Chapter 148: His Chambers
Lilia stood in front of the mirror as the woman worked on her waist, tightening it as if she meant to take it away entirely. It was the same woman who had helped her cross from the in-between worlds into the land of the dead—and now, here she was, binding her like this.
Strangely enough, Lilia found herself relieved that she hadn’t been given a robe or nightwear to wear to his chambers. Apparently, the rules here were different. Being invited to someone’s chamber didn’t imply what it did in the land of the living. Here, it seemed to mean dinner—a chance to get to know one another. That intrigued her.
In the land of the living, such an invitation at night carried different meanings. Not that she was comparing—but if she were, it was worth noting. There, a nighttime visit to a man’s chamber usually meant something else entirely—perhaps that the man had given in to desire, or lust, somehow.
She wasn’t sure if that was the case here. But with the way the woman was binding her so tightly, Lilia was fairly certain that if the man had any intentions of doing anything to her now, he’d be too busy trying to untie all these straps to act on them.
The lady spoke in a hushed voice, her tone filled with quiet urgency. "Please... you must be very careful around the prince. Whatever he says, just follow. Show him respect."
Her voice trembled slightly as she added, "Extinction... it’s worse than you think. It’s something no one should ever wish for. I’m begging you—just be good."
There was something in the way she said it that made Lilia pause. She wanted to ask—how bad was this extinction, really? What did it mean? What were the rules behind it? Did it mean they would kill you—even when you were already dead? Could you be erased entirely from this realm too?
But instead of asking, she simply nodded and replied softly, "All right."
"May I know your name?" Lilia asked gently.
"Judy."
The woman then raised her hands and began coiling strands of Lilia’s hair to the sides, her fingers moving with practiced care. Lilia caught the way the woman was staring at her through the mirror—half-focused on the hair, half-lost in thought.