Shatter (The Daevas #1)

22 • Bloomed

I woke up to the sound of the birds outside the castle.

It was ten in the morning and I hefted myself up on my elbow, a free hand raking my hair over my head. I looked at the frosted windows in the room, my eyes squinting past the sunlight. I yawned, covered my mouth, and slowly pulled back the covers away from me.

I dragged my legs out to the edge of the bed, my bare feet touching the soft carpeted floor. I was still in the clothes I wore yesterday, and I got up lazily.

Someone knocked on the door, startling me. Someone knocked again when I remained silent and kept staring at it. What was I supposed to...oh, yeah.

"Come in," I said huskily, my voice so rattled.

The door opened and a tiny girl about my height popped inside, wearing a black dress with white linings on the hem and ruffles on the wrists of the sleeves. Her light brown hair was in a tight bun, and she was wearing a white cap. She bobbed a quick curtsy. Whoa.

"Good morning, miss," she said shyly with an accent. I blinked at her. I was still too sleepy to say anything. "I have come here to give you your hot bath and to fix your hair for you."

"But why?" I asked, my brows furrowing.

"His grace has ordered me to be your personal maid for the day," she replied softly. "It is his wishes that you are cared for your every need."

I stared at her. "But I'm fine," I said slowly. "I don't need a maid, not that I'm saying that I don't like you or anything," I added quickly, as I saw her face fall. "It's just that I'm more used to doing things myself, and I'm sure I can handle it without your help, uh..."

"Chrissy, my lady," she provided, gloomily.

"Right. Chrissy. I'll be fine with only a nice shower. I can fix my own hair. Tie it in a pony tail and such." I smiled at her.

She tried not to look wretched. "But his grace sent me to serve you, and besides, there is no shower here, my lady. The tub is to be led up here with buckets of scalding water."

"Are you serious?" What?

Chrissy shook her head.

Well, I had no choice against tradition. So I told her she could do whatever she was supposed to do, and with a curtsy, she went out of the room to head downstairs and do whatever it was she normally did. I really didn't know how these things work. I mean, me, have a personal maid? Where was I anyway, back centuries ago where I was to be served by servants creeping everywhere inside a castle? I was sure Georgie and the Swintons were used to this. But I sure wasn't.

Waiting for Chrissy, I turned back to the bed to fix it back as it was before I slept in it. After that, I sat on the edge of the bed, yawing once again. Maybe another sleep would do me good, but I suddenly remembered something last night.

Someone came inside this room and touched my forehead, my hair, and said my name. I wasn't sure about the last part, but I was certain that someone did come into the room. Who was that person? It was definitely a male, for he had a deep, baritone voice. He sounded so gentle and his touch was full of tenderness. Who would enter this room while I was sleeping? It --

Before I mused deeper about the mystery guy who came inside this very room last night, Chrissy reentered with dozens of towels in one arm and the other opening the door wide for two footmen who were holding both ends of a white tub and about six other liveried men holding buckets of hot water. They placed the tub in the corner of the room, while my "personal maid" placed five thick towels on the floor beside the tub, leaving another large towel for my use. All the men got out after pouring the water in the tub, and it was just Chrissy and I inside the room. Now what? I thought miserably, uncertain of what to do next.