It was a small moment, but it felt like a big step forward for the three of us, something that could lead to building a stronger bond.
Kaitlyn immediately looked away, her shy nature showing through once again. I could see that she just needed someone to help her build her confidence, someone to make her feel comfortable enough to talk.
Before I could say anything more, the chief maidservant arrived. She moved quickly, her sharp eyes scanning the area, and we all scrambled to our feet. Everyone went back to their assigned portions, waiting for her inspection.
Morgana walked through each group’s portion, making notes in her mind. When she reached us, she gave me an unexpected smile, one that made me uneasy. I couldn’t figure out why she was smiling at me like that, but I kept my face neutral, waiting for her verdict.
“Well done,” she said after inspecting our work. “You’ve all done an excellent job today.”
Her words brought a sense of relief to our group, but before we could fully relax, she called everyone back to gather around her. The entire group stood quietly, waiting for what she had to say.
“I must say,” Morgana began, “you’ve all worked hard today. But I have something important to share. While you were working, I was watching you all from around the corner, observing how you handled yourselves without knowing I was there.”
A few murmurs went through the crowd. Most of us had no idea she had been watching so closely.
“Now, as you may know,” she continued, “Ma’am Elena has asked me to find someone among you with strong leadership qualities-someone who shows not only hard work but also the ability to make sacrifices for others.”
My heart began to race. I had no idea that was part of the criteria.
“For the past two weeks, I haven’t seen anyone fit the role,” Morgana said with a stern look. “But today, things changed. I’m happy to announce that a leader will be chosen, and Ma’am Elena herself will make the announcement later this evening.”
A wave of excitement went through the crowd, and I felt a small pang of hope. Could it be me? Could it be one of my friends? As we all stood there, I secretly wished it would be Kaitlyn, hoping this could be her chance to grow and break out of her shell.
“You’re all dismissed for now,” Morgana said. “Make sure to be back here by 5 p. m. sharp for the announcement.”
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving us with anticipation swirling in the air.
As we walked back to the building, Liza, Kaitlyn, and I were all deep in thought. The idea of someone being chosen as a leader hung over us like a cloud. After arriving back, we parted ways to go to our rooms for some rest. The moment I reached my room, I collapsed onto the floor, utterly exhausted. I had never experienced this level of physical labor before in my life, and my body ached all over.
After a few minutes of lying on the floor, I managed to drag myself to the bathroom. The cool water from the shower felt refreshing on my tired muscles, and as I dried off, a thought popped into my head.
“I need to get close to the chief maidservant,” I whispered to myself. “She must know a lot about what’s really going on here. But I’ll have to take it slow, one step at a time.”
Just as I finished getting dressed, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Liza and Kaitlyn standing there, both with smiles on their faces.
“Kimberly!” Liza said, her voice bright and cheerful. “Are you coming to eat? Let’s go to the canteen before the food runs out.”
My stomach growled in response, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten much since arriving. “Yes, let’s go,” I said eagerly, feeling a bit more energetic at the thought of food.
The three of us made our way to the maid’s canteen. Liza led us straight to a table in the third row near the front. “Best spot,” she whispered with a grin. “We’ll get food quickly from here!”
We sat down and waited, but soon I noticed a group of women entering the canteen. They were dressed in the same maid uniforms as everyone else, but something about them was different. Their expressions were cold and intimidating, and their presence seemed to send a ripple of fear through the room.
The group walked straight to the front table, where some other maids were already seated. Without saying a word, the seated maids stood up and moved away, making room for the newcomers. The atmosphere in the room shifted, and I felt a surge of anger at the sight of such blatant intimidation.
“Who are they?” I asked, my voice low but filled with disdain as I looked at the group.
Liza glanced nervously in their direction and whispered, “We don’t know exactly who they are, but they’re not from the Nightwalkers’ pack. No one knows where they came from, but trust me, they’re dangerous. You don’t want to cross them.”
I narrowed my eyes, watching the leader of the group as she sat down with a smug expression. I could feel the rage building inside me, a kind of anger I hadn’t felt in a long time. They reminded me too much of the kind of people who thrived on fear and control.
As I glared at them, the leader of the group suddenly turned her gaze toward me. Our eyes met, and we stared at each other in silence, neither one of us willing to look away. It was a challenge, an unspoken battle of wills, and I wasn’t about to back down.
The tension between us was palpable, and I could feel Liza tugging at my sleeve, trying to get me to break eye contact. But I couldn’t. Not yet. Something about that woman filled me with the need to stand my ground.