This was Oleander’s mother’s space.I give the room one more sweeping glance, feeling strange about the intimacy of knowing a bit more about her mother. I can picture her as a little girl sitting alongside her mom at the piano and wonder how old Oleander was when she died.
Nerius opens the door and ushers me into a fairly empty room. The walls are painted white, there is no art or decorations and the lace curtains that frame the window are pulled shut, giving the room a grey pallor. There are a few pieces of furniture covered by white sheets that make it feel like it is inhabited only by ghosts. There is still a clean and light feeling to the space as if it is cared for and dusted frequently.
“What was in here?” I ask. Nerius looks irritated at my presence and sighs.
“Someone we do not speak of…” he trails off, pausing mid-sentence then clears his throat. “Not for you to know, now hurry along.” He leads me to the back corner where I can see a little golden doorknob shaped like a flower jutting out of the wall. Nerius twists and pulls on the knob and the door swings open to reveal a spiraling stone staircase leading up to the top of the tower. I wonder to myself whether the hidden door is in the same location in Pyralis’ study, but doubt I will ever get the chance to find out. Once we are in the hall of the staircase I notice there is another door, directly across from the stairs.
“That leads down to the kitchens, where you will report for duty in one hour. Up here is your room.” He motions as we start to ascend the stairs.
“We had prepared for the arrival of your sister so you should count yourself lucky that you will be graced by this grand room. The servants quarters are full at the moment but believe me, as soon as a space opens up you will be out of this house,” he says, making it sound like I am dirt beneath his boot.
“For now, you will travel only from this room to the kitchens. I do not want to find you snooping around,” he says as we near the door. “I am the only one who addresses the Master, the rest of you report to me. I amyourMaster andheis mine. Keep your head down and fulfill your duties and you may find that life in the fae realm is not so bad.”
Not that you have any reference,I roll my eyes, feeling that life in this realm will unquestionablynotbe pleasantat all. Nerius pushes open the door, which makes a loud creak, and makes way for me to pass him before shutting the door behind me again. I can hear his footsteps fade as he descends. I am finally alone.
Chapter Ten
The room is quite spacious, but plainly decorated. Faded spots occupy the walls where paintings would have hung and the scuff marks of furniture that once filled the space litter the floor. What is left is a large four poster bed, which I am sure, gets bathed in the light of the stained glass window when the sun is setting. To the left there is a tall wooden bureau and a lattice room divider with a clawfoot copper tub perched behind it. Directly in front of the round window is a little desk with a chair that I am currently fantasizing about sitting and painting at, but am met with the reality that I will probably not have time or access to paints in my new prison.
Ugh, how have I gotten myself into this mess?
I run and flop onto the bed, the softness of the mattress hugging me like a cloud. A little moan escapes my lips from the bliss of having a bed after many nights on the cold, hard ground. Maybe I will just stay up here, hiding in the blankets for the rest of my miserable life.
I wish I could just dissolve into mist, tossing away all responsibilities and just becoming one with the water cycle. Alas, I am solid and living and have others relying on me.
Visions of Marissa and where on Earth Oleander may have taken her are clouding my mind when a littletap tap tapon the door brings me back to the present. It is so faint that I wonder if I am just hearing things and settle back into my cloud of misery.
Tap tap tap,I definitely heard it that time.
“Hello? Um…you may enter?” I say, sitting up and hoping it isn’t anything too menacing waiting on the other side.
“Ooo hello, I heard another human had arrived and I wanted to see for myself!” The head of the little girl I had briefly seen earlier in the day pokes around the squeaky door.
She looks to be around ten years old and has two messy braids hanging down her servant’s uniform, a plain, grey pinafore with a white blouse underneath. I am surprised to see a human so young in this realm and cannot fathom how she got here, surely not through the same Gate as I.
“I’m Lillian,” she says, hopping fully into the room and spinning around, wide eyed-mouth open, looking in awe.
“I have never been up here before, this must be our little secret or Mistress Smudge will surely tell on me,” she whispers, skipping over to where I am seated on the bed.
She seems so trusting and happy for someone who has experienced what, I imagine, has been a difficult life if she grew up here. I can’t see a brand on either of her wrists so I wonder whether she is here of her own free will.
“Hello Lillian, I’m Nuria, it’s very nice to meet a fellow human,” I say, holding out my hand for a shake, telling a lie that comes easily to me as it was only a few days ago that I discovered my true heritage. She beams up at me and grabs my outstretched hand with both of hers and shakes our joined hands wildly. My hand is now her prisoner.
“Oookay, well I believe I am meant to be heading down to the kitchens soon. Would you accompany me?” I ask, laughing at her enthusiasm as I try to pull my hand away from her, but sheholds on tight with a big toothy smile. I notice one of her front teeth is either half grown or chipped which gives her a sort of harmless and comical demeanor.
“First you need to change into your uniform and actually, I probably shouldn’t accompany you because then Smudge would know where I have been, silly! I have to go find my brother Jacob, anyway. He is probably lurking around the stables. Smudge needs him to run an errand for her in the village,” she says, finally releasing my hand and skipping over to the bureau. She pulls out a grey uniform with a long sleeve white shift and tosses it on the bed. “You should hurry so she doesn’t get mad. You donotwant to see an angry kitchen Gromlin. Not a pretty sight. anyway good luck on your first day!” she says as she bounces back towards the door.
“Wait! Lillian… how did you end up here if you are human?” I ask, concern written in my scrunched up eyebrows.
“I can’t remember, you’d have to ask Jacob,” she says, turning back to the door. She lets it slam on her way out.
I flinch at the sound and hope she doesn’t get herself caught for it, but I have a feeling she has her ways of sneaking around this mansion fairly undetected.
Kitchen Gromlin?
I am left in silence, wondering what they might look like. I can already feel that a Lillian sized hole is left in the room. The slight comfort of a normal, albeit tornado like, human interaction with a child gives me a momentary sense of ease and I am reminded of Marissa at that age. So similarly lively and friendly, making everyone love her. But the feeling of nostalgia is quickly traded for dread when I look down at my uniform laying on the bed and I start worrying about the thought of what sort of work might lay ahead of me.
I have to figure out a way to escape. I have to find where Oleander took Marissa. Perhaps I should get to know this Jacobperson; Lillian said he has access to the stables.I think that he may be my only ticket out of here, as I change into my uniform.
