The Mad Princess and the Dying Prince novel Chapter 33

"Water alone will not wash it away. Come back," Lucia called out.

Celia had no choice but to retrace her steps.

"Hold out your hand."

Celia extended her right hand, watching her mistress in sheer confusion.

Lucia gently placed her own hand over Celia's.

A sudden, icy chill seeped into Celia's skin.

Lucia pulled back her hand and gave a light, sweeping wave over it.

Celia stared at her hand, her pupils shrinking in horror. Right before her eyes, a layer of dark, ashen grit slowly materialized over her palm and fingers.

It looked as though she had plunged her hand into soot from a hearth.

But her hand had been perfectly clean only moments before!

She had just watched the sickening black ash ooze straight out of her pores!

"Steep some mugwort and sage in water. Wash your hand in it three times," Lucia ordered.

Celia immediately spun around and sprinted out the door.

She was in such a frantic rush that she nearly collided with Celeste in the threshold.

"Celia, what has gotten into you?" Celeste jumped back in surprise. Matron Cecily had trained them never to act so recklessly. What was wrong with her?

Then she noticed Celia's raised hand. "Why are your hands so filthy?"

Celia's voice trembled. "I—I need to wash!"

She held her hand up defensively. If she didn't scrub this filth off right now, she wouldn't be able to function!

Watching her scurry away in a panic, Celeste stepped into the room, thoroughly bewildered.

"Lady Lucia, Celia is—"

When Azure had escorted them to the manor, he simply pointed the way and told them to go straight to Sunstone Pavilion. The manor's steward knew Azure was one of Prince Jareth's guards, but he had no idea what to make of these two maids. He couldn't tell if they were sent to spy on Lucia or to care for her.

Consequently, he hadn't bothered to inform the rest of the staff, only casually mentioning that two outside maids had been temporarily assigned to Sunstone Pavilion.

These kitchen workers had absolutely no idea they were emissaries from the Prince's Estate.

"You could simply tell me where to find a sage bush, and I will gather the leaves myself," Celia said tightly.

In the Royal Capital of Valerius, planting sage was quite popular, as the herb was believed to bring protection and fertility to a household. Wealthier families and nobles were especially fond of keeping it in their gardens.

As for mugwort, most manors kept dried bundles on hand. Servants would burn it in the summer to drive away pests, and noblewomen often bathed in it when recovering from a chill.

Therefore, neither herb should have been difficult to procure.

"The grounds are massive. Go find it yourself. Did you expect us to drop our chores to forage for you?" the maid scoffed.

Lady Beaumont and the eldest miss obviously despised the second daughter. What sort of status could a girl dragged in from the countryside possibly hold? Let alone the two maids sent to temporarily attend to her.

"I can pick the sage myself. Where is the mugwort kept?" Celia asked, swallowing her temper.