The laughter had barely left my lips when a knock echoed through the castle, cutting the moment short. It was loud and deliberate, reverberating down the corridors like a warning bell.I frowned, glancing at Aamon. "Where is that coming from?" I asked, curiosity laced with unease.His ever-present smirk faltered, his playful demeanor replaced by something I hadn't seen before: alertness. A flicker of worry crossed his face, though he quickly masked it."Oops..." he muttered, already moving toward the door."What do you mean, 'oops'?" I demanded, raising an eyebrow."Nothing you need to worry about, milady," he replied hurriedly, cracking the door open just enough to peek into the hallway. His usual teasing tone was gone, replaced by a nervous edge that made my stomach twist. "Come now, follow me."Reluctantly, I obeyed, though my curiosity burned brighter with every step. Something about the knock had rattled him, and that alone was enough to set me on edge.We hadn't gone far when a familiar voice stopped us in our tracks."I've been looking for you," Damian said, his golden eyes narrowing as he stepped out from a shadowed alcove. His gaze flicked between Aamon and me, sharp and assessing. "What are you two doing?"Aamon's smirk returned like a reflex. "Oh, nothing," he said casually, though the glint in his eye told a different story.Damian's expression hardened. "The Lords are here," he said grimly, his tone leaving no room for argument."Yeah, I figured that out as soon as I heard the knock," Aamon replied, his nonchalance clearly grating on Damian.Before I could ask who the Lords were, a thunderous voice boomed from outside, cutting through the tension like a blade."DAMIAN!" the voice roared. "Open this fucking door or I'll open your throat instead!"I froze, the sheer fury in the voice sending a chill down my spine. I gulped, fear coiling in my stomach as I looked toward Damian for answers.He met my gaze, his jaw tight. "We have to hide her," he said, his tone leaving no room for debate."Hide me?" I repeated, my voice trembling. "Why?"But before he could respond, footsteps echoed down the hallway, accompanied by a familiar presence. Selene appeared, her icy blue eyes scanning the scene with sharp curiosity."What are the Lords doing here all of a sudden?" she asked, her tone laced with annoyance."A visit," Damian replied curtly. "It's been days since I last spoke with them.""Oh my," Selene sighed, crossing her arms. "And you didn't even prepare snacks for them. How hospitable of you."My confusion deepened as I looked between the three of them. "Who are the Lords?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Damian ignored my question, turning his attention to Aamon instead. "I bet they can smell her already from outside," Aamon said, a smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at me. "Why does your scent smell so different from the others, anyway?"I stiffened, my pulse quickening. "What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice trembling with both fear and frustration. "What scent?""Not now," Damian snapped, cutting off Aamon's response. He turned to Selene, his expression grim. "Take her back to her room. Don't let her leave until I say it's safe."Selene raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with being ordered around. "What am I, a babysitter now?""Yes," Damian replied bluntly. "And Aamon—air freshener.""Air freshener?" I echoed, baffled. "What's that supposed to—"Before I could finish, Aamon vanished. One moment he was standing in front of me, the next he was back with a can of air freshener in his hand, his movements impossibly fast. My eyes widened, my breath catching in my throat."How did you—" I began, but he cut me off with a sharp look."Oops," he said, almost sheepishly, as if realizing he'd just let something slip.I opened my mouth to demand an explanation, but Damian's expression silenced me. "No more questions," he said firmly. "Go. Now."Selene grabbed my arm, her grip firm but not unkind, and began leading me back toward my room. I glanced over my shoulder, watching as Aamon lazily sprayed the air freshener around the hallway, a bemused look on his face."This is ridiculous," I muttered under my breath as Selene pulled me along."Welcome to our world," she replied dryly.Once we reached my room, Selene pushed the door open and ushered me inside. She closed the door behind us, leaning against it with a sigh. Her cool, composed demeanor was as frustrating as it was intimidating."Care to explain what's going on?" I asked, crossing my arms.Selene arched an eyebrow. "Not really.""Selene—""Listen," she interrupted, her tone as sharp as her gaze. "The less you know, the safer you are. You should be thanking me for babysitting you instead of dealing with the Lords myself."I frowned, my frustration bubbling over. "Why does everyone keep saying that? That I'm safer not knowing? What are you all hiding?"Selene sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Arabella, you're asking the wrong questions. It's not about what we're hiding—it's about who we're hiding you from."Her words sent a shiver down my spine. "Who are they?" I whispered. "The Lords?"Selene hesitated, her icy demeanor faltering for the briefest moment. "They're... important," she said vaguely. "And they don't take kindly to surprises."I opened my mouth to press her further, but a sudden, thunderous crash from somewhere in the castle made us both jump. Selene's expression hardened instantly."Stay here," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Don't open the door for anyone.""But—""Stay. Here," she repeated, already heading for the door.As she left, the weight of the situation pressed down on me. I had more questions than ever, but no answers in sight. The knock, the Lords, the way everyone kept mentioning my scent—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle I couldn't yet put together.I paced the room, my heart pounding. Every noise from the hallway made me jump, my imagination running wild with possibilities. Who were the Lords? And why did Damian and the others seem so desperate to keep me hidden from them?The minutes dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I approached the door, pressing my ear against it to listen. Voices echoed faintly from somewhere in the distance, too far away to make out the words.Against my better judgment, I cracked the door open just enough to peek into the hallway. The corridor was empty, the faint scent of lavender and air freshener lingering in the air.I hesitated, torn between the safety of my room and the burning need for answers. Finally, curiosity won out. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the hallway, my bare feet silent against the cold stone floor.I had no idea what I was walking into, but I couldn't stay in the dark any longer.