"Have you seen my wife?" Ragnar asked as he approached Nieah, who was still engaged in quiet conversation with one of the maids.
The maid, startled by his sudden presence, instantly dropped into a respectful bow. Nieah followed suit before dismissing the girl with a flick of her hand, certain Ragnar would not appreciate a third presence in the discussion about to unfold.
The sound of the maid's brisk retreating footsteps echoed softly against the stone corridor, punctuating the silence that followed.
"Not personally, no," Nieah replied smoothly, her tone measured. "But a few of the maids mentioned seeing her heading toward the gardens. None of them knew what she was doing there at such a late hour, and they felt it wasn't their place to ask." She added the last part when Ragnar's eyes narrowed at her initial response, as though already impatient.
