The night was heavy with silence, save for the distant sounds of the mansion settling. Aurora lay on her bed, eyes staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. She could feel the tension in the air, the same way one could sense a storm brewing in the distance. Ever since she had arrived in the mansion, there was always an undercurrent of danger. But tonight, it felt different more suffocating.
Her thoughts drifted to Lily. The former mistress of Damian, now a shadow in the halls. Ever since Aurora had taken her place, Lily had been bitter, her resentment simmering beneath every interaction. Aurora had tried to keep her distance, but it was impossible to avoid the woman entirely. She could feel Lily’s eyes on her, always watching, always waiting for a moment to strike.
Aurora knew that Lily would never let her position go without a fight. But what could she do? Damian was hers now, not Lily’s.
The knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts. It was soft at first, but it quickly grew louder, more urgent.
“Who is it?” Aurora called, her voice steady despite the unease building inside her.
A maid’s voice answered, sweet and innocent, “My lady, I’ve brought your evening tea.”
Aurora rose from the bed, surprised. She hadn’t ordered any tea. Damian wasn’t here to deliver it, so it must have been someone else. Still, she didn’t want to be rude.
She opened the door, seeing a maid standing there with a tray of steaming tea. The maid’s face was blank, her expression neutral, as she held the tray out for Aurora to take.
“Thank you,” Aurora said, her eyes briefly scanning the maid’s face. She didn’t recognize her, but there was something about her presence that felt off. The maid was too still, too quiet.
Aurora took the tray, glancing down at the tea. It looked normal nothing out of the ordinary but the warmth of the cup against her fingers felt unsettling.
“Is there anything else?” Aurora asked, looking at the maid again.
The maid didn’t respond immediately. She just stood there, almost motionless. Then, her voice, a little too soft, almost inaudible, whispered, “The master wishes you rest well, my lady.”
Before Aurora could ask anything else, the maid quickly bowed and retreated down the hall, disappearing into the shadows.
Aurora closed the door behind her, feeling an odd chill wash over her. She stared at the tea in her hands, unsure of why she felt so uneasy. It wasn’t like her to doubt something so simple, but something about the maid’s cryptic words stuck with her.
Deciding to shrug it off, Aurora placed the tray on the small table by the window. She looked out at the night sky, the moon hanging low, casting its light over the dark grounds. Her thoughts wandered again, this time to Damian her protector, her lover, her complication. But no matter how much she tried to focus on him, her attention kept returning to the tea.
Why had the maid been so insistent on delivering it? And why had she been so strange?
Aurora shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She had no time for paranoia. She wasn’t going to let it consume her like it had before.
But just as she picked up the cup to take a sip, there was a knock at the door again.
This time, the knock was louder, more urgent.
Aurora froze.
“Who is it?” she called again, her voice steady but filled with suspicion.
The same maid’s voice replied, softer than before, “Forgive me, my lady. I’ve forgotten to mention… Please do not worry about the tea. It is safe.”
Safe?
Aurora’s pulse quickened. The words were odd, off-handed, but there was something else something subtle that made her hesitate. Why was the maid so intent on reassuring her?
Before she could speak again, the maid’s footsteps retreated, fading down the hall.
Aurora set the tea back on the table, the cup trembling slightly in her hand. She felt the weight of her uncertainty pressing on her chest. The maid’s words echoed in her mind: It is safe.
But what if it wasn’t?
Her eyes darted to the tea again. She remembered how easily Lily had smiled at her, pretending to be nothing more than the innocent servant. Aurora had always known that Lily hated her for taking Damian’s favor, but to go so far… Was this her way of getting back at her?
Aurora stepped away from the table, deciding she couldn’t risk it. She wasn’t about to drink something that felt wrong, no matter how much she wanted a moment of peace. The only question was how far Lily was willing to go to sabotage her.
Suddenly, she heard the soft creak of the door opening. She spun around, her heart leaping into her throat.
Standing in the doorway was the maid.
“I apologize, my lady,” she said softly, her voice now carrying an almost apologetic tone. “The tea… I was supposed to… deliver it personally.” She stepped inside, eyes locking with Aurora’s, a strange glimmer in her gaze.
Before Aurora could react, the maid made her move. She quickly reached for the cup of tea, trying to grab it from the table. But Aurora’s hand shot out, stopping her.
“No,” Aurora said, her voice sharp. “What are you doing?”
The maid flinched, stepping back as though she hadn’t expected the resistance. Her expression remained calm, but there was something dark hidden in the depths of her eyes.
“I’m sorry, my lady,” she whispered again, this time the words less convincing, more rehearsed.
Something clicked in Aurora’s mind. She wasn’t just delivering the tea she was part of something much bigger. And whoever had sent her wanted Aurora gone.
With a surge of anger and fear, Aurora grabbed the maid by the arm, pulling her forward.
“Who sent you?” Aurora demanded, her voice low but filled with venom. “Tell me, now.”
The maid struggled, her composure slipping for just a moment. “I… I can’t… I mustn’t say,” she stammered, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape.
Aurora’s grip tightened. “Tell me!”
For a moment, there was silence then the maid dropped her head, her voice barely a whisper.
“Lady Lily,” she muttered, barely audible. “She… she told me to give you the tea. She said… she said you were to be gone.”
Aurora’s heart raced as the world around her seemed to spin. Lily had ordered her death?
Before Aurora could respond, the maid pulled away, eyes wide in panic. “I’ve said too much. I didn’t want to… I’m sorry, my lady. Please… don’t tell anyone.”
With one final glance at Aurora, the maid turned and fled the room, leaving the door swinging wide open behind her.
Aurora stood frozen in shock. The realization hit her like a wave, her body trembling with the weight of it.
Lily had tried to poison her, and she had almost succeeded.
But now, Aurora had the truth and she was not going to let this betrayal slide. She would not let Lily get away with it.