The ride back to the palace was quieter than before. The morning air had warmed slightly, and the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves against the dirt path filled the space between them.
Beatrice didn't mind the silence, not at first. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it wasn't a peaceful quiet. It was a weighted one.
Francois was thinking about something. She could tell. He had that look, the one where he wasn't just silent, but calculating.
Johanna was the same. If Beatrice hadn't been paying attention, she might have assumed everything was normal. But she was paying attention.
Lila, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about the tension. She rode ahead, completely unconcerned, enjoying the morning like this was just another uneventful outing.
Beatrice exhaled. Fine. If no one else was going to break the silence, she'd do it herself.
"So," she said, glancing at Francois. "Are we just ignoring the fact that you received a mysterious letter mid-ride?"
