The next day….

It was mid-morning, and Adina was quite sure that the king's room was clear. She gathered anything she would be using to clean and walked in quietly.

She halted in her steps the moment her eyes landed on him. Her eyes widened slightly; she hadn't been expecting him in the room.

Thorne was inside, sitting at the edge of the bed, boots in hand. He didn't look up when she entered, but his presence made her chest tighten anyway.

Memories of what had happened the day before rushed into her head like a dam. She had tried not to think about it—about what happened all through the night and into the morning.

About the way his fingers had brushed her skin so gently, like she was made of something precious. She tried not to remember the way he looked at her. Or how it had made her feel. It was terrifying,

those were feelings she thought were dead, and yet, there they were, blooming right in her chest.

It was horrifying.

She had to forget it. Had to act normal. Like none of it had happened.

Adina kept her head down. It didn't matter though. She could feel him, his eyes on her. And for a second….just one breath—she looked up.

Their eyes met.

She looked away immediately, stepping to the side to make room for him to pass. Her head bowed.

Thorne walked over to the door, but just as he reached her side… he stopped.

Adina froze, not daring to look up. Seconds passed, and he said nothing.

Then, without a word, he walked on, the door clicking softly shut behind him.

Only after he left did she release the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

Don't be stupid, she scolded herself. He's just your king. Nothing more. Nothing less. She chanted in her mind.

She slapped her cheeks, ridding the thoughts away. She had to finish up here quickly. One, She didn't want him to meet her here. Two, she had to help Kora at the farm and ask her about the thing that's been bugging her mind.

Adina got started with work. Cleaning the king's room was never much of a task. His room was always clean, which always left minimal chores left.

Eventually, the room was done. She folded her clothes and tucked them under her arm, taking one last glance around the room to make sure everything was in place.

Then turned to leave.

All she needed to do was clock to the head maid and then off to the farm. Adina walked down the hallway but didn't need to go far. Not when she saw the head maid walking towards her direction.

"There you are," Maya said with a smile on her face. She was a stark difference from Matilda. She hasn't been in the position for long, but almost all the slaves and servants could attest to how good she'd been. "I was just coming to find you." She said.

Adina smiled back, a little confused. "Good afternoon, head maid. Is there anything you need?"

Maya chuckled, "Call me Maya. Between the two of us, I'm still getting used to the role of being the head maid." Her gaze flickered to the room behind Adina, eyes flashing with recognition.

"I see you're done with the King's room."

Adina nodded, "I just finished."

Maya hummed, walking towards the room Adina just left, she opened the door, her eye scanning the place in approval. "You're so thorough. I don't know how you do it. If I were the king, I'd keep you around too." She laughed gently.

Adina didn't know what to say to that, so she just offered a small smile. The woman was being so friendly, and while it should have relaxed Adina, it only made her nervous.

"If that's all. I'd like to join the others at the farm—" she didn't get to complete her words as Maya stopped her.

"Oh wait."

Adina paused, waiting for her to speak. She watched the woman look around the room again.

"There's a little room off this one. It's locked most of the time, but today, the king left it open." Maya's voice dropped to a whisper, like they were sharing a secret. "He didn't say anything, but that usually means he wants it cleaned. It's been ages since anyone touched it."

A room? Adina was quite aware of the room. The moment Thorne had allowed her into his room. He had warned her not to touch his things nor wander off into any parts. She was just to clean his sleeping area and that's it.

Adina frowned. "I didn't know we were supposed to go in there…"

Maya's smile widened. "It's usually off-limits to everyone, but now you're his personal maid, which means it's up to you to make his entire quarters clean. You do understand that I can't have just anyone cleaning there, now, can't you?" She stepped closer to Adina.

"The king doesn't always say everything he wants, but I can tell you he does like having things in order. And he certainly doesn't like repeating himself.

Adina's fingers tightened slightly around the cloth in her hands. Maya wasn't wrong. Thorne was meticulous. And Adina had been told over and over again that she was to serve him and him alone now.

She looked toward the door at the far end of the room, the one that always stayed closed, so seamlessly blended into the wall that anyone who wasn't paying attention would've missed it.

Her stomach twisted inexplicably. "I… I'll be quick," Adina said, her voice low.

Maya smiled, "Perfect. "Take your time, though. That room's old and dusty. I wouldn't be surprised if the air inside is musty."

She patted Adina's arm once and turned to leave with a soft hum, her footsteps fading down the hallway.

Adina sighed, she'd been looking forward to joining Kora at the farm only for this to happen now…. She slowly turned back to the room.

Her eyes settled on the hidden door. Well, he hadn't actually said not to go in there and clean. He only said not to wander off.

She shook her head, ridding herself of feeling so hesitant. She crossed the room, fingers brushed over the door's surface, finding the faint outline of the latch. With a soft click, the door opened.

The air that drifted out smelled faintly of rosewater and dust. It was cool and deathly silent. As if the room had been frozen in time.

Adina stepped inside.

It was dim, the only light coming from a tiny window covered by gauzy curtains. Her eyes swept the place slowly, taking in the delicate but ancient-looking furnishing. Everything in here felt… different. Softer. More personal.

Her brows furrowed. What was this place?

She sneezed as the dust tickled her nostrils. Even with how meticulously put together the space was. It was still dusty, like it hadn't been opened in years.

What exactly was this place?

Adina stepped into the room fully, the door open behind her. A white vanity sat in the corner, filled with perfume bottles and a small comb. They looked at least a decade old. None of these were trending anymore, no- maybe they were a decade ago. A half-finished embroidery rested on a chair… looked like it had been placed there in a hurry? Like whoever was doing it was coming back for it.

A lump filled her throat, a wave of sadness hitting her for a second…she didn't know why.

On the walls were pictures…. Paintings and sketches, all of the same woman but one stood out the most. It was the largest frame.

The woman was beautiful. Dark curls. Tanned skin, smiling eyes, dainty face. She looked ethereal. Adina couldn't stop looking at her.

There were others too. Smaller frames with both the woman and….Thorne.

She understood immediately who the woman was. Thorne's mate. The one he supposedly murdered.

There he was in the frames, younger and smiling in a way Adina had never seen before. She didn't even know he could smile.

She looked further and there it was…the one that made her breath hitch.

A painting of the woman holding a small bump in her belly. Thorne stood behind her in the image, one hand cradling her stomach.

A caption was scrawled beneath it in elegant handwriting. 'Our little Rosebud, coming spring.'

They looked happy….excited and proud. And Thorne—He looked so happy. So proud.

Adina's heart ached. This was his mate and their baby. His family.

Her hands shook, tears clouding her eyes as she reached out to pick up the painting. Her fingers barely brushed the frame when—

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" His voice crashed through the room. The air turned hot. Like the sun was burning right into the room.

Adina jerked back so hard she nearly knocked over the chair behind her.

Thorne stood in the doorway. Seething. His eyes weren't just furious. They were burning. His jaw clenched so tight a muscle ticked. His gaze zeroed in on her outstretched hand, to the painting she hadn't even held….and for the first time since she'd met him, she saw something that wasn't cold…

It was rage. Pure, unfiltered rage. The kind that didn't come from anger alone.

"Answer me," he growled.

Adina's throat closed. Her lips parted but no sound came out.

She couldn't move.

Couldn't breathe.