Liora woke up the next morning with one thought.
Three days.
She had three days to prove she deserved to stay.
She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.
“Easy.”
She pointed at herself.
“Just do your job.”
Her mind immediately returned to yesterday.
The library.
The stool.
Lucien catching her.
The accidental kiss.
Liora buried her face in her pillow.
“No.”
She lifted her head.
“That didn’t happen.”
A pause.
“It definitely happened.”
She groaned.
“This is going to be a long three days.”
By breakfast, Liora had already completed half of her morning duties.
She had organized the kitchen supplies, checked the pantry, helped prepare breakfast, and somehow convinced two servants to stop arguing over whose turn it was to polish the silverware.
She was beginning to understand why the household needed so many staff.
The place was enormous.
There were rooms she hadn’t even entered yet.
Hallways that seemed to lead nowhere.
Doors with magical markings she didn’t understand.
And rules.
So many rules.
Liora was carrying a stack of folded linens when another maid approached her.
“Liora.”
“Yes?”
“You’re supposed to leave those in the east wing.”
“I thought the east wing was restricted.”
“It is.”
“Then why am I taking these there?”
The maid hesitated.
“The master ordered it.”
Liora adjusted the linens in her arms.
“Then why didn’t he tell me?”
The maid stared at her.
“You’re questioning an order?”
Liora frowned.
“I’m questioning the instruction.”
“That sounds like the same thing.”
“It isn’t.”
Before the maid could answer, a familiar voice came from behind them.
“It isn’t.”
Both women turned.
Lucien stood at the end of the corridor.
The maid immediately straightened.
“Sir.”
Liora gave him a polite nod.
“Good morning.”
Lucien looked at her.
“Good morning.”
His gaze shifted to the linens.
“Why aren’t you taking them to the east wing?”
“Because I was told it’s restricted.”
“It is.”
“Then why am I supposed to take these there?”
Lucien paused.
“Because I authorized it.”
Liora nodded.
“Then I’ll take them.”
The other maid stared at her.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You could have simply asked.”
“I did.”
“Not me.”
“You weren’t here.”
He looked at her for a moment.
Then he continued walking.
Liora watched him leave.
The other maid whispered,
“You’re not afraid of him?”
Liora looked at her.
“Should I be?”
The maid opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Liora shrugged.
“He hasn’t eaten breakfast yet. I’m more concerned about that.”
Later that morning, Liora found Lucien in his study.
A mountain of paperwork covered his desk.
She stood in the doorway.
“Are you working?”
He looked up.
“No. I’m decorating.”
Liora stared at him.
Then she smiled.
“Very funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
“That’s worse.”
Lucien’s eyebrow lifted.
“What do you want?”
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I’ll eat later.”
“You said that yesterday.”
“And?”
“And you didn’t.”
Lucien returned his attention to the documents.
“I don’t need a reminder.”
“You clearly do.”
His eyes slowly returned to her.
Liora crossed her arms.
“You’re an important man. You have servants, guards, advisers and probably enough people willing to remind you to breathe.”
Lucien said nothing.
“So why does nobody remind you to eat?”
“They know better.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“They know I don’t like being interrupted.”
Liora looked at the paperwork.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
“Since dawn.”
Her expression changed.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I have responsibilities.”
“So do people who collapse from exhaustion.”
Lucien leaned back.
“You’re lecturing me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my employer.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does to me.”
She placed a plate on the corner of his desk.
“Eat.”
Lucien looked at the plate.
Then at her.
“Did I order this?”
“No.”
“Then why is it here?”
“Because you need it.”
He stared at her.
Liora stared back.
Neither moved.
Finally, Lucien picked up the fork.
Liora smiled.
“Good.”
She turned to leave.
“Liora.”
She stopped.
“Yes?”
He looked down at the plate.
“Thank you.”
She blinked.
It was quiet.
Almost reluctant.
But genuine.
She smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Then she left.
Lucien watched the door.
He didn’t understand why the room felt slightly quieter after she was gone.
By the afternoon, Liora had discovered something else.
The household had a garden full of strange plants.
Some were beautiful.
Some looked harmless.
One had teeth.
Liora stopped in front of it.
“Absolutely not.”
The plant snapped at her fingers.
She stepped backward.
“What kind of flower has teeth?”
A voice answered behind her.
“Several.”
She turned.
Lucien stood there.
“Did you plant these?”
“No.”
“Then why are they here?”
“They’ve always been here.”
Liora pointed at the plant.
“That thing tried to eat me.”
“It does that.”
“And you’re saying this like it’s normal.”
“It is normal.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Lucien walked past her.
The plant immediately became still.
Liora stared.
“How did you do that?”
“Magic.”
She looked at him.
“Right.”
She had almost forgotten.
Magic existed everywhere in Varethis.
She had seen enchanted lights, glowing fountains and magical markings since arriving.
But something about Lucien’s casual use of magic still made her uneasy.
He noticed.
“You’re curious.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I prefer not to lose fingers.”
Lucien almost smiled.
Almost.
That evening, Liora sat in the servants’ dining room.
The other servants were talking quietly.
She listened.
They were discussing their employer.
“He never smiles.”
“He does.”
“When?”
“Once.”
“When?”
“I don’t remember.”
Liora almost laughed.
One servant looked at her.
“You’ve been here four days.”
“Three.”
“Today is the fourth.”
Liora froze.
She counted.
Yesterday.
The day before.
Her first day.
Today.
She frowned.
“So the trial ends today?”
The servants exchanged looks.
“Yes.”
Liora looked toward the door.
She had worked every day.
She had done everything asked of her.
She had even survived the kitchen, the garden, the library and the terrifying man who employed her.
She stood.
“I need to talk to him.”
Lucien was in the library.
He looked up when she entered.
“Liora.”
“Sir.”
“You seem concerned.”
“My trial.”
He paused.
“What about it?”
“It’s over.”
“Yes.”
“So…”
She waited.
Lucien closed his book.
“You’re staying.”
Liora blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re staying.”
She stared at him.
“But the trial—”
“Is over.”
“And?”
“You passed.”
Liora’s eyes widened.
“That means I still have the job?”
“Yes.”
A grin slowly appeared on her face.
“Excellent.”
She turned toward the door.
“Wait.”
She looked back.
Lucien’s gaze rested on her.
“You’re doing well.”
The words were simple.
But coming from him, they felt strangely important.
Liora smiled.
“Thank you.”
She left.
Lucien returned to his book.
But he didn’t read another word.
For the first time in years, he found himself wondering about someone else’s life.
Not their family.
Not their political position.
Not their usefulness.
Just them.
And he didn’t understand why he suddenly wanted to know more about Liora.
He only knew one thing.
The maid he had expected to dismiss after three days had somehow become part of his household.
And he wasn’t sure when that had happened.