Chapter 4

• Jaselyn's POV
• Shortly after Zane and Isla's departure, one of Isla’s maids showed up to take me to my new room. She had a disgusted sneer on her face and it was obvious that she hated my presence.
• I dragged my feet as I followed her but I had to pause when we reached a creaky set of stairs that led upwards towards what seemed like an attic. I thought she was taking me to my room, why are we going up there?
• The maid led me up the crooked steps, before she callously flung open the door to reveal a very nasty, rundown attic, filled with cobwebs and scattered rubbish littering every available space.
• The maid then turned to face me with a cruel smile on her face.
• "Congratulations, wench. This is your new room.” She announced, her voice dripping with cold indifference.
• “I have a name, it's Jaselyn.” I retorted and she snorted.
• “Whatever.”
• I scanned the dusty, pathetic space and was horrified to see two huge rats skitter across the room's dusty floor.
• “You’re surely joking.” I muttered to the maid with widened eyes. Even a dog wouldn’t live in such a place.
• The maid's face twisted into a nasty sneer as she eyed me with obvious disdain.
• "How dare you complain? You should be thankful that you have a roof over your head. Luna Isla could have made you sleep in the cold! This is the palace, you should be grateful you're even allowed to live here.”
• I took a deep breath through my nose to steady my breathing and dispel the anger that was beginning to bubble within me. There was no use losing my temper over the maid's nasty attitude. I had bigger problems to deal with.
• “Maybe it’s not so bad, if we clean it up a little, it could become comfortable.” Nila said in an attempt to comfort me.
• I turned around to survey the room once again, only to be horrified when a dozen cockroaches scattered for cover under the bed. I had a vision of those disgusting pests crawling all over me as I slept and the image sent a shiver down my spine.
• “I have a task that's specially for you. Now come with me.” She suddenly directed at me and I didn't have a chance to protest before she roughly grabbed my arm and dragged me all the way to the east wing of the palace.
• “The task is simple, I want you to paint the walls. All the walls in this part of the palace should be retouched and the end result should be fabulous or else I'll have you do it all over again, after a little punishment to boost your creativity.” She spoke casually like a teacher giving her students some homework.
• “Are you crazy? The palace is huge, there's no way I could paint all the walls in this wing. I don't even know how to, it's something I've never done before.” A backhanded slap had me jolting backwards and seeing stars. I haven't had a single thing to eat and I've exhausted the last of my strength. Any more of this and I'm sure to pass out. Maybe it'll be a good thing. Isla won't be able to drag my unconscious body around and force it to do meaningless work.
• “I've told you to stop arguing with me. Are you insane or are you unable to understand something so simple? I don't care how you do it, I want it done as soon as possible.” She raved at me before turning to the maid. “Osha, get her the paint.”
• “Yes, Luna.” The maid was gone and returned in a minute with two buckets of paint.
• “You can go fetch the ladder in the basement, now get to work. I want this done in two hours, if you're even a minute late, there will be consequences. You have been warned.” Isla ordered and left with her snotty little maid who kept throwing me mocking glances.
• What even is that girl's problem with me?
• I was already too exhausted to overthink so I made my way to the basement and found the ladder covered in cobwebs. After a little dusting, I somehow hoisted the thing over to the first wall I would be painting.
• My vision blurred uncontrollably and my stomach twisted with hunger, I stopped to catch my breath and tried to blink away the daze.
• I climbed the ladder and began painting the first wall while humming my mother's favorite song which she had taught me as a child. It somehow always made life a little easier and before I realized it, I was done with the first wall.
• I couldn't stop to admire my work as my stomach rumbled uncontrollably again, threatening to digest itself. I took a few minutes to catch my breath again before moving the stupidly heavy ladder over to the opposite wall. I climbed it and began painting again but I had barely managed a few strokes before my vision suddenly turned black.
• I lost all sense of direction and it felt like I was being sucked into nothingness. Blinking back the darkness, I was met with a horrifying discovery.
• In my disoriented state, I'd let go of the ladder and I was falling to the ground fast!
• I assured myself that only a few bones would be broken but I'd live yet it couldn't dispel the petrifying fear that seized my being. I closed my eyes shut tight, bracing for impact but instead I felt strong arms wrap around me and bring me into a warm embrace that strangely felt safe.
• I didn't know if I was imagining things so I kept my eyes closed, holding onto the person’s shirt tightly. A familiar scent tickled my senses but with my adrenaline addled brain, I couldn't remember who it belonged to.
• “It's OK, you're safe with me.” A soft voice cooed and my eyes flew open to meet the kindest emerald eyes I'd ever seen.