Chapter 26: An Unexpected Dinner with Draven
Meredith.
I was exhausted.
The so-called tour of the estate had dragged on longer than necessary, covering endless halls, courtyards, and rooms I had no real interest in.
By the time I returned to my chamber, my body felt like it had been wrung dry. The moment my head hit the pillow, I sank into sleep, not caring about anything else.
When I finally woke up nearly two hours later, the sky had dimmed slightly, and my stomach grumbled in protest. Lunch was waiting for me on the dining table, but the presence of Madame Beatrice ruined any appetite I might have had.
Her eyes, always sharp and assessing, followed my every movement as I ate. A cold weight sat in my chest. No matter what I did, I could never relax around her.
She was a silent force pressing down on me, like a chain I couldn’t shake off. So, when she finally stood and left, a breath of relief escaped my lips.
Madame Beatrice left me in the company of Azul, Deidra, and Kira.
At first, I was skeptical—Deidra and Kira were practically strangers to me. But as a few hours passed, I realized they weren’t as rigid as I thought.
Away from Madame Beatrice’s presence, they were easy to talk to, lighthearted even.
Eventually, Deidra and Kira excused themselves to fetch some mid-afternoon snacks, leaving me alone with Azul.