I had come close to dying in the last hour, but the creature had stepped back and left the room. I remembered how the others stared. Not in shock, but with concern. Of course they must have already known about their Mage Lord and what he was.
Was this my prison now? Forbidden to leave, trapped among threats both human and beast. It certainly felt like one.
I had been reckless, but if I wanted to remain unscathed long enough to leave, I had to keep a cool head.
For a long time, I just sat there, exhaustion finally crashing over me as the adrenaline drained from my system.
I didn’t remember falling asleep.
???
When I woke up, blinking at the white tub, there was a beam of sunlight piercing straight into my eye.
I jolted upright, my gaze darting around the room, confirming I was still alone.
My clothes were still muddied from being knocked down in the woods, so I considered taking a bath. It would help wash away the lingering fatigue and clear my mind.
“Can I bathe now?” I murmured to no one in particular.
As I expected, but no less impressive, water started flowing from the faucet, and the room immediately warmed.
I didn’t linger in the tub for long, just enough to clean myself. The water stayed warm, and no one came in, thankfully. I’d skipped their invitation to dinner last night.Was it really an invitation, or had it been more of an order?I hadn’t paid attention to the tone, not after nearly being killed.
My thoughts wandered to the fair. I wondered if Dominik had done anything to secure our trades, not that he needed to. He had his own affairs to handle, and Father had only asked himto guide me for my first time there. Thinking of him made my stomach churn. I couldn’t let that monster anywhere near them.
After stepping out of the tub and shuffling into the room, I found fresh clothes waiting for me: my own pair of leather trousers and a blue jumper beside my boots, now utterly clean. Even the dirt stains on the floor had vanished. There was an odd, almost sentient presence here.
I ran my fingers through my damp hair, attempting to smooth it, when my gaze caught on the comb atop the dresser, one I was sure wasn’t there before.
The bedroom door swung open on its own, as if urging me that it was time to go.
Dark stone floors and deep-coloured rugs lined the corridors, framed by paintings on the walls and lit by candle chandeliers, though some corners were illuminated by spotlights. It was warm enough that I didn’t need a coat.
A figure approaching snagged my attention. Instinctively, I slowed my pace, but the woman, dressed in a white apron over an olive-green dress, simply passed by. Perhaps a maid.
She glanced at me and nodded briefly. I returned the gesture, captivated by her skin, which seemed almost like scales.
Those beastly features weren’t a figment of my imagination then. Perhaps they all could shift, like the lord.
I still could not comprehend what I had seen. How that man turned into an animal. But the marking on my arm was still there, like a reminder that yesterday had been real.
On the ground floor, I spotted guards milling about near the entrances. Down the hallway, muffled voices echoed, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and cutlery. Soft white light spilled from one of the doors.
“...on the eastern border. When I spoke with Castor, he said they had enforced a curfew for four nights, until the ward was up again,” Finnegan was saying.
“Any sightings?” Cerridwen asked, concern evident in her tone.
“Once,” Finnegan replied.
A long silence followed.
Barracus’s voice broke the quiet. “This conversation isn’t private anymore.”
My eyebrows quirked up. I cursed and sighed as I pushed the door open. It was the same room as yesterday’s meeting, minus the broken windows and shards of glass on the floor.
They sat at the far end, surrounded by dishes. The warm scent of bread and coffee filled the air as I approached.
“Jane,” Finnegan greeted. “Are you joining us for breakfast?”
