Chapter 84
Betrayed by Blood
"There’s a lot of work to do and not too many hands to go around. The new servants who have joined will follow the leads of those who have been here longer. Your tasks will be shared with you daily, so make sure to complete your chores for the day. Failure to complete them will result in punishment decided by me," the deep voice of the head maid echoed through the hall.
"Well, get to work already! We don’t have all day," she screeched, and like everyone else, they immediately spread out. Avery grabbed her brush and bucket, moving to a corner and knelt down, getting to work. The pack had new people, and they were being distributed to their various positions, which was why the place was much more crowded than usual. She paused, looking around for Millie, but she couldn’t find the other there. She wondered if Millie’s chore for today included cleaning in the pack house or the warriors’ den, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind and focused on her work, wanting to be done as soon as possible and leave.
The faint scent of lavender soap filled the air as the maids bustled around the pack house, their hands busy dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing. Thirty minutes had gone by already, and they were nowhere near done with their chores. Avery sighed, wiping her sweat-filled forehead. The sun seemed to shine even brighter today, almost as if it was showing off on purpose.
Avery kept her head down, wiping the wooden railing of the staircase, her ears tuned to every sound around her. The heavy clack of heels echoed through the hall, and Avery didn’t need to look up to know who had arrived.
Martha walked into the room, her sharp eyes scanning every corner. She marched over to a new servant who stood by the window, cleaning it. Her face scrunched into a distasteful sneer. "What is this?" she barked, pointing at a barely noticeable smudge on one of the windows. "Is this what you call clean? Do it again! All of you, stop dragging your feet and do your jobs properly!"
Avery glanced at the girl she was barking at, the young girl already with tears filling her eyes. "I-forgive me, my lady," the girl stammered fearfully.
The smirk that stretched on Martha’s lips sent a cold shudder down Avery’s spine. It was like she enjoyed preying on young, naive servants. It was the same thing she did to Avery back when she’d just arrived at the pack. It was like a power trip for her; she thrived off of it.
"And you? How long will you wipe one surface?" she snapped at another maid.