Chapter five

Glancing at his brother, Roman furrowed his brow in suspicion. He was well aware that Reagan didn't want Eirlys to stay. Then why did he suddenly change his mind? That to make her a personal maid. Looking at Reagan, Roman couldn't figure out what he was thinking no matter how he tried. The man was just too unfathomable and secretive. However, he was sure Reagan would never hurt her unless she was found to be a threat. With that, he sighed and agreed with his brother.

"If that's what you want Eirlys."

Eirlys felt nervous for some reason. She had only asked to be a maid, but Reagan made her their personal maid. Why did he suddenly change his mind about her staying? She was almost certain, he was up to something. However, she shrugged it off. She was already there, there was no going back. Besides, she had nothing to lose. However, being their personal maid meant being closer to them. And that could make her mission easier. She also didn't have to worry about getting their kindness for free. Thus, she took her gaze to Roman and replied

"That's what I want, Your Majesty," before turning back to her food. Eirlys ate quietly without looking at the men before her. Her mind was occupied with thoughts on how she would kill these two powerful kings. She only had six months, that was her bargain with Abbadon.

She knew to be able to kill such powerful men, she had to earn their trust. However, that was going to be hard, especially with Reagan, since he was less easy to approach.

Sighing, Eirlys buried such thought deep within her, she still had so much time ahead. It was useless letting her worry cloud her.

Once they were done eating, Reagan was the first to rise. without looking at his brother or Eirlys, he hastily left the dining hall as though he couldn't stand being near them for even a minute.

Roman chuckled seeing his brother's aloof figure walking away. 'Such a bored,' he mumbled inwardly, turning to Eirlys who was also watching Reagan's retreating figure with an unfathomable expression.

"Don't worry, he'll come around once he gets used to you," he gave her a reassuring smile as he spoke.

"It's Fine, it's not so easy to trust a stranger after all," she retorted taking her gaze to him. She returned his smile with a faint one and let her gaze linger on his beautiful face for a minute. Roman didn't look like Reagan. In fact, they didn't look alike at all even though they were twin brothers, their features were completely different and so was their behavior. Although they were of the same height.

Eirlys took her gaze from Reagan, letting it roam around the beautiful dining hall again. It was so big, that it could even contain up to a hundred if not more in there.

"I'll let the maid give you a tour around the palace," Roman told her, before leaving almost immediately.

Watching his retreating figure, Eirlys didn't know, whether to go after him or remain in the hall, nevertheless, the same maid from earlier suddenly appeared before her.

"Milady, his majesty asked to me give you a tour around the palace," she gave Eirlys a faint smile, gesturing toward the exit of dining hall. Nodding, Eirlys trailed silently after her. This maid had been with her since last night yet she didn't even know her name. If she was going to stay here for six months, she should at least be familiar with some people and this maid didn't seem so bad. She had been nice to her ever since they met.

"Uhmm... What is your name?" Eirlys who was now walking beside the blonde-haired maid asked, while giving her a side glance.

"My name is Gwen, Milady," she answered politely without stopping or turning to look at Eirlys.

Eirlys however still wanted to say something but was suddenly interrupted by the whispers around her. Unlike the dining hall, it seemed like they were now in another part of the palace. In this place, Eirlys saw a lot of maids as they passed by. Some gave her the same hateful and envious glare that she was all too familiar with, while others stared at her with admiration.

But why, why would they admire her? She also didn't get why they were envious of her. Her life was filled with nothing but misery. If anything, she should be envious of them.

"Milady," Gwen called, pulling her from her thought.

"This is the maid's quarters, this is where I and the other maids stay," Gwen explained. She showed Eirlys the kitchen and a few other places until they arrived at the highest floor of the palace.

This place was built like a suite and was very exquisite like the throne room and dining hall. It had two separate suites. Each with golden door. And there was no one around that area not even the sound of a fly could be heard as they walked by.

"Milady, by the left is King Reagan's room, and by the right is King Roman's room, since you're going to be their personal maid you should be well aware of this."

Eirlys nodded. There's no way she would forget this very important detail as she didn't want to suddenly barge into Reagan's room by mistake. She wasn't comfortable with him at all.

By the time they were done with the tour, it was already getting dark. The palace was so big that they were barely able to cover even half of it. Eirlys was only shown the most essential part of the palace and with that, she returned to her room alongside Gwen.

"Milady, you'll remain in your room, there's no need to move to the maid's quarters... That's King Roman's order," Gwen quickly added seeing Eirlys's questioning look.

Eirlys said nothing but just followed Gwen into her room. "Gwen, can you tell me more about the kings?"

This had been on her mind since they toured the palace. Eirlys wanted to know which among the two kings was a tribrid and which was a Djinn. If she was able to distinguish their powers she could then know how to go about ending their lives.

"That would be over a bath, milady," Gwen replied.

"Call me Eirlys," Eirlys couldn't help it anymore, she was so tired of such formality, however, Gwen refused her. "Milady, being a personal maid of the kings makes you almost royalty, you have a very high rank in the palace, so I won't address you by your name, it's a rule of the palace."

Eirlys sighed and listened to her. She felt that no matter how hard she tried to convince Gwen, the girl might not listen to her so she refrained from persuading her.

As Gwen helped Eirlys bathe, she told her about Reagan and Roman. Roman was a tribrid, while Reagan was a djinn. They were also very much loved and feared amongst the people of Nethal and every other part of the world.

Eirlys listened without saying a word, however, her mind was filled with so many thoughts.

After her bath, Eirlys ate dinner in her room before drifting off to sleep as she was very tired from touring the palace. When she woke, it was dawn and she was quite surprised, to see Gwen already standing in her room holding what looked like a uniform in her hand.

"Good morning," she said to Eirlys, sauntering closer to her. Gwen crouched down to Eirlys's size, setting the clothes beside her.

"I'm here to get you ready."

Hearing this, Eirlys memory was suddenly jotted. She was going to become a maid of the two Nethal kings starting today. Not just that, she felt as though her mission to end their lives was also starting today.

Hastily, she stumbled out of bed, taking a quick bath without the help of Gwen and by the time she was out of the bathroom, Gwen was no longer there. Eirlys quickly wore the maid's uniform and shoes, and unlike Gwen and the other maids whose uniform was dark green and white, hers was black and white. Eirlys stared at herself in the mirror once she was done dressing. Although she was still very thin, she looked much better than before and even a little bit healthy.

Still standing before the mirror, there was a slight knock on her door before Gwen walked into the room again. This time, she was holding a tray of food and once her eyes caught sight of Eirlys, she smiled faintly.

"I'm glad the uniform suits you well," she spoke as she walked toward Eirlys's side.

"Eat up, you're already late for your morning duties."

...

Eirlys and Gwen walked out of her room once she was done eating. Gwen led her to the top floor of the palace, to Roman and Reagan's room.

"Milady, you're to attend to King Roman... I'll leave you here now," Gwen told her and left immediately.

Glancing around, there was no one else apart from her on that floor. Eirlys could not even hear so much as the sound of a fly, it was mum. She looked from the door on the left to the door on the right.

Which one was Roman's room? She became confused. Although she said she wouldn't forget such important details, she actually did. And no matter how hard she tried to remember which room belonged to Roman, she couldn't. She could only rely on her gut feeling as she walked toward one of the doors

Eirlys felt her heart racing as she raised her hand to knock on the door. There was no reply from the other side even after she knocked thrice, in the end, Eirlys turned the door knob and slowly walked into the room.

Eirlys was welcomed by a scene that made her mind go blank, but it was already too late for her to turn back. Their eyes already met.