After that feverish night, Ilkar never visited or spoke to Eiravyne again.
However, he obliged her to show up for meals and take walks outside, making it clear that it was her duty.
Martha, her personal maid, informed her that these were Ilkar's strict instructions.
Eiravyne complied, her steps unsteady as she navigated the halls and gardens of the estate. She was still shaken from the events of that night, her mind a swirl of confusion and lingering fear.
When she walked that day, she felt something strange in the air, a palpable shift in the atmosphere.
As she moved through the corridors, she noticed the expressions of the maids.
Their faces, once neutral or cold or even curious, now bore a look that chilled her to the core. It was hatred, thinly veiled and simmering just beneath the surface.
