Chapter 4

The Queen crushed the little prince against her chest.

"My son has already been frightened once. Do you mean to frighten him a second time?"

"Guards, drag this vile creature out at once!"

I opened my mouth to protest, but the eunuch beside me clamped a hand over it.

I fought with everything I had, but I was one small kitchen maid.

What chance did I have against dozens of grown men?

Then, just as despair closed over me, the grip on me went slack.

Everyone dropped to their knees at once, voices raised as one.

"Long live the Abbott."

The Abbott strolled forward and lifted the little prince from the Queen's arms.

"I hear my son has had a fright."

Choking on his tears, the prince stammered out the whole story.

The Abbott's brow drew tight, and his cold gaze landed on me.

"So you're the servant who's been playing at ghosts and spirits?"

The cloth was pulled from my mouth. I seized the moment and spoke fast.

"I beg you to see the truth of it, Your Majesty. I've conjured no ghosts. The spiced cakes truly vanished on their own."

"And over this one vanishing cake, five people have already died in the Royal Kitchens!"

At the mention of five put to death,

the Abbott sat bolt upright.

"Those five were all seasoned hands in the Royal Kitchens. Not one of them would risk her life for a stolen bite or some trick with spirits."

The Queen's face filled with worry.

"By Your Majesty's reckoning... could it be some evil spirit at work in this palace?"

The Abbott's expression turned grave.

"I have never believed in ghosts or spirits."

"But I do know this. Five people died in the Royal Kitchens, all because my son wanted spiced cakes."

He looked at the little prince, eyes narrowing.

"Cassian, I know you've been indulged a little. These deaths..."

"Was it because you thought their cakes weren't good enough, so you found some excuse and had them killed?"

The hall went silent.

The Queen's voice shook.

"Your Majesty, Cassian is only a boy of ten!"

"How could he plot anyone's death?"

But the doubt in the Abbott's eyes did not fade in the slightest.

I seized the chance, pressed my forehead to the floor, and spoke.

"Your Majesty, I know the truth of how the cakes vanish."

"I beg you to grant me one chance to explain it fully!"

Something lit in the Abbott's eyes.

"Very well. If you can lay out the truth and crack this case, I'll reward you a hundred silver taels."

"And if you can't, it's death for deceiving the crown!"

I drew a deep breath and gave a hard nod.

Under every eye in the hall, I sifted the flour and worked the dough again.

Five cakes went into the steamer.

First steaming: not one short.

Second steaming: the same.

But just as the third steaming ended,

the little prince burst out wailing again,

and the Queen shot to her feet.

"Another spiced cake gone!"

"Didn't you claim you knew the truth of how they vanish? Why has one vanished into thin air again?"

"Your Majesty, this vile creature is nothing but lies, conjuring ghosts, deceiving her sovereign."

"I beg you to put this wretch to death and set the palace to rights!"

The Abbott rose slowly to his feet.

The eunuchs stood ready, waiting only for his word to send me to my death.

But what the Abbott said next made every soul in the hall go wide-eyed.

"My Queen, look in the steamer. How many spiced cakes do you see?"

"Four, of course."

An odd look crossed his face. He turned to the little prince.

"My son, how many do you see?"

The prince's voice trembled.

"Also... also four."

The Abbott turned again, to everyone in the hall.

"Tell me. How many cakes are in this steamer?"

They glanced at one another.

"It... it truly is four."

The next instant, a sharp crack rang out as the Abbott hurled his prayer beads to the floor.

"How dare you. You'd deceive even me!"