bChapter /b150

    bChapter /bb150 /b

    ra’s POV

    “You think this is any of your business?”

    Wendy snapped the words at me, her eyes sharp with annoyance, as she rolled her eyes dramatically.

    “The rule’s there for a reason, alright? Just follow it and stop asking pointless questions.”

    She sneered at me, her gaze cutting through the air before she

    With a final re, Wendy stormed out, muttering under h “coffed. “I’ll go get you a maid’s uniform. You can’t wear that, not here.b” /b

    breath.

    I didn’t even bother to look at her as she left. Instead, I focused on

    It was obvious. Lance owned this ce. He must’ve been the one What was so secretive about the west corridor that Lance didn’t I want

    paper in my hand. The West corridor on the… what floor?

    make the rules. But what was so important in that part of the castleb? /b

    anyone to see?

    I tucked that thought away, a burning curiosity lighting up inside me. I would find out, eventually.

    A few momentster, Wendy returned, holding a maid’s uniform in her hands.

    “Here. Get changed.”

    She threw the clothes on the floor, and I had no choice but to pull them on. The fabric scratched at my skin, the material rough and ufortable.

    I shifted ufortably, scratching the back of my neck. Wendy didn’t miss a thing.

    “You can’t even stand those clothes, can you?” she snickered. “Too bad. It’s the only thing you’ll ever wear here. Oh, wait-”

    She stopped mid–sentence, her eyes falling on something that had slipped out from my cor.

    “What’s this?i” /ishe gasped, her voice filled with fake surprise.

    I looked down at the small golden locket in my hand.

    “A gift, Tanswered, my voice t..

    It was from Cael. He’d given it to me before I left for the Direstone Pack training.

    Wendy’s gaze flickered, a flicker of greed crossing her face for just a second before she straightened up.

    “You can’t wear this here,” she snapped. “It’s against the rules.”

    She reached for it, hand outstretched.

    “Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see that rule on any walls.”

    b“/bThis is a convention!” she hissed, her voice trembling slightly. “Maids aren’t allowed to wear expensive bjewelry /bbaround /bbthe /bbmasters/bb. /bbHand /bbit /b

    bover/b.”

    I gripped the locket tighter, watching as her fingers twitched, impatient.

    b1/4 /b

    “It’s mine,” I said quietly, my voice hard.

    Her eyes widened slightly, a look of fear creeping in as my fingers tightened around the delicate chain.

    “Are we going to have a problem?” I asked, my gaze never leaving hers.

    Her breath caught, and she stuttered, “No… no problem at all. I’m sorry”

    I let go of her hand, watching as she pulled it back sharply, then shrugged. “Fine. So what’s next?”

    Wendy gave me a forced smile, her voice all business again. “Dinner first. Then I’ll assign you to your room. This way”

    We walked down the hallway, the walls echoing with our footsteps, until we reached the dining hall.

    It wasn’t anything like the ce upstairs where the masters ate. This one was dark, damp, and small–ho windows. The tables and chairs were covered in ayer of grime, as if no one had bothered to clean the ce in years.

    The smell hit me as soon as I stepped inside. It was like a mix of stale food and dust, with a hint of something foul underneath.

    I grabbed a tray and joined the line, already feeling the res of the other maids on me. But I ignored them. When it was bmy /bbturn/b, the chef nced at me, then slid a bowl of soup across the counter.

    I raised an eyebrow. Soup? For dinner?

    I nced around. The others were getting cold sandwiches. What was going on here?

    “Problem?” the chef growled.

    1 stared down at the soupy mess in the bowl. It was brown and murky. “Not exactly what I was expecting,” I muttered.

    “Then starve,” he snarled back. “Take it or leave it.”

    I wasn’t about to argue, so I grabbed the bowl and walked away.

    The other maids watched as I sat down in the farthest corner, trying to ignore their jeers and whispers. I took a sip, nearly choking on it.

    The soup tasted like rotten eggs mixed with dirt. I quickly set the bowl down, pushing it aside.

    This was disgusting.

    Wendy came up a few momentster, her eyes falling on the untouched bowl. She giggled as she walked closer.

    “You don’t like your meal?” she taunted.

    “You mean slop?” I shot back coldly.

    She smirked, the sound of her voice venomous. Watch your tongue. You’re lucky we’re even feeding you. Don’t make me regret bit/bb. /bbYou’re /bbthe /bone who’ll suffer if you pass out tomorrow in front of the mastersb.” /b

    With a dismissive wave, she tossed me a key!

    “Here. Your room key. B13. Tomorrow, be up at b5:00 /ba.m. Don’t bete.”

    She turned and walked off without another word, leaving me staring after her.

    bI /bbdidn’t /bwant to sit there any longer, so I stood up and left the dining hall, heading down bthe /bhallway bin /bbsearch /bbof /bbroom /bbB13/b.

    b2/4 /b

    But after searching for what felt like forever, I still couldn’t bfind /bit. I stopped several people, asking for directionsb, /bbbut /bbno /bone would beven /bblook /bat me, let alone speak.

    The halls were empty now, the maids having already gone to their rooms. I kept walking, frustration bubbling up inside bof /bbme/bb. /b

    Finally, just as the lights in the hallway were about to flicker out, I found it..

    B13. But it wasn’t really a room at all. It was a utility closet–small, cramped, with a musty smell hanging in the air.

    The door had a small, handwritten sign on it, and I was sure I hadn’t seen it before. It was almost as if they had put bit /bthere just for me.

    I pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding that there wasn’t even enough space for ime /ito lie t on the floor.

    No bed. Just a crumpled, dirty nket thrown on the floor.

    I grabbed it, disgusted, and sniffed it. It smelled like it had been used to mop the bathroom floor.

    My rage red.

    I turned, storming back down the hallway until I found Wendy’s dorm room.

    I pounded on the door.

    “Come out,” I snarled.

    The door cracked open, and Wendy peered out at me cautiously.

    “You shouldn’t be out here at this hour,” she warned.

    I shoved the nket into her face. “This is what I found in my room. Where’s my bed?”

    Her smile faltered for a split second before she responded with a nervousugh. “We don’t have any extra beds. Deal with it. Nowb, /bI’m going to bed. Don’t knock again.”

    I didn’t let her shut the door. bI /bgrabbed the handle, forcing the door open.

    “I won’t start trouble. But I won’t let anyone push me around,” I said, my

    voice

    like ice. “Find me a real room. Or I’ll be sleeping in yoursb./b”

    Her face went pale, but she quickly regained herposure. “I’m your supervisor! You don’t tell me what to do!” she snapped. “You’re bnot /bba /bdy anymore!”

    I stepped forward, grabbing her cor and pulling her out of her room.

    “Guess you’re right,” I said, meeting her wide–eyed stare. “I’m not ady anymore. But don’t think that means I won’t make you bregret /bmessing with me.”

    Her eyes filled with terror. Just as ishe /istarted to scream, calling for help, a chorus of voices echoed through bthe /bhallway.

    “Help! Help! She’s attacking me!”

    Suddenly, the doors to other rooms flew open. Maids poured out, yellingb, /brushing at me.

    Someone grabbed my hair, another scratched at my face.

    bI /bwas outnumbered. bAnd /bI wasn’t about bto /bfight these women. bBut /bbI /bwasn’t bgoing /bbto /bback down beither /b

    bAug /b

    Before things could escte further, a deep voice rang out from the end of the hallway.

    b“/bWhoa. What’s going on here?”

    All eyes turned. Standing there, leaning against the wall,

    The air seemed to shift around him.

    iWas /i

    The game had just changed.

    a tall man with golden hair and a smile that could light bup /bbthe /bentire room