{Third Person}

Alexander took them, but didn’t attempt to open them.

Instead, he just leaned back slightly as his attention moved carefully over each envelope—the seal, the edges, the weight, the way they had been handled.

His fingers traced lightly over the wax, checking for any sign of tampering, any inconsistency, anything out of place.

Jasper watched quietly before speaking. "If that anonymous letter had been handwritten, it would have been easier to trace who sent it," he said thoughtfully.

Alexander did not respond. His focus remained on the envelopes, his expression unreadable as he finished examining the last one. Only when he was fully satisfied did he gather all three and handed them back.

"Take them to her," he said.

Jasper inclined his head. "Yes, Your Highness."

—

On the other side of the residence, Amara had just settled onto her bed, intending to rest before the night deepened, when Mrs. Woods stepped into the room.

"My lady."

Amara turned her head slightly. "Yes?"

Mrs. Woods didn’t prolong it. "Your friends have sent letters."

For a moment, the statement didn’t register. But when they did, Amara shot upright so suddenly the movement nearly set her off balance.

"What?"

In her haste, she swung her legs off the bed and almost stepped directly onto Ginger, who reacted faster than she did, darting out of the way with a sharp flick of its tail.

Amara didn’t even notice. Her entire focus was on Mrs. Woods.

"Are you serious?"

Mrs. Woods smiled faintly. "I would not lie to you, my lady. His Highness’s right-hand man is waiting in the living room."

That was all Amara needed to hear.

She was already moving before Mrs. Woods finished speaking, hurrying out of the room with barely contained excitement.

When she stepped into the living room and saw Jasper standing there, the three envelopes resting neatly in his hands, her expression lit up instantly.

The change in her was immediate—the excitement, impossible to hide.

Jasper bowed slightly. "My lady."

But Amara barely had the patience for formalities. Her eyes were already fixed on the envelopes.

Jasper stepped forward and extended them toward her. "His Highness asked that these be given to you."

Amara nodded quickly as she took them, her fingers curling around the envelopes as though afraid they might be taken away again.

"Thank you," she said, her voice filled with genuine excitement. Then, almost as quickly, she added, "Please extend my gratitude to His Highness."

Jasper gave a small nod. But Amara was already turning away.

She hurried back toward her room, clutching the letters to her chest, her steps quick and light in a way that made it clear just how much this meant to her.

Jasper, for a brief moment, watched her disappear down the corridor. There was the faintest hint of a smile threatening to form, but he suppressed it just as quickly.

Then he turned and left, heading back to report to Alexander.

---

Jasper stepped into the study quietly, but Alexander already knew he was there.

"Well?" Alexander asked without looking up, his attention seemingly fixed on the document before him.

Jasper bowed slightly. "She was very happy, Your Highness."

That made Alexander pause briefly, but Jasper noticed and continued, "She could barely contain herself and asked me to extend her gratitude to you."

Alexander’s pen stilled for a brief second before resuming. "Did she open them immediately?" he asked, his tone casual, almost indifferent.

Jasper allowed himself a small, knowing pause. "She ran back to her room with them. I believe she did."

Alexander gave a faint, dismissive hum, as though the matter held no real importance to him. Still, after Jasper finished speaking, he did not return to writing immediately.

His gaze lingered on the same spot on the paper, unmoving, as if his thoughts had momentarily drifted elsewhere.

Jasper noticed, but said nothing.

After a moment, Alexander finally spoke again. "You may leave."

Jasper bowed and exited.

The study fell quiet once more, but for some reason, the silence felt slightly different.

—

At the same time, Amara had already rushed back into her room, shutting the door behind her with more urgency than usual.

Then, quickly, she moved to her bed and sat down, her breathing still uneven from the excitement.

For a moment, she stared at them. All three envelopes were addressed to her, with her name clearly written on each.

There were no titles or formalities. Just... Amara.

Her chest tightened unexpectedly at that simple detail. Slowly, she picked the first one. Hazel’s letter. Her fingers trembled just slightly as she broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside.

The moment her eyes began to scan the words, her expression softened almost immediately. Hazel’s tone was exactly the same as she remembered—lively, dramatic, and full of complaints.

She scolded Amara for disappearing without a word, then went on to say how worried they had all been, how they had searched for any information about her, and how relieved she was to finally hear from her.

Amara let out a quiet laugh, the sound light and genuine. "Still the same..." she murmured under her breath.

Then she moved to the second letter. Rachel’s.

This one was calmer, more composed, but no less emotional. Rachel wrote about how empty things had felt without her, how the three of them hadn’t truly been themselves since she left, and how she hoped Amara was safe where she was.

Amara’s eyes softened further. A faint sting built behind them, but this time, she didn’t fight it.

Then she opened the last letter. Davina’s.

It started warm—teasing, affectionate, filled with relief—but somewhere in the middle, the tone shifted slightly. Carefully, almost reluctantly, Davina mentioned Lila and Torin.

She explained what had been happening back home, how the two of them had often been seen together, how the engagement had become public, and how she and the others had debated whether to tell her.

Amara’s fingers tightened slightly around the paper, but there was no shock. Only a quiet stillness, as she was already aware of the betrayal.

Still... seeing it written down and hearing it from her friends made something settle inside her in a different way.

It was no longer just something she had witnessed; it was now something acknowledged, something real, something that could no longer be dismissed or questioned.

She exhaled slowly, then continued reading.

By the time she finished all three letters, the room had gone quiet again. But it was not the same kind of quiet as before. This one felt... full.

Amara carefully gathered the letters together, placing them on her lap as she stared at them for a long moment.

"They really wrote back..." she whispered, almost as if she still couldn’t fully believe it.

Her fingers brushed lightly over the pages. "I should reply..."

The thought came naturally.