Chapter 86: Right Behind Her
The shower had been nothing short of perfect. For a blissful few minutes, Merlina let herself melt beneath the cascading heat, steam curling around her like a private cloud.
The shower head was wide and massive pouring down in a steady rush that felt less like water, more like standing beneath a hot, gentle rain. The kind that didn’t ask questions. The kind that washed everything else away.
But of course, the peace didn’t last.
Just as she reached for her towel, a soft beep echoed from the wall panel. Then another. Low and rhythmic.
Merlina frowned.
She padded closer, towel wrapped tightly around her chest, hair still wet and clinging to her shoulders. She pressed the glowing button once, but nothing. It beeped again.
She tried swiping to the manual settings. The interface blinked, then froze. Another beep.
Not loud. But unsettling. Like the faint beep of an appliance left running, or a door that didn’t quite close. A quiet reminder that something hadn’t been done right. She exhaled sharply and stepped back, brows furrowing.
She tried again. Another swipe. A button combo. Holding it down. The beeping stuttered, then resumed, like it was mocking her.
Frustration set in, she walked over to the bedroom, then hovered by the door. Hand on the knob. Listening. Then, slowly, she cracked it open and peered out.
The hallway stretched silent. Her siblings’ rooms, two doors down on either side, were sealed tight, the kind of quiet that felt intentional. Not even a murmur slipped through. It was like the doors had been built to swallow every sound.