Myra silently followed Simon down the spiral staircase, assuming it led to the servants' quarters. On the bottom floor, there was a series of doors on both sides of the corridor, all closed and rather dull in appearance.
They walked toward the third door, which was in the middle, and stopped in front of it. The butler pulled a heavy ring of keys from his pocket, thumbing through them in search of the right one.
"You'll be sharing this dorm with another maid," he said gruffly, inserting the key into the lock. A faint click followed.
Myra gulped and nodded. It was the first time he had spoken to her directly, and she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the Swanson's butler.
Simon pushed the door open, revealing a small room. He stepped aside to let her in.
"Settle in for today. You'll start work tomorrow," she heard him say as her eyes scanned the small room.
"Assemble in the main hall at six a.m. sharp. I'll brief you on your daily tasks then."
Myra responded with a quiet, "Yes, sir."
"The servants' bath chamber is in the corner," Simon added, gesturing toward an arched doorway in the far-right section of the wall.
She nodded again.
"If you need anything else, your roommate can help. She'll return once her shift ends. A pair of uniforms will be sent down soon." He paused, as if to ensure she was following. "I'll leave you to get settled."
He turned to go but paused mid-step, seeming to remember something. Facing her again, he raised a brow and pointed a finger.
"Remember one thing, Miss Brooke," he said firmly. "I do not tolerate tardiness. Disappoint me, and I won't hesitate to discipline you."
Myra inhaled deeply and nodded once more.
"Show up at six tomorrow."
With that, he left. Myra exhaled slowly and closed the door behind him.
The dormitory was small. Two single beds, a table, a chair, and a mirror affixed to the wall were the only furniture in the room. A heap of clothes were dumped on the bed to her right, signifying that it was already taken. So, Myra sat on the other, empty bed.
A green-and-white checkered towel was draped over the chair. On the table sat a comb, a small chest box, and a powder puff.
There was a window with no curtains near the bed. It had started raining outside, and the weather had turned gloomy.
Even though the room was small and shared with someone else, Myra liked it. Big or small, it didn't matter much, as long as she had proper shelter and food for survival.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, staring out of the window at the rain. The soothing sound of pitter-patter filled the room, occasionally followed by the soft rumble of thunder. A nostalgic smile crept onto her face—she had always loved rainy days. They made her feel peaceful.
Suddenly, the room door flung open, startling her.
A young woman stood at the door, equally surprised to see Myra inside.
The girl quickly recovered from the shock and narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you?" she asked.
Myra took a deep breath. "Hello. I'm Amyra," she said with a faint smile. "I'm new here."
The girl tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing Myra as if gauging her personality.
"Hi," she replied after a moment, walking in and shutting the door behind her.
"You must be my new roommate. I'm Emily," she said, offering a friendly smile and extending her hand. Myra gladly shook it.
"It's been four months since Maggie left. I've had this room to myself since then."
Maggie must be the one she used to share the room with, Myra thought.
"She got married and quit working here," Emily stated as she pushed the clothes on her bed aside and sat down.
Myra nodded quietly, watching her.
Emily looked to be about her age — blue-eyed, with pale blonde hair neatly tied in a bun. She appeared human, but there was something about her that made Myra doubt it. Sometimes, it was hard to tell a creature's true nature just by their appearance.
It was easier to distinguish vampires, elves, or falseborn demons by their visible traits. But for others, like witches, werewolves, or pseudoborns, they looked almost indistinguishable from ordinary humans.
"Did you unpack?" Emily asked, leaning back on her bed while folding the clothes.
Myra shook her head.
"Check under your bed. There should be an empty trunk."
Myra nodded, knelt beside her bed, and pulled out a metal trunk from underneath.
"You can use that trunk," Emily said.
Myra wiped off the dust with her hands and opened the lid. She then sat on the bed and neatly placed her belongings inside.
Emily observed her.
"You didn't bring many clothes with you...but the ones you have seem to be of very fine quality."
Myra pressed her lips into a thin line.
"It's a long story," she said with a sigh, thinking about the events of the past two weeks.
Emily didn't press further. The room fell into an awkward silence until she decided to break it.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, standing up with her folded clothes.
Myra shook her head. She had eaten lunch at the Warburton mansion with Noah, Georgina, and Devon before arriving here, and she wasn't hungry yet.
Emily pulled out her own trunk, which seemed quite full, and placed her clothes inside.
"Did you get your uniform?", Emily asked as she stood up and walked towards the dressing table.
"No. The butler said he'd send it down with someone."
Emily nodded, removing the pins from her hair and running her fingers through it.
Myra simply observed her. So far, her new roommate seemed nice, and she hoped they would become good friends.
"How long have you been working for the Swansons?" Myra asked.
"Hmm… for over four years now. I've been working here since I was sixteen."
Myra nodded.
"My mother worked here before me, but she fell ill, so I took over her position."
"What about you, Amyra?" she asked while brushing her waist-length hair. "Did you work anywhere else before coming here?"
Myra shook her head. "No."
She had worked like a maid at her uncle's house for eleven years—but she couldn't say that, could she?
"I'll go change and be right back," Emily said, picking up a dress and towel. "After that, I'll show you around the mansion and introduce you to my friends."
Myra nodded as Emily walked out.
A second later, the door opened again, and Emily poked her head back in.
"And Amyra?" she called, holding the doorframe, only her head visible.
"Huh?" Did she forget something?
"Welcome to the Swanson household," Emily said with a wide grin before shutting the door.