At Noah's insistence, Juliette returned to her room at three in the morning to try and get some sleep. He could tell she was exhausted, and because he didn't know what Dr. Violet was doing to her, he was afraid that a lack of sleep would only worsen the effects.
He couldn't get past her having a seizure.
"There's still so much to do," she said, shaking her head as they walked back to her room. "I need to get the ship's computer system built, I need to set it up with new software that wouldn't be traceable, and need to look into who Marie Violet is and what in the skies she's doing to me."
Noah inwardly shuddered. "We'll have time, but if you collapse from exhaustion then it will make things a whole lot harder." He pulled her door open, but hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay? About, you know... the seizure thing?"
Juliette shot him a half-hearted smile. There were circles beneath her eyes, and her dark hair made her skin look even paler. She looked exhausted. "I think so. I feel fine, anyway."
Noah licked his lips. "If you start to not feel fine, let me know."
Juliette nodded.
Noah jerked his chin toward her bed. "Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
Juliette reluctantly disappeared inside her room. Noah hurried back down to his and collapsed in bed. He fell asleep after only a few minutes, his dreams filled with ship parts and machinery.
He slept through his alarm and barely made it to the training room on time, still blinking the sleep from his eyes.
"You look like death," Mason said as he walked in.
Noah shot him a thumbs up. "Thanks. Always appreciate a confidence boost."
"Are you excited?"
Noah blinked.
"About Armament? The assessment test?"
"Right." Noah shook his head. "Sorry, I spaced out. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited." Seas, he'd completely forgotten about the assessment test. He'd known it was coming for weeks, and once he returned, he'd be placed in a permanent position on the royal guard. He finished his last school class last Friday, and this was the final step in securing the job he would have for the rest of his life.
If he were to stay at the palace.
Noah hesitated, pulling his gloves over his hands and then wiggling his fingers. "Hey, can I ask you a weird question?"
Mason's eyebrows shot up, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure."
"You're from Armament, right?"
"Yeah."
"Have you ever heard of Marie Violet?"
"No, it doesn't sound familiar. Why?"
Noah shook his head. "No reason. I was just doing some reading and this woman's name popped up, and I thought maybe she was well-known there or something."
"Oh, not that I know of."
Noah frowned to himself, thinking. Marie Violet wasn't his main concern, but if he could learn more about her and her specialties, he might be able to figure out what she was doing to Juliette and come up with some ways to combat it.
Training started and ended, and by eight, Noah was showered, dressed, and on his way to Juliette's room. Odette was hosting a brunch for a handful of her House leaders. Aside from the whole making-Juliette-her-test-subject-for-a strange doctor, Odette had been oddly civil toward Juliette.
Noah didn't trust it. She was never this civil, even when their mother was alive. She was planning something; Noah was sure of it.
Juliette was pacing the length of the hallway outside her room when he rounded the corner. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in shiny curls. A few pieces had come free and hung around her face, and she was wearing a dark purple, floor-length dress with long sleeves that sinched at the wrist. She had always been pretty, but somehow she had become even more so, seemingly overnight.
Noah didn't realize he'd stopped walking until she turned around and met his gaze, shaking him from his stupor.
"I was jittery and wanted to walk," she said with a partial laugh, knotting her hands together. Her eyes were especially bright, but there was a haziness to them. She was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
Noah forced a nod. "Ready?"
Juliette nodded, smoothing her hands down her front, and started down the corridor. There was something off about her movements. She was walking slower than she normally did, and she didn't seem entirely there.
Thank the skies Odette was preoccupied when Juliette walked in, speaking with Lord Galvan, who oversaw House Galvan that was responsible for the country's electricity conduction.
Odette was wearing a dark red dress, made of a stiff brocade and had a plunging neckline. Her hair hung down her back, and her black crown was perfectly arranged on the top of her head. Everything about her was the polar opposite of Juliette.
Breakfast started, and Noah took up position beside the window. From this vantage point, he had a view of the entire room and both entrances.
"I have been in communication with Viktor Yeltsin, the president of Russia. He hasn't said anything outright, but I have high hopes that a peace treaty will be signed by the end of next year," Odette announced.
A collective gasp went around the table. Everyone started talking at the same time, praising Odette's cleverness, speculating that once the peace treaty was signed, forming alliances wouldn't be far behind. Odette didn't put an end to the chatter, no doubt thriving on being so highly exalted.
"Still won't let us see your beautiful daughter?" Lord Apatite asked, one of his eyebrows arched.
Juliette visibly tensed, her gaze darting to Odette, who froze.
Seconds stretched across the room in a blanket of tension.
"I beg your pardon?" Odette finally asked.
If Noah didn't know better, she would think Odette was hurt. Rumors had been floating around Demetria for a decade and a half that Odette had gotten pregnant sixteen years ago and kept her daughter hidden.
The term The Lost Princess was coined, people insisting Odette was hiding her daughter from the public eye until she was of age, or Odette was crowned queen.
Of course, the only person she was hiding was Juliette and it was because she hated her.
"Apologies, Your Majesty. I couldn't resist," Lord Apatite added with a laugh.
Juliette didn't say a word, though her eyes flickered up to Noah for a split second. Noah barely shook his head, thinking he was an exceptionally brave man.
Odette looked down at her plate as she cut into her meat. "Natasha, see this gentleman out of the palace. I will appoint a new House Head by the end of the day."
"Your Majesty, I'm so sorry, I was only trying to—"
"I suggest you stop flapping your lips if you wish your wife and son to live to see tomorrow." Odette didn't stop eating. Didn't give any indication she was rattled.
Lord Apatite blinked. Then stood up, bowed, and walked with Natasha out of the room.
"I have been in communication with the royal family from France," Odette continued, addressing the rest of the table, "and have invited them to visit Demetria in December. I'm hoping to begin trade deals with them when the war is over, and thought there was no better way to establish a solid relationship than by meeting them in person," she added, waving at one of the footmen to bring her another glass of wine.
Before anyone had the chance to reply, the chandelier above the table rattled. The hanging crystals tinkled against each other, and the ground rumbled beneath them.
Noah waited, seeing if the quake would intensify. When it started to grow more intense, he took a step closer to Juliette, ready to yank her back and shield her should the need arise.
"It's just a quake, get back," Odette hissed.
Noah obediently took a step back, as did Odette's guard who had also moved closer. Juliette glanced at Noah, shooting him a silent thank you, before turning back to breakfast.