Chapter 8


    He exined that each of us would have a private room and be attended by two maids


    Next, Nathan brought us to arge staircase that separated the east and west wings. In the west wing,


    he pointed us to the borate, gem–embossed doors of the royal family. The King’s door was the


    largest,


    with the Luna beside his 1


    Each of the princes‘ doors were the same size and design, though with different colored gemstones.


    Nichs’s gemstones were green. Julian’s red. And Joyce, a pale kind of purple


    Pretty,” Elva said.


    I stared at Nichs’s door, wondering if he was inside. Where had he disappeared to?


    I hadn’t been the only one looking.


    “I will remind you,dies, that you are strictly forbidden from seeking out the princes on your own,”


    Nathan said. “Any inappropriate advances will have you expelled at once.”


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    As we continued on, he purposefully passed a few corridors. When one of the girls became curious and


    asked him what was down one of them, Nathan shook his head.


    “Off limits,” he said. “Absolutely do not enter here. Or face the worst consequences.”


    The curious girl immediately quieted.


    Nathan led us down the staircase to where a line of maids waited patiently. One of them stood in front


    of the rest. She was older, with a severe expression.


    “This,” Nathan said, gesturing to her, “Is the head of the pce maids, Lena.”


    “Hi, Lena,” Elva said.


    Lena nced over, but her eyes skipped straight over Elva to re at me.


    She gave me such a cold look that it startled me. I was certain I had never seen this woman before in


    my life. What could I have done to offend her?


    “She doesn’t like you, Mommy.” Elva stretched her arms around my neck, giving me a kind little hug.


    I held her close, grateful for it. “Maybe she’s just having a bad day,” I reasoned. I hoped. I really didn’t


    need more enemies here.


    Nathan and Lena then introduced each girl to the pair of maids that would be assisting them. Those


    The two maids assigned to me seemed disappointed. They frowned as Nathan introduced them. I was


    thest one left in the hall


    “You don’t need them yet, do you? Lena asked. The false cheer in her voice did not match the glower


    1 need to prepare them on one more task. You understand I’m sure you can find your way


    back on your own


    Nathan locked at Lena curiously, but didn’t speak against her


    dn’t know how to stand up for myself here, in a ce I so clearly didn’t belong


    Sol agreed “Of course I will see you bothter then ”


    They both curtsied and excused themselves as Lena ushered them away.


    “If you will excuse me.” Nathan said and also disappeared.


    stood with Elva in the hallway for a long time, wondering just what I was doing here.


    Eventually, I made my way back to the east wing. I’d gotten turned around only once. I had nearly


    walked down a forbidden corridor but Elva had stopped me


    “Not here, Mommy” she had said.


    I’d realized where I was then, fortunately, and turned around. Oddly, I thought I had seen Lena


    disappear down the stairs as I turned, but I must have imagined it.


    At the east wing. I couldn’t quite remember which room was mine, but with all of the other girls returned


    by now, the process of elimination led me to thest open door.


    I pushed it open, relieved to see our suitcases at the end of arge bed.


    But then a stopped. Someone else was in here. A man.


    My heart raced.


    Was it Nichs?