This was the first time that Nora was stopped at the gates of the palace. And that too because the queen wanted her. Fear blasted inside her, but she planned on hiding somewhere for a short while and then come back to the gates. Since those were queen's orders, she couldn't even deny them.
Nora rushed inside the palace. She didn't go to the queen's bedchamber. Instead, she went to a small hiding place that she had discovered long back. It was the storage room where the most exotic of the food was stored and only a very few had access to it. Since Nora was the head maid, she also had access to it. That room barely got more than two visits a day. She chose to hide here rather than hiding in the gardens or the stable, because here her scent would be easily disguised amongst the strong scent of the food grains.
She stayed there for a while and then peeked out. There was no one. She stepped out and once again made her way to the gates. "Fools!" she murmured. "She is a dimwit! She was trying to call me!" she laughed on the inside. "Idiot!" She mumbled. "She is too young for a woman like me!" She harrumphed.
When Nora reached the gates of the palace, the guards looked at her and frowned. "Why are you here? You were wanted by the queen," said one of them approaching her.
"I— I just met her and came back. Her Highness is resting now and sent me away," Nora replied meekly. "Could you please open the gates? I have to go early and make food for my husband." Lies. She had left her husband long ago and was now living with Platt. At the moment she was eager to meet him because she knew that Kypho would also be there. It would be a highly erotic night for her.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Nora," a heavy voice boomed from behind.
All the guards still and Nora spun to see the man behind her. "Gordon?" Her eyes became wide with surprise and she stiffened seeing the jailer of the dungeons. Her skin lined with goosebumps as the hair on her nape rose. Something was awfully wrong.
Gordon came close to her, piercing her with his sharp gaze. "The queen had asked about you quite a while back. Where were you?"
Nora stumbled back. "I just visited her," she replied, her voice choking with fear. "Sh—she asked me leave. Her work is done."
Gordon came closer looking menacingly at her. She backed off a little more and bumped into a guard, who held her steady.
"In that case, she needs you again," Gordon said. "Come with me."
Nora gulped down her fear. Gordon was supposed to be the most ruthless jailer of the Draka Kingdom. He was extremely loyal to the king. "I am in a lot of hurry," she snapped. "I need to go. So don't bluff me! Open the gates and let me go out."
Gordon grabbed her upper arm and growled, "Come. With. Me." he said in an intimidating voice and started to pull her towards the palace.
"Leave me!" Nora shouted. "I am the queen's head maid. If she will come to know that you are misbehaving with me, she is going to get you whipped!" It was vital that she got out now. But Gordon was a tricky man. He didn't listen to anyone except his own mind.
"Then let her whip me," Gordon said in a stiff voice as he dragged her with him. She was no match to his power and despite all the protest, she was taken inside.
Nora became quiet the moment they entered the main hall. She knew that if she started to protest more, more suspicions would be raised. So she quietly walked with Gordon, her heart beating so fast that she thought it would leap out of her ribcage. She felt like shifting and killing Gordon, but she was aware that he had such a strong wolf that he could kill four like her, single-handedly.
She was sure that it was about the tea that the young girl had served. She scoffed on the inside. There was no proof that it was she who had mixed wolfsbane. She was going to get out of it very neatly and the other young girl would be trapped. She had to give it to the fae girl that she was very strong. Even double the amount of wolfsbane was taking so much time in killing her. Anyway, Nora was sure that Tania must be already be half unconscious by now. A little confidence came in her, dispelling her fear. She relaxed in Gordon's grip.
They came to the queen's bedchamber. The guards announced them and the door was opened. Gordon left her and stayed outside while she went in. She noticed that Tania was sitting at the edge of her bed and Flora was sitting behind her, removing clips from her hair.
Quickly, Nora gazed around the room. The young maid servant was nowhere to be seen. Had they taken her to the dungeons already? In that case, this must be a routine investigation in which she must have taken her name.
Tania looked very tired and Nora stopped a smile that was coming on her lips inadvertently. Surely, wolfsbane was working now.
Nora bowed to the queen. "Your Highness, you wanted to see me?" From the corner of her eyes, she saw that the tea cup was still full. She was shocked. The queen hadn't had the tea that she had prepared. She offered, "Would you like me to warm the tea for you?" she asked humbly. On the inside she was furious.
Tania lifted her eyes and looked at her. She picked up the cup from the bedside table and chanted a spell. The tea became warm and vapors began to rise. She placed it back on the table and said, "I don't need you to take it to the kitchen and warm it. I can do such a small job myself."
Nora gulped.
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