Chapter 3

Just like the life she had quietly swallowed whole in my last life.

I put the empty bowl back on the tray exactly as it had been before. When that was done, I rang the silver bell by my bed.

In less than fifteen minutes, Nanny Martha hurried in wearing a blue cotton dress and locked the door behind her. In my last life, everyone in the manor had their memories tampered with, but she alone still recognized me until the very end.

After I was dumped in the mass grave, she secretly brought me food and medicine. In the end, Faye Palmer found out, and Nanny Martha was beaten to death there.

The second I saw Nanny Martha's face, my nose stung and I nearly burst into tears. We were both still alive. Thank God.

"Miss, what's wrong? Did someone upset you?"

Nanny Martha hurried to my side, worry written all over her face.

I forced back the tears in my eyes, grabbed her hand, and lowered my voice.

"Nanny, I trust you. You trust me too, right?"

Nanny Martha froze for a second, then nodded over and over.

"Whatever you say, Miss, I believe you. Madam saved my life. In this lifetime, I only recognize you as my master."

"Good."

I let go of her hand, took the sealed porcelain bottle out of the hidden compartment, and pushed it into her palm.

"First, take this and leave the manor at once. Go find Dr. Victor Black."

Dr. Victor Black was the best poison examiner in the Capital City. In my last life, he discovered the forged marks on the letters accusing my father of treason, but by then my whole family had already been thrown into the Imperial Dungeon.

"Have him identify every single ingredient in this and write it all down for me exactly. No one else can know about this. Not even Madam."

Nanny Martha's expression turned serious at once. She tucked the bottle away and nodded hard.

"I understand."

"Second, take some people and search Faye Palmer's room. The more quietly, the better."

"Look for an old, yellowed fragment from the western desert. It should have crooked symbols on it and words about fate-swapping and forbidden arts. Once you find it, put it back exactly where it was and only tell me where she hid it."

Before I died, Faye Palmer told me that torn spell manual had been left behind by her birth mother. She kept it close like it was her life. As long as I found that book, I could crush her for good.

A sharp look flashed through Nanny Martha's eyes. She had never liked Faye Palmer, but because I had always protected her before, Nanny Martha couldn't say much.

"I've got it, Miss. Don't worry. I won't tip her off."

"Third, go to Cloudspire Abbey outside the city and find Master Sage Rowan."

Master Sage Rowan was a famous mystic, honored by the royal family, and he could see through fate and fortune.

"Tell him someone is trying to steal a phoenix fate using forbidden magic from the western desert, and ask how to break it. Say the daughter of his old friend Susan Grace is asking to see him."

Susan Grace was my birth mother's name.

After giving those three instructions, I told Nanny Martha to leave through the back gate at once and make sure no one saw her.

After she left, I sat at the table and thought things through. Faye Palmer's fate-swapping ritual had three core conditions, and she needed every single one.

First, I had to drink that talisman water for forty-nine straight days so my soul would weaken and separate from my body. I had already cut that off. For the remaining thirty-nine days, I wouldn't touch another drop.

Second, she needed the blood of a family member as the trigger. In my last life, she tricked Lady Evelyn into giving her a drop of blood and used that tie to make the swap flawless.

I had to cut that path off now.

Third, midnight on the day before my coming-of-age ceremony. That was the most unstable moment in a young woman's fate, and only then could she complete the final ritual.

Without even one of those conditions, the spell couldn't succeed. In my last life, she got all three. In this one, I was going to make sure she got none.

I changed into a fresh dress, and the moment I opened the door, I ran into Faye Palmer waiting under the corridor.

Panic flashed across her face, but she quickly forced a meek smile and bowed.

"Miss, are you heading out?"

"Yes. I'm going to pay my respects to Madam in the main hall."

I answered lightly and walked past her without even glancing her way. Faye Palmer hurried after me, sticking close at my side. I could feel her gaze on me, full of suspicion and doubt.

She had to be wondering why I was acting so different today.

When we reached the main hall, Lady Evelyn was sitting in the seat of honor, turning prayer beads in her hand. The moment she saw me, she smiled and waved me over.

"Lily, you're here. Come sit. I just had someone make your favorite cakes."

I walked over, bowed to her, and instead of sitting down, I dropped to my knees in front of her.

Lady Evelyn jumped in shock and hurried to help me up.

"Child, what are you doing? Why are you kneeling all of a sudden?"

"Mom, I need to ask you for something. If you don't agree, I'm not getting up."

I looked up at her. My tone was serious, without even a hint of joking.

Lady Evelyn quickly said, "Tell me, tell me. I'll agree to anything."

"I need you to promise me this. From now on, no matter who asks, and no matter the reason, you cannot give anyone even a single drop of your blood. Not even blood from your fingertip."