"Who called me?"
Annan looked up.
A voice echoed through the attic corridor. Annan followed it to the Crimson Princess's room.
"Annan Reeves..."
The voice came from the coffin.
The Crimson Princess talked in her sleep?
Annan had no intention of disturbing her suspicious dream, but as he backed out of the room, he accidentally stepped on a warped floorboard.
Creak—
The sound rang through the room, and even the faint breathing inside the coffin stopped.
"...Who's out there?"
After a long pause, a wary whisper broke the silence.
"It's me." Annan had no choice but to stay where he was.
The coffin lid slid open. The Crimson Princess sat up, saw Annan, and blushed like she'd been caught doing something wrong. "Wh-why are you in my room?"
"As your knight, it's my duty to guard you." Annan sounded utterly sincere. "Please, Your Highness, go back to sleep..."
"I'm n-not sleeping anymore." The Crimson Princess held out her hand, glancing guiltily toward the curtains.
The edges of the thick, fur-like curtains glowed like red-hot iron. The sun was blazing outside.
Annan took her hand and helped the featherlight Crimson Princess out of the coffin. "I told the False Princess the truth."
"Why?"
"We couldn't hide it forever. Better to let her atone."
"Don't think that means I'll forgive a traitor..." The Crimson Princess loathed the word. "Speaking of traitors, Count Turner..."
"I can come up with an excuse to get him released, but I think he should suffer a little first."
"But..."
The Crimson Princess started to say more, but Annan cut her off. "He betrayed the Stuart Family and helped hunt you down. Letting him out just like that would be too easy on him."
"David... you're a dependable knight." A flush spread across the Crimson Princess's cheeks as