Only Dominic knew Yasmin suffered from insomnia. She often worked until midnight, unable to sleep. The condition was unbearable, worsened by the constant need to guard her throne. Unable to confide in anyone, she bore her agony alone.
Rick noticed the queen had stilled. He raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Yasmin paused, then looked up. "Rick," she asked, "are you afraid of dying?"
He hesitated.
"Forget it," she sighed. "I'm sure you'll say no."
"It would be my honor to die for you, Your Majesty," Rick replied.
"Please," Yasmin waved a hand dismissively. "Fred said that too." She'd grown numb to such pronouncements. People were, after all, inherently selfish.
Rick fell silent, aware of Fred's cruelty and the pain he'd inflicted. Though Yasmin had long guarded against the duke, his actions had been unforgivable. Rick recalled his astonishment when Yasmin had tasked him with spying on Fred. As he'd gathered and presented the evidence, he'd witnessed her anger slowly give way to a weary calm—the calm of numbness born of betrayal.
He crouched, looking up at her. "I know you don't believe me, but you saved my life. Without you, I wouldn't be here. Am I afraid of dying? Yes. But if I must sacrifice myself for you, I would. I owe you that much."
Yasmin stared intently, then drained a glass of milk before setting it aside. "I need to rest now," she said.
Rick wheeled her to bed, tucked her in, cleaned up the broken glass, and left.
Alone, Yasmin felt a sudden chill, pulling the blanket tighter. The night wasn't particularly cold, yet she felt frigid. She huddled deeper into the covers, pondering the events and words of the past two days. She seemed to have been testing everyone's fear of death, attempting to solidify her own resolve. Yet, their responses, rather than reassuring her, seemed to disappoint.
Later that night, Rhea quietly entered the laboratory. She printed the formula and meticulously reviewed it, finally satisfied she could proceed with the experiment. The prospect of creating an invisibility potion filled her with ecstatic anticipation—a potion that could grant her freedom to go anywhere she pleased.