CHAPTER 116: SHARDS ON THE FLOOR

Relax Jenna...Relax Jenna it might not be Rhane.

Jenna inhaled sharp air through her parted lips. She wanted so bad to believe that it wasn’t Rhane that was being discussed at the table but the young woman’s description had been on point. It was too clear for her to deny it wasn’t Rhane.

She had wanted to act indifferent about their conversation. Act like she wasn’t interested but the creator had a sense of humor that Jenna didn’t find funny. The moment she lifted a plate, it slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a crash.

Of all moments! Jenna screamed in head wishing in the split of that moment a portal only visible to her would open and swallow her whole. Or even better, everyone at the table was too busy eating that they didn’t notice what had happened.

"Are you okay, Jenna?"

Kill me! Jenna closed her eyes in surrender, she could feel the many eyes that stared in her direction. Not only did they hear the loud crash but it also disturbed their breakfast.

"I’m fine," Jenna managed a murmured, "The plate was wet, so it slipped." She blamed the innocent porcelain.

Without looking at anyone’s face, Jenna pushed her chair back and stood up. Pulling her gown up to her knee, she sat on her heels and began picking the broken pieces.

"Oh, Poor Jenna...you don’t have to." Lady Rachel said, standing up from her chair. "I’ll have the servants clean it up," the woman walked over to Jenna, trying to stop her.

Everyone at the table now had their attention on Jenna, they sat in a silence that said a lot but with no words. Some judged, others pitied while some stared suspiciously.

Jenna didn’t stop, she waved her hand dismissively. "This is simple, I’ll have it cleaned in no time." She promised. "Please return to eating and don’t mind me."

In other words, she meant she wanted to be ignored, so others can return to eating without talking about the mysterious watchman they had seen the previous night. The situation had been awkward but Jenna was glad she had stopped their conversation entirely. It wasn’t so bad after all.

Lady Rachel stood there with her brows knitted with worry, not moving away. "A lady isn’t supposed to handle objects like that with her bare hands,"

Jenna chuckled awkwardly, raising her hand for the woman to see. "It’s nothing really, I’m used to things worse than these...I travel the road at night-"

"Ha!" A gasp interrupted Jenna.

Lady Rachel rapped her cane on the table to silence the soft murmur. Before she turned her attention back to Jenna, "They...don’t do the hard works around here..."

"Oh..." Jenna nodded absent-minded about the rest of the words the woman said. Another thought had just hit her, how close had Rhane been to the girl for her to see his eyes clear enough to describe it without stuttering.

That now, bothered Jenna. She didn’t think of it until now. Gathering the rest of the shards Jenna decided to leave it for another time she will see Rhane.

"....this won’t do, I’ll go bring broom myself." Lady Rachel muttered, turning around to leave the room she continued saying something under her breath.

Done with packing the pieces she could gather, Jenna stood up from the ground. She noticed most of the young women were done eating but didn’t leave the table.

"You are really good with your hands," one of them chimed, breaking the silence.

Jenna tilted her head slightly, waiting for the woman to explain.

"A lady isn’t to clean except it’s in her husband’s chamber, all of that is taught. You will learn it soon," the young woman completed with a smile.

A scoff was heard from across the table and everyone turned to look at the person who had laughed.

"Isn’t that for women who have never met a man?...she has once been married and rumor has it that she left to be with another." The maiden remarked with disdain.

The rest turned their heads in sync waiting for Jenna’s reaction but Jenna disappointed them with a blank stare.

"What?" Jenna asked, "She is right...I’d been married before now...well to an animal if I’m being honest. Now I’m choosing to be with a human, does anyone have a problem with that?" Her voice didn’t shake neither did her eyes. She settled her gaze on the young woman who had brought up the conversation with hopes of shaming her.

"You should thank your stars you found even a beast, most of us have passed our prime with not an ant to take us as wives." The woman stood her ground defensively, this time she garnered reactions that agreed with her.

Jenna shook her head, this has always been her reality until she met Rhane. She’d forgotten how women prioritized marriage more than their honor. She decided to ignore the woman and focus on packing the rest of the shards. It was no point trying to make sense to women like these.

Turning her back on their lingering gaze and murmurs. Jenna found something to gather the pieces, when she heard a cold voice ask,

"Olivia, you said you heard something last night. Right?"

Jenna turned, as she had suspected it was same woman that described Rhane’s eyes that had spoken.

The little girl’s head bobbed up and down, "Yes, it was just before we went to catch the fireflies. I heard from her-" The girl froze when she saw Jenna looking at her.

"From her room a noise came...unusual...asking for help." The young woman known as Lois continued. "Same night...a strange watchman came to find us..."

Jenna remained composed, giving no room for emotions to be seen on her face. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you tell us who the night watchman was or maybe...where he came from." Lois pressed on, her black eyes unmoving from Jenna’s face.

Jenna returned the stare, tapping her finger on the plate she had picked. "If I may ask, why should I know that? I have only been here for one night."

"Makes sense why you should, your first night and we find a strange man at night."

Some of the maidens narrowed their eyes, they glanced from Lois to Jenna trying to keep up with the conversation.

Jenna chewed her inner cheeks. She didn’t like the woman! And from how she looked at her, Jenna knew they weren’t going to be getting along during her stay. Her first enemy targeted.

"Do you accuse me of some dark collusion?" Jenna mused, dropping the plate she had picked up. She chuckled softly, "And here I assumed the council will keep me safe instead of-"

"So you agree with me, that the watchman is same animal like the husband you first married." Out of nowhere Lois fired.

"What?" Jenna didn’t know where that was coming from, she almost took a step forward that would have landed her feet on the broken pieces but she paused in the air now glaring at the girl.

Lois nodded with a hum, "Men like that who hide in the dark...looking for women to defile."

Jenna parted her lips, she was about to say something but swallowed it. The girl was reeling her in, it was a trap. Jenna reassured herself over and over.

"Heaven knows what would have happened, if it was one maiden...he had put on a watchman act when he saw a legion of us." The young woman continued, picking up a napkin. She didn’t dab her lips immediately but continued to look at Jenna.

"A beast hiding in the dark with lewd thoughts of taking innocent women."

Jenna bit her lower lips roughly, "You might be accusing an innocent man." She turned her back on the woman pretending to be busy, but instead she cursed under her breath.

"If I didn’t witness it myself I wouldn’t be so sure." Lois lowered the napkin, "How do you think I got to see his eyes,"

It was enough to raise the hair on Jenna’s neck, same thing she was curious about.

"He touched me."

Jenna felt her toes and palm turn cold, bells from a distant ringing at the back of her head.

"I tried to leave with others but he followed and grabbed my shoulder."

Not true...not true...she’s lying. Jenna repeated like a mantra in her head. Rhane wouldn’t do that.

As if sent by the devil, the young woman didn’t stop. Her lips curled, mirth dancing in her eyes.

"A raw scent came from him, like something primal with need. I saw it in his eyes that he wanted to take a woma-"

"Shut up!" Jenna shuddered at her own voice. Her whole body shook with anger.

"She bleeds!" The little girl exclaimed pointing at Jenna’s hand.

Jenna didn’t realize when she grabbed the small bread knife or how long she had been squeezing it to cut her palm until now.

Lady Rachel entered the room, holding a long broom. "What is going on-"

"I feel a unwell, Lady Rachel." Jenna replied, tucking her hand behind her gown. She gave Lois a swift, unblinking glance before adding, "I’ll return to my room now." Without waiting for permission, she turned and quietly left the room.