Valerie

Chapter Five

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"There was something a little off about this morning. The air was a little cold. And the wind shifted, tasting like dew and certain doom."

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"Hilla, did you get everything sorted out?" She didn't answer me, but her eyes were open. I frowned, taking off my heels and folding my formal uniform neatly by my bed. "Hilla?"

"I bought more scent blocker off another girl. Make sure you take your dosage tomorrow morning."

"Alright." The silence ebbed into my body as I tried to sleep.

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I rubbed my eyes, waking up feeling shoved through the wringer after the night before. Hilla's silence only made it worse. There was laughter as we dressed. She pinned my hair back in silence and pinned hers back in silence. We didn't do our uglification technique. We would let the Madame's memory fade a little before we tried that again. I opened my vial of scent blocker and took a double dose. After the night before, I pushed Hilla to take one too.

"Good morning." The Were Madame said, not rising from her seat to greet us. "Say the tenets."

We parroted off the tenets that kept us in line. I glanced at Hilla. Her under eyes were especially sunken, with no help from the makeup kit. Did she sleep a second last night?

"Work descriptions. Those girls who've been upstairs all last week will be downstairs. The kitchens will give you work. It's time for you new servants to make yourselves acquainted with the workings of the upstairs." Her eyes shifted around, landing on me. "Except you Valerie. You will clean the library."

I felt the eyes of the other girls on me. I should have switched downstairs. "But, Madame-"

She lifted a hand to silence me. "You took special care on the shelves. The librarian wants the same cleaner. You will clean the library today." I deflated. And certainly, the King would be there. "Dismissed-"

The door swung open and I sighed, turning to the door to see which new girl would get snapped up today. But I paused, my chest freezing on an inhale. Hilla shrugged back, bumping into me. It was the man from last night. I grabbed her shoulders, pulling her against my chest. No, no, was this a nightmare? "Maybe he's here for someone else? Maybe-"

His eyes settled on her and he reached a hand out. "Let me see you."

The Were Madame stood, rolling her eyes and her shoulders. "There are proper protocols for this. I swear, if one of you unneutered warriors come striding through my-"

The man silenced her with a harsh glare. "I will personally pay to have the hinges of that door replaced." He looked at Hilla again, his gaze roaming her. She shivered and I could feel her heave. It was a complete, unwelcome intrusion. "Come on," he crooned, but Hilla kept shivering. She wouldn't be moved by any bond, not while she wore scent blocker. He frowned, showing elongated teeth and reached for her. Hilla stepped forward pulling herself away from me and she let herself be snatched. She'd schooled her face into something passive, bored and fearless. What angle was she playing at?

He scented her neck, before frowning, revulsion quirking at his mouth. "But last night...this isn't.." He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "What did you do?"

"Sir." She said, monotone. "I told you I was not the one. I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused by my perfume."

"You're lying." His fingers dug into her shoulders, but she didn't flinch. "You...you were..." He ran out of words to say, but he frowned harder. "I can't be wrong."