a second chance? That would benefit you, not me."

"You should get up off the floor, as you are only embarrassing yourself. As of this moment, this is the last time any of you will tend to me. See the head maid for new positions. If I were you, I would keep my head down. My mind has a way of changing," Lilith said.

"This is where you leave," Lilith said, and didn’t need to raise her voice.

Ada stood and followed the other maids out of the chamber.

Once the door had closed, Mary asked, "Your Highness, if I may. Why are you having Faith killed at once?"

"Virgil has more followers in the castle, and he has a way of moving through it without being noticed. He or someone else could reach her before she is dealt with. I would rather not keep her alive and give myself one more enemy to watch for," Lilith explained.