Liora had been employed for exactly one week.
And she had already discovered three important things about her new workplace.
First, the mansion was far too large.
Second, the man who owned it was impossible to understand.
And third—
There was something seriously wrong with the east wing.
Liora stood at the end of the corridor, staring at the large wooden doors.
They were different from every other door in the mansion.
Dark.
Heavy.
Covered in strange silver markings.
She had noticed them on her first day.
She had also noticed that nobody ever went near them.
Which, naturally, made her curious.
Very curious.
Liora took one step forward.
Then another.
She reached toward the handle.
“Don’t.”
She nearly jumped out of her skin.
She turned.
Lucien stood behind her.
Again.
“How do you keep doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Appearing behind people without making a sound.”
“I walked here.”
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s true.”
Liora pointed at the doors.
“What is in there?”
Lucien’s expression changed slightly.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“That sounds suspicious.”
“It isn’t.”
“It definitely is.”
He stepped past her.
“The east wing is restricted.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you standing here?”
Liora folded her arms.
“Curiosity.”
“Try having less of it.”
“That sounds like terrible advice.”
“It has kept me alive.”
She looked at him.
“That’s surprisingly dramatic.”
Lucien stared at her.
Liora smiled.
“I’m going back to work.”
She walked away.
After a few steps, she glanced back.
Lucien was still standing in front of the doors.
Watching them.
Not her.
The doors.
For some reason, that made her even more curious.
The following morning, Liora discovered another strange thing.
Lucien had a schedule.
A very strict one.
He woke before dawn.
Trained for an hour.
Worked through breakfast.
Read reports.
Met with advisers.
Worked some more.
Skipped lunch.
Worked again.
And apparently believed sleep was an optional activity.
Liora stared at the schedule one of the servants had shown her.
“This man needs help.”
The servant laughed.
“We’ve been saying that for years.”
“Then why hasn’t anyone done anything?”
“Because nobody wants to tell him.”
Liora frowned.
“Why?”
The servant lowered her voice.
“Because he’s frightening.”
Liora thought about Lucien.
The cold stare.
The quiet voice.
The intimidating presence.
Then she shrugged.
“He’s not that bad.”
The servant looked at her as if she had announced that she planned to fight a dragon with a spoon.
“You’ve been here one week.”
“Exactly.”
“And you’re still alive.”
“Also exactly.”
The servant laughed.
Liora smiled.
She liked the people here.
They worked hard.
They were respectful.
But they weren’t treated badly.
That surprised her.
She had expected someone as intimidating as Lucien to be cruel to servants.
Instead, she had noticed something else.
He knew their names.
He noticed when someone was injured.
He made sure the kitchen had enough supplies.
And when one of the guards made a mistake, Lucien corrected him without humiliating him.
He was strict.
But fair.
Liora hadn’t expected that.
She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
That afternoon, Liora carried tea into Lucien’s study.
She placed the cup beside him.
He looked at it.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She turned.
Then stopped.
She looked at him.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Did you just thank me without me reminding you to eat?”
Lucien stared at her.
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Progress.”
“I wasn’t aware I was being evaluated.”
“You are.”
“By my maid?”
“Apparently.”
Lucien shook his head.
Liora smiled and left.
For several seconds, Lucien stared at the door.
Then, despite himself, the corner of his mouth lifted.
Later that evening, Liora was in the kitchen preparing dinner.
She had learned that Lucien preferred simple meals.
Nothing too sweet.
Nothing excessively spicy.
And black tea.
Always black tea.
She was cutting herbs when she suddenly stopped.
The knife slipped slightly.
A strange sensation passed through her fingers.
Warm.
Almost like a small pulse.
Liora looked down.
The herbs were glowing.
Very faintly.
She blinked.
The glow disappeared.
She stared at them.
“What was that?”
A servant beside her looked over.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Liora touched the herbs again.
Nothing happened.
She frowned.
Maybe she was tired.
That had to be it.
She returned to cooking.
But she didn’t notice the faint silver shimmer that briefly appeared beneath her skin.
That night, Liora couldn’t sleep.
She sat by the window in her room.
The mansion was quiet.
Moonlight spilled across the floor.
She looked at her hands.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing strange.
She flexed her fingers.
“I’m imagining things.”
She lay back down.
Her eyes closed.
Then—
A whisper.
So soft she almost thought it was part of her dream.
Liora.
Her eyes opened.
She sat up.
The room was empty.
Her heart began beating faster.
“Hello?”
No answer.
She looked around.
Nothing.
Liora swallowed.
Maybe she had dreamed it.
She lay down again.
This time, sleep came quickly.
But somewhere deep within the mansion, something responded to the sound of her name.
A faint pulse of magic moved through the walls.
The silver markings on the doors of the east wing glowed for a single second.
Then disappeared.
Lucien opened his eyes.
He had felt it.
He sat up slowly.
His expression hardened.
He looked toward the direction of the east wing.
“What was that?”
Silence answered him.
But for the first time since Liora had arrived, Lucien knew one thing for certain.
Something had changed.
And somehow, he suspected it had something to do with the maid sleeping at the other end of the mansion.