MIREYA POV
I don't know when I fell asleep. At some point, the tears stopped, and the darkness took me.
A loud bang on the door pulled me awake. I jumped, my heart racing. Sunlight poured through the tall windows, bright and warm, so different from the cold night before. For a moment, I didn't know where I was.
"Hello, miss. May I come in?" Greta's voice came from the other side of the door.
I blinked, sitting up slowly. The large bed. The heavy curtains. The polished floors.
And then it hit me.
I had been taken.
This wasn't a dream. It wasn't a nightmare I could wake from. I was in Lord Malric's mansion.
"Miss… are you still asleep?" Greta called again, softer this time.
I wiped my face quickly, trying to hide the swelling in my eyes even though she couldn't see me yet. My voice felt small.
"No… come in," I said.
The words tasted strange in my mouth. Like I was someone else. Like I truly belonged here.
But I didn't.
And the sun shining through the window only made it more real.
The door opened softly, and Greta stepped inside. She looked worried.
"Miss… you overslept. Oh dear, the lord is upset. Let me quickly prepare your bath so you can join him downstairs for lunch."
"Lunch?" I repeated, confused. My voice still sounded thick from sleep. "Is it noon?"
"Yes, miss," she said gently but quickly, already moving around the room. "The lord does not tolerate sleeping in."
My stomach dropped. Noon. I slept that long? My head felt heavy, and my chest tightened again. How could I, how could I have forgotten where I was?. Oh, it's my first day here and I've already made a mistake.
Greta looked at me seriously. "Whatever he says, put your head down and apologize. Do not argue. Do not question him."
I swallowed hard and nodded. Fear crept back into my chest, slow and cold. I didn't like the way she said it. Like she had seen what happened when someone didn't obey.
"I understand," I whispered.
Greta helped me out of bed. My legs felt weak, like they did not belong to me.
"Quickly, miss," she said softly. "We must not keep him waiting."
She ran the bath water while I stood there, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were swollen from crying. My hair was a mess. I did not look like someone who could win any Trials. I did not look like someone who could fool an Enforcer.
I looked like a frightened girl who had been stolen.. Who doesn't belong to this world.
"Miss," Greta called gently. "Please."
I stepped into the bath. The water was warm, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. My thoughts kept racing. Trials. Iron Spire. Enforcer. Daughter.
Daughter.
The word still felt wrong.
After the bath, Greta dressed me in a simple but expensive gown. Soft blue fabric. It fit perfectly. Too perfectly. Like it had been made for someone my size.
For Faye.
My chest tightened again.
Greta brushed my hair carefully. "You must look calm," she whispered. "He watches everything."
I nodded. I did not trust my voice anymore.
When she finished, she stepped back and looked at me. "Ready."
I was not ready. Not for this house. Not for him. Not for whatever he had planned for me.
But I walked anyway.
The hallway outside my room was long and bright. Tall windows let sunlight pour in. The floors were polished stone. Paintings lined the walls. Most of them were of the same girl.
Her.
Faye.
Each time I passed one, it felt like she was watching me. Judging me. Asking me why I was here instead of her.
My hands trembled as we reached the staircase. I could hear faint voices below. The smell of food drifted up, rich and warm.
Greta leaned closer to me. "Remember," she whispered. "Head down."
I took a deep breath.
Then we walked down to meet Lord Malric.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I lowered my head like Greta told me. My heart was beating so loud I was sure he could hear it.
Lord Malric was seated at the long dining table. Sunlight poured in through the tall windows behind him. The table was filled with food—fresh bread, fruits, meat, and tea. It looked like a feast.
I stopped a few steps away and bowed my head.
"My lord… I apologize for oversleeping."
There was silence.
I waited for anger. For shouting. For punishment.
Instead, I heard a soft chuckle.
"My dear child," he said warmly. "There is nothing to apologize for."
I blinked in confusion and slowly lifted my head.
He was smiling. Not the cold smile from last night. This one looked… gentle.
"You had a long journey," he continued. "You must have been exhausted. Rest is important."
I stared at him.
Was this the same man who ordered me seized?
"Please," he said kindly, gesturing to the chair beside him. "Come. Sit. Eat."
My feet moved before my mind could catch up. I walked to the table and sat carefully. My hands were shaking under the table.
He poured tea into a cup and handed it to me himself.
"You are safe here," he said softly. "No one will hurt you."
Safe.
The word felt strange.
I glanced at Greta.
Her head was lowered, but I caught her eyes for a second.
She looked just as surprised as I felt.
Lord Malric began speaking again, calm and pleasant. "From today, you are my daughter in this house. You will be treated with respect. You will eat well. You will dress well. You will be educated properly."
His voice was smooth. Controlled.
"I only want what is best for you," he added.
Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist.
He smiled at me again. "Eat, my dear. We have much to prepare for."
I picked up the bread slowly.
Greta stood quietly by the wall, but I could feel it… her confusion, her fear.
And mine.
Because somehow, his kindness scared me more than his anger.