CHAPTER 18 — SUMMONED TO SERVE
The cold of the cell bit deeper than usual that morning. Leona had been awake for hours, staring at the damp stone walls, listening to the distant echo of the fortress stirring with life. Every sound outside her cell—the footsteps, the low hum of voices, the clink of chains—reminded her of the impossibility of escape.
A sudden metallic scrape at the door made her flinch. The lock clicked, and the bars swung open. A guard appeared, silent and imposing, and gestured sharply for her to follow.
"Where are you taking me?" Leona whispered, her voice barely audible. Fear clutched at her chest.
The guard said nothing. There was no need. Leona had learned by now that questions were pointless. She followed, stepping lightly despite the ache in her legs, the ropes on her wrists long removed but leaving a lingering stiffness.
They walked through long corridors, torchlight flickering against the walls, shadows stretching like living things. Every step she took reminded her of the walls she could not escape, the fortress she had been trapped in for weeks.
Finally, they reached a grand hall, larger than anything she had ever seen, its vaulted ceilings echoing with silence. At the far end, seated on an imposing throne, was the Vampire King. His presence alone seemed to pull the air from the room. His dark eyes studied her as if weighing her very soul.
"You," he said, his voice deep and commanding, "will serve in my halls. As a maid."
Leona's heart skipped. "A… a maid?" she stammered, disbelief mingling with fear.
"You will work," the king continued, his tone leaving no room for argument, "and you will obey. Fail, and the consequences will be… unpleasant."
Her stomach twisted, but she forced herself to stand straight. "I understand," she said quietly, though her mind screamed with dread.
The king's gaze didn't waver. "You will begin immediately. Learn quickly, or this will be far harder than you imagine."
Leona followed the guard out of the hall, every step heavy with the weight of the king's authority. Her mind raced. A maid. Serving the Vampire King. It was an existence she had never imagined—and one that left her at the mercy of creatures far stronger, far older, and far more dangerous than herself.
As she was led toward the servant quarters, she stole one glance back at the throne. The king's eyes lingered on her, assessing, calculating. The message was clear: she was now a part of his world, and there would be no leniency.
Leona pressed her hands to her chest, taking a deep breath. Fear clawed at her, but she knew one thing: survival was the only choice. She would have to endure, observe, and adapt.
Because in the Vampire Kingdom, even a maid's life was never truly her own.