KAMORA
Night had fallen by the time Kamora made her way to her room. She slipped inside quietly and lay down, preparing for another restless night.
The room, shared with two other maids, was always cloaked in silence. From the very beginning, theyâd treated her as if she didnât exist.
She still remembered trying to strike up a conversationâonly to be met with cold stares and silence, as if she were nothing but air. She settled into her sleeping space, the only sound the soft, steady breathing of the others.
The room was steeped in darkness, save for a narrow beam of moonlight spilling through the small window. Without it, she wouldnât have been able to see a thing.
For days now, Kamora had had difficulty sleeping. Every time she tried to do so, she woke up drenched in sweat, her body shivering in terror.
After what Gwen had told her that day, whatever fear she tried to tamp down had only worsened. She couldnât bring herself to leave the manor, and not because of some self-proclaimed loyalty, but because of Jarosh.
That little boy had opened up more than anyone had ever seen him. Leaving so abruptly might cause him to become a recluse.
She didnât consider herself the best, but everyone knew that he was well-behaved when he was with her. And then there was Lord Maroke.
So far, heâd been nothing but kind. Sheâd caught him staring more than once, but it was never lewd or inappropriateâmore curious than anything else.
He always kept his distance, always respectful. Gwen had warned her about him, had insisted he was obsessed and dangerous.
But Kamora couldnât reconcile that warning with the man she saw almost every day. Then again, Gwen also claimed heâd lost his memory.
Kamora exhaled slowly, the weight of it all pressing against her chest.
~What should I do?~ Should she really leave based on Gwenâs words? Gwen clearly cared for her, but something in Kamoraâs gut told her that staying was the right choice.
So lost in her thoughts, she finally gave in to fatigue.
~She was at the front of the Maroke manor, and it seemed like the first time she was there.~
~She looked next to her, hoping to find Petal, but she was the only one standing there.~
~Swallowing, she took a step forward and then knocked on the door.~
~The huge doors opened to a much softer-looking Claudia, who simply looked at her with curiosity, rather than the sternness she was used to.~
~âHow may I help you?â she asked.~
~âI am looking for Lord Maroke,â she found herself saying, feeling the tendrils of nervousness wind around her skin.~
~Her hands squeezed into fists at her sides, and she took in calming breaths to try and prevent her nervousness from showing.~
~Claudia frowned, suddenly alert.~
~Her gaze glanced up and down Kamoraâs form. Kamora took a quick look at herself and stifled the urge to gasp.~
~She was tattered. Her clothes were torn beyond repair.~
~She was covered with dust from head to toe, and the poor excuse for a sandal she wore was mangled and barely recognizable. Her legs were injured as well.~
~âI am sorry,â Claudia said, âbut I cannot help you.â~
~âPlease.â Kamora pushed on, shocking even herself. âI need to see him. He knows me. Tell him that Kamora is here to see him. Please, I beg you!â~
~Claudia looked at her warily and then gave her a single nod. She slightly opened the door for her. Kamora shyly made her way in, now self-conscious.~
~âWait here,â Claudia said after closing the entrance doors behind her.~
~She then walked down the passage that led to Lord Marokeâs office, leaving her there all alone, save for the maids that passed by.~
~She looked down to avoid their curious glances and looks of disgust, and her toes rubbed against the tiles.~
~A short while later, hurried footsteps sounded. She looked up to see Claudia, along with Lord Maroke.~
~His footsteps were silent. They were always silent.~
~She didnât know how she knew that.~
~Immediately, Lord Maroke stood in front of her, Claudia standing close by.~
~A tear fell from Kamoraâs face, but she didnât wipe it off. Instead, she kept her gaze steadily on Lord Maroke.~
~He stared at her, his gaze indifferent.~
~âI agree,â Kamora said with a voice she had never heard from herself. âIâll do as you say.â~
Kamora jolted awake with a gasp. Her hand flew to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. Heart pounding, she glanced around the dim room, relieved to find her roommates still asleep.
She swallowed hard, the remnants of the dream floating around in her mind. Whatever she had dreamt was too realistic to be called a dream.
It felt too real, almost as if she had experienced it just the day before. ~I remember something~, she thought to herself.
That was definitely a memory she had long forgotten. After eight long years, she finally had a clear memory.
And what she dreamt of scared her. Lord Maroke had promised her something, and she had agreed to it.
Just what exactly had caused her to look so tattered? Why did she run to Lord Maroke and not her sister or the family she supposedly had?
Just who exactly was she?
She slowly stood up from where she lay and walked outside of her room, gently closing the door behind her. She took in a deep breath. The surrounding air was light and cool.
She walked toward the stairs leading to the ground floor of the manor. Her steps were light and quick, and she leaned against the railing, careful not to fall.
She made her way to the kitchen, passing the portraits that lined the hallway. Once she entered the kitchen, she made her way over to the long table, dragged out a stool, and sat down on it.
She released a deep sigh, dragging her hand through her hair. She needed to know who she was, and fast.