Meera was not ready for what was behind the lavish, intricately decorated door to her assigned room. The door itself must've taken a wood carver months to carve, unless he had a magical skill that just let him carve wood into any shape or form he wished.

Once again, vines and flowering buds were carved into the door, but it was more than simple designs. It was like the carpenter had taken an entire garden and somehow brought it to life within the wooden door. When the doors opened, it was a totally different ball game.

The room was big enough to fit fifty men in there easily. There was a lavish bed with golden posts that held up a cover to most likely ward off mosquitoes. To the bed's right, a set of double doors opened into the balcony. A pair of divans to entertain company. She saw a walk-in closet bigger than her room back on Earth. It was filled with clothes, shoes, and even jewelry. Her eyes lingered on the necklaces that made her mouth water. She didn't need to be an expert to tell they were expensive. A massive mirror was inside the closet so she could get dressed before stepping out. There was even makeup neatly stashed on a small table beside the mirror.

She smirked and shook her head lightly at that. It felt like it had been an eternity since she had done makeup. Staying one step ahead of death changed one's priorities. And another person was waiting in the room.

She was a middle-aged woman in her early forties, but could be younger. She wore a long white shirt tied at the waist with a red sash, and like the guards, she could've been a supermodel. She smiled at her, dropped to one knee, and bowed her head.

[Maid – Level 78]

"This is Vasda," said Munral, the Chamberlain. "She's your personal maid. She'll be at your beck and call day and night. Whatever you need of her, at any time of the day, do not hesitate to call on her."

"It'll be the highest honor to serve the Reverent Lady," Vasda said.

"You can get up now," Meera said.

"We hope this room is to your liking," the Chamberlain said. "It was all we could assemble at such short notice."

Meera gave him a blank stare. "Are you kidding me? If this is all you could do in a short time, I truly want to see what you could have put together had you known I was coming a week in advance."

"We can move you to another room if you wish," Munral said. "We'll just need more time to clean and prepare some of the bigger guest rooms—"

"It's fine. I was making a joke," Meera said.

"That is well."

There was something odd about Munral. Maybe it was how he looked at her as if trying to study even her briefest actions. Perhaps it was his baritone, almost emotionless voice that put her off. She couldn't put her finger on what it was. She was sure of one thing that the sooner he left, the happier she would be. He just gave her the creeps. She couldn't help feeling that she had met someone like him before, but she couldn't place where. But then she had met so many people who gave off a mysterious, creepy vibe that it was hard to remember them all.

"I will take your leave now," Munral said, bowing his head to her, yet his eyes never left her face.

A slight chill went up her spine. You've taken down dragons much stronger than him, Meera. You've got nothing to worry about.

Munral took his leave, closing the door behind him.

Meera inadvertently sighed in relief. "Is it just me, or did he give you the creeps as well?"

Vasda smiled. "Chamberlain can come across that way, but he always has the best of the kingdom at heart. He is, perhaps, His Divine Majesty's most loyal servant."

"I'm sure he is."

"What can this one do for the Reverent Lady?" Vasda asked.

Meera blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "I want a bath!"

"Of course, Reverent Lady," Vasda said. Would you like it hot or cold? Given the heat, I recommend a cold one.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Sure, as long as it will get me clean," Meera said.

Vasda smiled. "Give me a few moments, Reverent Lady. I will draw your bath and return to help you get out of your armor."

Meera nodded, waiting expectantly for her maid's reaction when she showed her armor's cool tricks. Vasda moved to the right of the room, where there was a foldable divider. She pulled back the divider to reveal a gold-plated bathtub, or so Meera hoped. If that entire thing were made of gold, it would be going straight into her Hoard Belt. After all, these people looked like they could afford to lose a golden bathtub…or two.

Vasda held out her hand, and immediately, water poured out of it as if it were a tap.

"That's a neat trick," Meera commented.

Vasda smiled. "Thank you, Reverent Lady. I have all the skills a Maid may need to complete their duties, save for producing food. Though I'm proficient in cooking any delicacy from the three worlds, I will admit the palace chefs are much better than I am."

"I see."

The bathtub was filled with nice, bubbly, soapy water in minutes. Vasda came to help with Meera's armor.

