Chapter 5

Caspian returned at noon. Elara had prepared a table full of delicious dishes, waiting for him.

I lingered weakly in a corner. I was hungry too.

In two weeks before I died, I could barely ear. Every bite I took, my stomach rebelled. Then, at the Sterling family house, before I could even taste a meal, I drank the poisoned wine Elara handed me.

So, I was practically a starved ghost.

Elara, anxious from waiting for Caspian these past few days, hadn't eaten much either. Now that Caspian was by her side, her appetite improved.

Caspian, however, did not pick up his fork. Instead, he watched her, his gaze scrutinizing, his fingers idly drumming – a habitual gesture when he was thinking.

Had he noticed something?

"Why aren't you eating, My Lord?" Elara asked.

Caspian didn't answer directly, but said, "You seem to have a good appetite."

Elara immediately realized her mistake. She should have been imitating my quiet, docile demeanor.

She put down her fork, lowering her head. "Please forgive my unladylike behavior, My Lord."

Caspian then added, "I heard you were unwell last month. The palace doctor will arrive at noon to examine you."

A flicker of panic crossed Elara's eyes. I knew she worried the doctor might discover something; after all, while the exterior could be changed, the subtle internal differences could not.

And I was also puzzled. I hadn't died until last month, so he was clearly referring to my illness.

In these three years, I had fallen ill a few times, but it was always Caspian's own physicians who treated me. Now he was sending the palace doctor.

Why would he suddenly care so much about my health?

Though Elara was extremely reluctant to be examined, she dared not defy Caspian. So she kept asking Daisy about my symptoms from last month.

Daisy recalled, "Last month… Lyra wasn't seriously ill. She just had little appetite and would feel nauseous after eating anything rich, but overall, it wasn't anything serious."

Elara's expression turned grave. "What you're saying, it sounds as if she might have been pregnant."

I was startled too, but how could that be? I had never stopped taking my medicine.

Daisy reassured her, "Miss Elara, don't worry. Even if Lyra was pregnant, it doesn't matter. She's dead now. Dead men tell no tales."

Yes, I was dead.

Even if I had been pregnant, the fetus would only have been two months old. Even if my body were dug up, who could tell I was pregnant?