For the first time, I had remembered to close my curtains, so I slept late the next morning. When I woke, the room looked exactly as I had left it the night before. Obviously, someone had heard my demand to be left alone and had taken me seriously. I sat up in bed and hugged my knees. While I was grateful to see they had respected my order, I couldn’t help feeling a tingle of discomfort to know there had previously been invisible people in my bedchamber.
I slid out of bed, wrapped myself in a robe I found draped over the back of a chair and padded to the door. Leaning out into the corridor, I opened my mind to hear the servants. Silence. Another difference between listening to the servants and to Lily—apparently distance made a difference. In truth, I felt grateful. I couldn’t imagine having to sort through the conversations of everyone in the castle at once.
Looking around the room, I found a bell tucked away on a high shelf. Leaning out into the corridor, I rang it for several seconds. I then left the door open and retreated into the room to wait.
I had no way to hear the small incidental noises of the servants such as the sound of footsteps, so for a while I was straining my mind to nothing but silence. When a voice finally did sound, I jumped.
Your Highness? A girl, possibly around my own age. Did…did you ring?
“Yes, I did. Thank you for coming.”
Of…of course.
“What’s your name?” Admittedly I didn’t know the names of every servant back at home in our palace in Arcadia, but without the ability to see any of the Palinarans, I found myself looking for something to attach to them.
The girl didn’t respond at first. Had I surprised her with the request? It’s Lottie, Your Highness.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lottie. You sound a little nervous. Is anything wrong?” I hoped the Beast hadn’t been rampaging around the castle while I slept punishing the servants for feeding me.
Oh, no, Your Highness. I’ve just never spoken to royalty before. I’m only a chambermaid. But everyone in the castle has heard about how you can hear us after all, and there was no one else around, and I thought…
“Yes, indeed. You’ve quite saved me.” I smiled, trying to put her at ease. “It’s a little hard to find anyone when everyone is invisible.”
It must be very strange. She sounded fascinated. I can’t imagine such a thing.
“It is a little odd, yes,” I said, wryly noting my instinct toward understatement. “But I’m slowly getting used to it.” I paused, considering. “You said you’ve never spoken to royalty before…I understand this is the Beast’s own castle.”
It is Prince Dominic’s castle, yes. Her slow words clearly communicated her unease at my manner of referring to the castle’s master. I couldn’t help but smile a little, although it was probably childish of me. Every time I called him the Beast, it felt like a small defiance.
“Do none of his family or other nobility live here with him? What about before the curse?”
Oh, no, Princess Sophie. Prince Dominic rarely invites others here. Even Princess Adelaide hasn’t been here for over six years.
“Princess Adelaide?” I jumped on her mention of the Beast’s younger sister. “Do you know where she is now?”
I…I couldn’t say, Your Highness.
I sighed. What did that mean? That she didn’t know? That something was preventing her from saying? Or that she had been instructed not to give me any information on the curse and the missing royals? I changed direction, not wanting to discomfort her.
“So, there are no invisible members of court wandering around? It’s just the Beast and the staff?”
We are isolated here at the heir’s castle. And Prince Dominic doesn’t like for any of us to leave the protection of the grounds. Wastelands have sprung up across the kingdom, and the animals which roam it keep us in as well as others out. Rumor says that some of the court wanted to brave the danger and attempt to seek help from the other kingdoms. But Prince Dominic warned them not to challenge the boundaries put in place by the ancient laws, lest we brought more darkness on ourselves. The court has disbanded and the nobility have all returned to their own lands, to protect their people as well as they might.
I must have looked concerned because she rushed to reassure me. Don’t worry, we are safe here, Your Highness. The godmother has placed a special boundary around the castle grounds.
Another mention of how this godmother had helped the Beast. Only it seemed a strange kind of helping to me. If only I knew the whole story. I chewed a strand of hair thoughtfully. She had already been more communicative than most of the staff in the kitchen. And I suspected I was more likely to convince her to confide in me than I was a more senior staff member. I made a sudden decision.
“Are you one of the maids who has been cleaning my chamber, Lottie?”
Yes, Princess Sophie. Is it not to your liking?
“No, no, everything has been lovely.” I paused, then leaned forward. “Lottie, in truth, it is a little unnerving to me to think of having someone in my bedchamber who I cannot see. I would like to requisition you for a special role.”
Me, Your Highness? Are you sure?
“Yes, of course. It will not be so very different from your present role, although I hope you will be willing to assist me with dressing and such things.”
Me—a lady’s maid? She sounded more astonished than displeased, so I continued.
“Well, I will need the room cleaned as well. What I would like, Lottie, is if you would become my personal maid, and I will give orders that no other servants are to enter my chamber at any time.” I considered. “And you must promise me that you will inform me whenever you enter or exit the room while I am present. I would like to always know if you are here or not. Can you do that?”
Certainly, Your Highness. She sounded a little breathless. It would be an honor.
I smiled. Lottie might not have experience as a lady’s maid, but I already preferred her to whoever had attempted to dress me up for the Beast earlier. Hopefully, I would be able to ease her out of some of her deference. I was pretty sure I had heard my title more times in our few minutes of conversation than in the whole of the last week. It was a little exhausting.
A very different sort of personality sprung into my mind, and a grin spread across my face. “I wouldn’t wish you to be exhausted, and of course you must have the chance to have a break from guarding my room. I will request a second maid. I met one yesterday, in fact. Tara, I believe her name was.”
Tara…the serving maid? Apparently, I had shocked her enough to drop my title. I tried to suppress my earlier grin but didn’t quite succeed.
“She seemed like a lovely girl,” I said gravely.
I suppose so, Your Highness. Her disapproval was patent, but I ignored it.