"No need. Turn around, please," Meera said, and Vasda did so.

Meera took off her necklace, and her armor receded into it. She placed the necklace, chakrams, and other things on the small table beside the tub and got in. There was a hint of a shiver as the cool water touched her skin, but once Meera was fully submerged, the water felt divine.

She sighed contentedly as she submerged fully. Almost at once, she could feel weeks' worth of dirt and grime washing off her body. The worst contender was the dry blood—her blood, mostly. The battles had been relentless for the past few weeks. This was what she had been missing.

She felt so good that she thought she might pass out in this bathtub, but then she heard a little clink and footsteps fading away.

Meera cracked an eye open and nearly shot up out of the bathtub. "Where the hell are you taking that?"

Vasda started, and she was right to, as she was holding Meera's necklace. She stopped in her tracks and shook.

"I-I…" She dropped to her knees and bowed, holding up Meera's necklace. "I didn't mean to take it, Reverent Lady. I was merely putting it away in the jewelry case so it wouldn't get lost."

"Put it back." Meera snarled.

The woman shook as she walked back and placed the necklace back with trembling hands.

"You don't touch my necklace, chakrams, Hoard Belt, or anything else. The next time you do, I will chop off your hands."

"No!" she cried, clutching her hands to her chest. "Please forgive me, Reverent Lady. I will never touch your things without your permission. Forgive me."

"Now, get out of my sight." Meera snapped.

"Y-Yes, Reverent Lady."

By the time Meera settled in her bath, Vasda had left the room.

This could've been an honest mistake, but Meera's experience with the sorceresses had given her some serious trust issues. Besides the chakrams, this necklace was her most prized possession. She wasn't letting anyone handle it.

Her mood had soured, and she quickly cleaned herself and put everything back on—chakrams and Hoard Belt included. Then she dropped onto the bed, and before she went to sleep, she created two small Mirror Tower Shields. She floated one over to the door and placed it on the handle. If anyone decided to sneak into the room, the Tower Shield would crash to the marble floor. If it didn't crack, it would at least create enough noise to wake Meera. She did the same with the balcony door.

Then she lay back down and closed her eyes. Sleep found her instantly.

Meera awoke to pitch-black darkness when she heard a little creak, which, to her Gem of Echoes magnified ears, might as well have been a scream. For a moment, she thought someone had trapped her in a dark cage like the Shadow Scribes of Azeria. But she felt around, and there were no constricting walls, and she was still on the bed. But there was something strange about the room.

For one, there was no light, not even any pilfering from under the balcony door or the burning braziers outside the door. She heard the sounds of the tongues of flames flickering, but no light peeped in through the crevices of the door. Even in this darkness, she could still see, thanks to Mirrorbound Sight and her Ascendant Eyes.

And she was not alone.

There were two others in the room with her. It was hard to see their outline, but she could tell they were quietly making their way to her bedside with swords in hand. Using her Essence abilities, she could see the outline of Mana running through their bodies. It was purple in color, but so dark that it was almost black.

If the witch were here, she would bet her that these men were on orders from the Chamberlain. After all, everyone else tried to race each other to grovel at her feet, everyone but him. She used Identify on her uninvited guests.

[Reaper – Level 324]

[Reaper – Level 331]

Reapers, huh? Cool name. Well, come, let's play, assassins.

She let them come close, and when they were on either side of the large bed, she activated a skill she hadn't found much use for in a long time—save for training—Shroud of Shadows. She turned invisible.

The two men paused; their swords held high in the air.

Oh, so you can see in the dark.

Meera waited to see what they would do. They looked at each other and talked in sign language.

"Lost your mark?" Meera asked.

To their credit, neither of them jumped. They both slashed down at where she lay. Meera deflected their blades with her chakrams while still lying on the bed. She hurled two more chakrams at their torso, but they vanished only to re-emerge farther away.

"Aw, you guys have Shadow Step," Meera called.

They didn't reply, and their expressions were hard to see because they wore masks. If she wanted to, she could've ended them where they stood, but she needed to confirm who sent them.

"Tell you what, I'll make it easy for you," she said, becoming visible again. "I won't move from this spot. Come, Reapers, let's see if you live up to your name."

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