Amia's POV
I am okay. I don't need such a selfish mate.
Those were the words that echoed in my mind after eating the cookies.
But they didn't comfort me.
Not even a little.
I sat there for hours, my eyes fixed on the door, waiting… hoping… for him to walk in. Every small sound made my heart jump, only for disappointment to follow when nothing happened.
The night stretched endlessly. Yet I didn't sleep. Not even for a moment.
And yet… he never came.
By morning, my body felt heavy and drained, as if I had fought a battle I couldn't win. Even after taking a bath, the fatigue clung to me stubbornly.
Worse than the exhaustion…
Was the anger and the ache.
Every time I closed my eyes, Serai's words replayed in my mind like a curse.
*"Lady Rachel is our lord's cherished mistress."*
It was suffocating. So I kept myself busy.
After bathing, I picked up a torn cloth and began dusting the same places I had already cleaned. Over and over again.
I scrubbed, wiped, and rearranged things that didn't need rearranging.
Anything to stop myself from breaking over a stranger.
A mate I barely knew.
A mate who only held power over me because of a bond I never asked for.
A knock suddenly sounded on the door.
I paused as a soft sigh left my lips.
I already knew it wasn't him.
He didn't knock. He never would.
"Come in," I whispered.
The door creaked open slowly.
A warm, delicious aroma filled the room almost instantly, but I didn't turn to look.
"I greet you, my lady," Serai's voice followed.
I straightened and turned toward her.
She stood there with a tray in her hands.
"I brought you breakfast, my lady," she said with a gentle smile as she moved to the table and placed it down carefully.
My eyes drifted to the food.
And instantly, my mouth watered.
There was a plate of soft, golden bread, still steaming slightly as if it had just been taken off the heat. Beside it sat a bowl of thick, creamy porridge drizzled with honey and topped with small pieces of fruit that glistened beautifully. There were slices of roasted meat, perfectly browned, releasing a rich, savory scent into the air. A small dish of butter and jam sat neatly to the side, along with a delicate cup of hot tea that released soft curls of steam.
It looked nothing like what I used to make in the pack.
The food in front of me was meant for royalty.
"My lady, come and take a seat," Serai said softly.
I hesitated.
Then I slowly walked forward and sat down.
"Today I put my whole heart into making this breakfast, so I hope you like it," she added.
I let out a quiet sigh and picked up the cup of tea.
"Did the general order you to feed me again?" I asked simply.
"No, this time… this time…" she trailed off.
I lifted my gaze to her.
"Was it the lord?" I asked in a whisper.
My heart began to beat faster.
"Um… the order came from… Lady Rachel."
Everything inside me went still.
My appetite vanished instantly.
I placed the cup down and then stood up.
"I'm not hungry," I said flatly.
"But my lady…"
"Serai, I'm so grateful for your help, but I am not hungry," I said louder than I intended.
The moment the words left my mouth, I froze.
Shock hit me.
I had raised my voice at her.
She didn't deserve that. She had done nothing wrong.
Guilt crept into my chest, but the irritation still lingered.
"Serai, I…" I started.
But before I could finish, she moved quickly to the wooden basket she had left.
She lifted it with a small smile.
"My lady, I'm sorry I never got the chance to show you this. I brought the equipment you wanted yesterday," she said.
I blinked in surprise.
"I asked a friend of mine for a favor, and she helped me out. My friend said to activate them, you have to say an enchanted word, and to make them work, you have to recite another."
She closed her eyes and whispered something in a language I had never heard before.
The air shifted.
Then suddenly, a broom, washing powder, mop, clean cloths, two buckets, and cleaning oil appeared where the basket had been.
My eyes widened as I gasped.
"Tada," she said playfully.
A small laugh slipped from my lips.
But it faded quickly when I noticed her expression change.
She was frowning, staring at the equipment.
I cleared my throat softly.
"I apologize, my lady, for spacing out for a second. The spell to activate them is very dangerous and tricky. If said wrongly… they could explode, and we would both be in danger," she said seriously.
"Oh… I had no idea," I replied honestly.
"That's because I never told you this. My lady… I'm not a magic wielder," she admitted quietly.
For a brief moment, I saw it.
The pain in her eyes.
"But I can activate this because of the tide command added by my friend who wields magic," she continued.
"A tide command is like a trigger word. It only works with the right words, like a door code… but it's dangerous if done wrong."
She smiled, but the sadness in her eyes didn't disappear, and I recognized it all too well.
It was the same look I had seen in myself.
In Cassidy.
I wanted to comfort her, to tell her she wasn't alone.
But then…
My own words echoed in my mind.
*"We should never have friends… because they will become a weakness that father uses against us."*
I lightly tapped my cheek and forced a smile.
"Serai, thank you so much for bringing me this cleaning equipment. I will clean the room myself without letting anyone find out," I said.
Keeping her at a distance felt safer, even if it hurt.
"Oh no, you don't have to do that, my lady. I can use another tide command to make them clean on their own," she said.
"No, I'll handle everything myself. I don't want to get you into trouble if something goes wrong," I replied.
She smiled softly and nodded.
After a moment of silence, I cleared my throat again.
"Serai… if it's not too much to ask… can you tell me more about the nest?" I asked.
She blinked, then nodded.
"Well, our nests aren't much different from other territories," she began.
"Nests?" I asked.
"Yes. We have different nests, all governed by our Lord. There are four ranks we always acknowledge."
I sat down, listening closely.
"The first rank—and most respected—are the lords and ladies," she said.
"They are rare and extremely powerful magic wielders. They are like Alpha kings and queens."
I listened quietly.
"They are seen as blessings. When they are born, they bring fortune to the nests."
She paused, then continued.
"Our nests allow polygynous and polyandrous mating."
My chest ached as I stood up.
"What?" I whispered.
"But not all choose that path," she added quickly. "Some choose only one partner."
My hand moved to my chest.
"So… your lord… has he been…"
"No. He has kept away from all females… except Lady Rachel."
My heart broke.
"But rumors began spreading that calamity would fall upon the nests if…"
She stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened.
"What? Tell me," I demanded.
"I apologize," she said quickly. Then she went out as silence filled the room.
The weight of everything came crashing down on me.
The truth and realization.
The nest... was not just my home.
It was my cage.
And my life and fate…
were something I could not escape.
My legs gave out.
I fell to the ground while my chest rose and fell rapidly as I forced myself to breathe.
I refused to cry.
I refused.
Even as everything inside me shattered.