Robellia walked out of Maximus's room and looked around. The hallways were quiet. She sighed; it was already late, and she was sure everyone had already left the kitchen to depart to their rooms. She slowly walked her way down to the servants' quarters. The feeling and scent of Maximus was all she could think of. She finally got to her room she hoped Roselyn would be asleep. She just needed a few things from her room before she went off to sleep in Genevieve's room.
She quietly opened the door and sighed in frustration when she saw Roselyn standing by the bed as she folded some sheets. She walked towards the cupboard and took what she needed. "Where have you been?" Roselyn asked.
"With Genevieve," Robellia answered while she went on arranging her things.
"Liya, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hidden something like that from you." Roselyn walked towards her daughter, trying to console her.
Robellia froze. Did her mother just apologize? "Liya, I..." Roselyn paused. Robellia turned to face her.
Roselyn stepped closer and inhaled, "Have you been drinking?"
Robellia internally cursed Maximus. She knew if she said she wasn't drinking, her mother would only make things worse and start asking questions, "I was drinking. I only had one cup." She hoped her mother wouldn't catch the scent of Maximus that was all over her. She could still smell him.
Roselyn sighed, "You know you can't handle alcohol. You should be careful, and is that the scent of cedarwood? Liya, have you been seeing the Prince again?" The panic in her voice evident.
"Madame Sino had asked me to deliver his dinner. I had accidentally dropped his cologne bottle. I guess the scent is still on me after having to clean it up." Robellia lied her way out of it. "I am going to be sleeping in Genevieve's room for a few days." She hurried towards the door.
"Liya, I am going to warn you again. Stay away from that man. He is dangerous." Roselyn warned.
Robellia stopped by the door, "All humans are dangerous to you. Is it his status that frightens you? You had no problem with my relationship with Felix."
"Felix is nothing I could hex him, and he'd die without anyone giving a damn about it. If I were to kill the Crown Prince, Robellia, we both know we'd have to leave. I prefer the cover of being palace maids, and we've already gotten used to our lives here."
Robellia looked at her mother with utter bewilderment, "You just keep surprising me. How could you even think that way, Mother? That's not love, mother. You are just finding ways to justify killing more humans. Look at you. do hear yourself right now? I can't even recognize my own mother. Where is the woman who raised me? You are just proving them right. They already believe us to be monsters. What would father say?"
"Liya, there are things that must be done to survive. I learnt that the hard way, and it would be better if you stop thinking with your heart. And I don't need a justification to kill them. They killed your father, Robellia let that stick to your head." Roselyn argued.
"I, too, saw him burn. I know my father, and I know he would not want me to live in bitterness and hatred and in vengeance. You died along with father in that fire. And I am tired of pretending you didn't, mother." Robellia wiped away her tears.
Meanwhile,
After she was done with all her work in the kitchen, Genevieve waited in the kitchen for a while as she awaited her friend. Soon, everyone had left the kitchen. Genevieve looked at the wall clock and sighed. She decided to go back to her room and get ready for bed. She quietly walked her way through the empty corridors to the maids' quarters. As she walked, she felt a heavy presence of someone following her. She looked back, but there was nothing. She ignored the feeling and got to her room.
She quickly got dressed for bed. As soon as she was done, she blew out a few candles and jumped straight to bed, yet she could still feel the heavy presence. She sat up and looked around the room. No one was there. She sighed and was ready to go back to sleep when she heard the window burst open.
Genevieve jolted up as the cold wind from the window blew at her face. Genevieve slightly trembled at both the cold and the fear she was feeling. She slowly got out of bed and went to shut the window. Genevieve felt that heavy presence again; this time, it was stronger. Her gaze fell on a dark corner of the room, "Whose there?" she asked.
There was no reply, only heavy, deadly silence. Genevieve shuddered and took a step back as she saw the darkness in the corner slowly start to grow towards her, "Fuck no. I'm not doing this." She bolted towards the door. She had read a fair amount of Gothic novels to know better than to follow the darkness.
She needed to find Robellia. She hurriedly walked to Robellia's room. As she walked, she suddenly felt a strong breeze. She looked back and freaked out as she saw all the candles lighting the hallway behind her go out, and what followed was total darkness. Genevieve made a run for it. Every time she looked back, she could see the darkness follow up behind her.
she finally got Robellia's door she tried turning the handle but it wouldn't budge, "Liya," she started to call as the darkness got closer and closer. she pounded on the door still trying to turn the handle, "Liya, I swear if you don't open this damn door. LIYA!" the door finally opened and Genevieve ran into the room as he shut the door behind her and locked it.
She looked around. Robellia and Roselyn looked at her as if asking what happened. "Are you alright, Gene?" Robellia looked worried as she could see the evident fear and terror in Genevieve's eyes.
"It was chasing me," she let out a breath.
"What was chasing you?"
Genevieve was about to speak, but then she looked at Roselyn and thought otherwise, "I don't know."
Robellia sighed, "I'll take you back to your room." She was grateful Genevieve walked in. Her argument with Roselyn was just going from bad to worse.