Edited.
Genevieve sat alone in the garden, thinking about her father's health. She could not visit him for fear that if she got caught by Duke Reynard, she might be made a pawn to weaken Edric. Now, all she had to do was wait patiently for the storm to calm before she could see her father.
She made her way to her chambers, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the palace was full of hidden dangers. As she walked through the palace corridors, it was eerily quiet. This made her feel as if she was being watched. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see someone lurking in the shadows.
Genevieve shook off the feeling and proceeded to her chambers. As she turned the corner, she suddenly felt jittery. A strong sensation of being watched overcame her, and she quickened her steps. A figure emerged out of nowhere, brandishing a sword. She flinched in fear. The figure kept moving closer, but she couldn't make out the face as it was masked.
Genevieve called out to the figure, "Who are you? And what do you want?" She forced the words out, her heart almost leaping out of her chest.
The figure kept advancing toward her without saying a word. At that moment, Genevieve knew its intentions were not pure. Her instincts kicked in, and she took off running, her heart pounding. She didn't dare look back for fear that the figure might catch up with her.
"I have to get out of here," Genevieve thought to herself. "I have to find Edric."
As she burst into her chambers, Genevieve slammed the door shut behind her and leaned against it, panting. She knew she had to tell Edric about the figure. While trying to catch her breath, a strong voice called out her name.
"Genevieve!!! Is that you? Where the hell did you go?" The voice inquired. Recognizing it as Edric, she ran to him and told him about the figure she saw and the sinister look it bore.
Edric decided to investigate the matter the next day, making sure Genevieve was safe. He chose to take her to his chamber to spend the night.
Edric conducted a secret investigation, only to find out that the figure Genevieve spoke of had access to private parts of the palace. This led him to conclude that someone within the palace had betrayed them. He was determined to uncover the traitor.
Genevieve, on the other hand, also started her own investigation without Edric's knowledge. She began questioning her maids and guards, trying to uncover the traitor, test their loyalty, and assess potential motives.
She was determined to get to the bottom of who the traitor was and why they wanted her dead. However, Genevieve soon realized that she was not the only one searching for answers. The Queen Dowager also seemed to be watching her every move.
"You're playing with fire, Genevieve," the Queen Dowager warned, her voice dripping with malice. "I know your secrets, and I won't hesitate to use them against you."
She was determined to uncover Genevieve's darkest secret as soon as possible. No matter what it cost her, she would ensure that Genevieve was no longer a presence in the palace.
Genevieve's mind was racing after her encounter with the Queen Dowager. What dark secret of hers did the Queen claim to know? Just then, Edric entered with news of the traitor.
"There is a traitor in the palace, and they know about the private passages that lead to the palace. The figure you saw must have used one of them to get inside," Edric said gravely.
Genevieve's mind wandered, trying to figure out who could be betraying the royal household.
"What makes you think there's a traitor?" Genevieve asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Edric hesitated before answering. "There is evidence that someone within the palace has been leaking information to the outside. And I think it is connected to your life."
Genevieve's eyes widened. An attempt on her life? Now it seemed there was a larger conspiracy at play.
"What are we going to do?" Genevieve asked, feeling uneasy.
"We need to investigate further. I will arrange for some trusted guards to watch over you. We'll also start questioning the staff to see if any of them have noticed anything suspicious."
Genevieve nodded, feeling a sense of relief. At least Edric was taking this matter seriously. But as she looked around her chambers, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Who could this traitor be?
"I need to be careful," Genevieve thought to herself. "I don't know who to trust."
Edric placed a reassuring palm on her shoulder, making her flinch. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and full of concern.
Genevieve hesitated, not wanting to show Edric how scared she was. "I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed," she said, trying to brush it off. "That's all."
Edric's expression softened, and he pulled Genevieve into a gentle hug.
"You are safe now," Edric whispered. "I'll protect you."
Genevieve felt a surge of emotion, her heart pounding in her chest. For the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of safety.
Meanwhile, Edric was torn between protecting Genevieve and finding the traitor. Lady Evelyne had begun to manipulate him, sowing seeds of doubt about Genevieve's loyalty.
"I feel Genevieve is hiding something, Edric," Evelyne whispered, her eyes sparkling with deceit. "I've seen the way she looks at you—it's not love, it's calculation. She looks like she's plotting revenge for locking her father up and letting him fall ill in the dungeon."
She left after seeing a confused look on Edric's face, pleased that she had planted the seed of doubt.
After Evelyne left, Edric's mind was clouded with thoughts. He had not yet released Genevieve's father from prison, nor had he allowed her to see him since he fell ill. Could Genevieve be behind the threats as an attempt to get back at him?
Edric shook off the thought. He had confirmed that Genevieve's life was in danger. His duty was to protect her, not to doubt her. Rising from his seat, he decided to visit her chambers and see if he could find anything suspicious.
Genevieve was pacing her room, deep in thought about Edric's findings, when she heard footsteps at her door. A white paper was suddenly pushed under it. Fear gripped her, but she quickly gathered her courage and ran to the door, hoping to catch whoever had left the note.
As she flung the door open, she collided with a solid chest. Looking up, she saw Edric standing in front of her. Her eyes darted around the corridor, hoping to spot someone lurking, but it was empty.
Dragged back to reality by Edric's voice, he asked, "Where are you off to, Genevieve?"
Still scanning the corridor, she answered, "Someone dropped this at my door. I was trying to see who it was, but the corridor is empty." Looking back at him, she asked, "Did you see anyone on your way here?"
"No, I didn't. I was about to knock when you flung the door open."
Edric's eyes moved to the paper in her hand. "Won't you read what's written on it?" he asked.
"Let's do it together," she replied.
Edric unfolded the paper. The message read: "LEAVE THE KING, OR YOU WILL WATCH HIM DIE."
I've corrected grammar and refined the sentence structures while keeping your chapter intact. Let me know if you need further edits or adjustments!