Maya followed behind the two maids who gossiped without reserve. They didn't look back to see if she kept up with them while Maya did her best to walk as close as she could, even though she felt she might fall with each step.
She didn't know where they were leading her, but she knew better than to ask questions. From the looks on their faces to the way they spoke to and about her, Maya knew exactly what she was going to get.
She was famished; the last time she had put anything in her mouth was breakfast the day before. Her throat was parched, and all the crying she had done only made the dryness in her throat worse.
She felt as though her bones weren't hers and someone else was doing the walking. She carefully put one foot in front of the other while she ignored the way the ground spun every time she looked down.
There was a throbbing on the left side of her head that was getting hard to ignore, and the light seemed to make it worse. As they stepped away from the cellar, there wasn't any need for the lantern, but the maids still held it.
Maya could easily tell they were maids as they were both dressed in the same manner: a dull grey dress with a white apron over it. Their hair was covered with clean white scarves, and only a little of their front hair stuck out. It was pretty similar to how the maids in her father's mansion dressed.
Maya looked around as they went up a set of stairs just after the main entrance. It was just a little after sunrise, and the soft glow of the sun floated in through the windows.
Rays scattered around, giving the house a grand look. Maya appreciated the warmth and light. The sky was blue, with clouds floating, but there was no sign of rain.
She smelled the air, and she knew it was going to be a rainless day today. Maya didn't know why, but she had always been able to tell when it was about to rain.
She could feel her worry easing a little; perhaps the bright sky and being out of the cellar had something to do with it.
At first, she was worried they would lead her outside the building, but that didn't seem to be the case. She wasn't convinced the maids were leading her somewhere better, but at least she was out of the cellar.
The women stopped abruptly in front of a door. They had led her down a path on the second floor, and just past the corner in a secluded section was the door. It was a regular-sized door, and the maid with the lantern opened it.
The first thing she smelled was dust. A small window was open, and that seemed to be the only source of light in the room. Maya finally understood why they held the lantern.
The room was bare, and it looked more like a spare room than a lived-in room. There wasn't even a bed, only a chair to sit on. The chair looked to have seen better days as it stood alone in the center of the room.
The maids turned to look at her with a smile; it was apparent they were both struggling to hold back their laughter.
"This is your room, Lady Maya, daughter of the High Alpha. How do you like it?" The sweet tone of the maid didn't match her expression, nor did it match the way they had spoken to her earlier.
Maya knew they were mocking her, and she had expected no less. So far, the maids hadn't hidden their distaste for her. She simply nodded and stepped forward, walking between them to access the room and get a better look.
Maya ignored the queasy feeling in her stomach. She ignored the horror of realizing that this was her life now. Living with Father wasn't great, but at least she had had the finer things.
She ignored all that and instead concentrated on what she could do. She stepped forward staring closely keeping a firm grip on the hem of her dress to hide the trembling of her hands.
The room wasn't too bad; it just needed a little cleaning, and the smell of dust wasn't as strong as when they first walked in. She could smell fresh air wafting in through the open window.
There was a small wardrobe in the corner and a vanity with worn-out wood but it still had all its drawers, nothing a little polishing couldn't handle. Her major concern was the lack of a bed and, most importantly, clothes.
She had left Father's mansion with only the clothes on her back, and she had been wearing the same clothes for over a day now. She could understand why the maids said she smelled.
She wasn't sure Alpha Keenan would grant her such luxury, and she might probably be no better dressed than a maid, but at least that was better than nothing. Maya took a deep breath as she reminded herself: she had chosen this.
She looked at the floor. It was wooden with a dirty carpet in the center, right under the chair. It would be incredibly uncomfortable to sleep on that, but she would have to get used to it.
Maya took a deep breath. The fog over her head was slightly clearer with a task to do now, and she felt purposeful. She had to clean this room, and then anything else could follow. Despite how it looked, at least it wasn't dark.
She had expected to be thrown in the dungeons. She had no doubts that Alpha Keenan was determined to do to her what they had done to him. This was far from it.
She turned to the maids and stared at them, wondering if they had anything else to tell her. However, the look on their faces was a little odd. They seemed disappointed.