Chapter 6

Gina POV

We were kept busy all through the queen’s event. Lila kept snapping like a she-wolf in heat. 

Maybe she is in heat. Who knows, with these Lycans, I don’t have much understanding of their biological makeup.

By evening, the nobles invited by the royals had wined and dined, and my encounter with the prince had become a passing tale, or so I thought.

Before I could slip away to rest after the soirée, I was caught in a corner of the servants’ hallway.

“So, you are the one who disrespected the prince today?” a maid, whom I didn’t recognize, said while her eyes stared at me with disgust. She is obviously a maid based on her clothing, and another one, obviously her underling, stood with her, blocking my likely escape route.

Maid 2 spoke: “Lena, she is not worth your time; obviously, she will be dying soon after she has offended the prince.”

"Shut up, Fiona! She wasn’t punished then, so who will now?"

Keep your head down, Gina, breathe in and out, observe, and give no reply till you find a way to escape. I reiterated to myself. My police training kicks in automatically, grounding me just the way I used to catalog details at crime scenes to push away fright: the distance between people, their shift in tone, people avoiding my gaze, or staring too closely.

I am tired and stressed, and I know I won’t get away easily, but at least I can secure a means with less damage.

Survive, just survive, Gina.

I reiterate to myself while they both argue, then I wonder what way I could solve this.

"Can I go now? Talk it out without me," I said, hoping to defuse them.

“You bitch, who are you trying to impress? Let me tell you now that you might have spoken to the prince, but you are no one here and always will be, get it?”

Rolling my eyes upwards, I stated under my breath, “Grant me patience to deal with fools.”

“Oh, I get it now, you two are jealous the prince spoke to me, right? I can assure you that I am nothing and I own no delusions; you both can have him for all I care,” I stated with sarcasm in my tone.

Maid 1 pushed me; the force made me hit my shoulder against the wall. I screamed in pain, “Haaa, you don’t have to be so violent,” I protested.

“Stop the bullying, ladies. I have called Lady Lila, and she is coming right now. If you know what’s good for you, you all should leave.”

A panting Mary said out loud, her words echoing down the hallway.

“Oh, it’s mousy Mary, now have you taken up the role of a protector?” Maid 1 said.

“Let’s go, Fiona, just so you know, human, my eyes are on you,” she said menacingly, then turned and left while strutting away like a model on the runway.

“Are you okay, Gina?” Mary asked. She stared at me with concern in her eyes, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was always this nice.

“Yeah, thanks, just that I don’t know if I have cracked my shoulder or not,” I replied, trying to massage the pain from my weak bones.

“Follow me, let’s get you a salve from the healer.”

Not bothering to protest, I went to the healer who was in another wing of the servants’ quarters. She is a young, cuddly-looking woman. She looked like the nun who shielded me from bullies in my orphanage home when I was ten.

“Nice to see you, Mary. Are you injured again?” She asked, a soft smile lighting up her face.

“No, Tabitha, I brought the new maid; she injured her shoulder,” she replied while presenting me to the healer like a product for sale.

“Oh, I see, come closer, let’s see what we have here.”

I unbuttoned the top part of my maid's dress, and I could feel a sting as I removed the cloth from my shoulder to show her. Those maids really did me dirty. I haven’t even recovered from the rope burns on my wrists and ankles, now another injury.

"Hmm, that looks bad. Were you pushed? Your skin is quite sensitive, so you need to be more careful."

“Yes, I will.” Soon enough, I was bandaged and given an ointment they called a salve to use for massage.

“Thank you, Tabitha,” I thanked her wearily, leaving the infirmary with Mary, so I could go for my much-needed sleep.

We had not walked for up to a minute when Mary and I came across Lila, who seemed to be waiting for us. I could not keep it in, so I whispered, “Mary, did you really call Lila the other time?”

“No, I didn’t. I just said that to scare your bullies,” she replied.

“So why is Lila here then?”

“Are you asking me? Seems you have forgotten the mess you caused at the soirée today.”

Oh, yeah, my encounter with the Prince.

Lila was waiting for us, and by the look on her expressionless face, I didn’t think it boded well for me.

She didn’t bother to say hello, and with a tone that offered no opportunity for argument or rebuttal, she said, “Mary, you can go back; as for you, come with me.” I had no choice but to follow her; there was no chance to protest.

Not bothering to look back, I could sense that Mary had disappeared, my spineless dishwashing colleague.

Lila didn’t say a word. She walked fast, moving with ease that shows her obvious Lycan heritage. I almost had to jog to keep up.

For someone who has always primed myself to be fit as a police officer, it’s sad to see myself in a body so weak that I breathe hard even with the slightest exertion.

I really need to figure out how I will escape from here with this kind of physique.

Jogging behind her absentmindedly, lost in thought, I almost ran into Lila, who had suddenly stopped in front of a door.