Chapter 5

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.

Well that makes the two of us because if I had my way, I'd rather be anywhere else.

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.” With that, she stormed out of the room and slammed the door in my face.

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.

“Heck no! We are getting out of here!” I said back to Nila.

My gaze swiftly scanned around the room for exit points until they finally landed on the windows of the attic.

They were also coated with grime and cobwebs but they sparkled with a glimmer of hope for my escape.

Without wasting any more time, I rushed towards them and tried to push them open only to be met with disappointment – they were nailed shut! Sealing my fate to spend the night in this vermin-infested prison.

Refusing to lose hope, I turned my attention to the attic door, but before I could even take another step forward, my ears caught the sound of distant movements within the palace. I couldn’t leave just yet, if I tried to, they would just find me and drag me back.

No, I had to make my escape in the cover of night, hopefully when everyone was asleep.

I grabbed a broom and sweeped the floor, clearing out as much garbage as I could, unable to stay in this filth a moment longer.

I dusted the bed and took a seat, biding my time and waiting for nightfall.

I wasn’t sure if it was because of the physical exhaustion of the day, or the emotional abuse I had endured — but I ended up somehow falling asleep. I wasn’t even aware I had been asleep until something wet and icy cold splashed on my face, causing me to jolt awake in a panic.

I didn't have time to wonder where I was before Isla's mocking laughter cut through my confusion.

"Get up, you stupid wench! Do you think you're a princess or something? As long as you live here, you must earn your keep." she yelled at me and I blinked in confusion.

It was then it suddenly dawned on me. I was still a prisoner here, I wasn’t able to escape last night like I had planned.

I felt my throat tighten painfully as hot regret flooded my thoughts for letting myself fall asleep. How did I let myself do that?!

I dragged myself out of bed and followed Isla. She led me to a room that turned out to be the pack’s laundry room.

"Now listen, wench. I want you to hand wash all these clothes till they sparkle like glass.”

My eyes scanned the mountains of clothes before looking back at her in horror. Was she freaking serious?

“First of all, don't call me that. You already know my name. Secondly, there's a washing machine sitting right there, at the corner of this room so why would I hand wash your clothes?” I asked and the glare that Isla gave me could have disintegrated me right there and then.

“I’ll call you whatever I wish. And why would I waste such valuable equipment when your hands are fully functional?”

I glared at her while she smirked, reveling in my humiliation.

“This is low even for you, you should know it'll take at least four people to finish this!”

Isla’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “ Exactly, that's exactly why I've instructed you to do it alone. It seems you've forgotten already so let me remind you. You're nothing but a slave, Jaselyn dear. You're my husband's little cocksleeve and a living incubator for my children. As long as you stay in this palace, you will follow my rules and do whatever the fuck I say like an obedient little dog because you belong at my feet.

Now begin if you wish to keep that pretty little face intact, accidents do happen.” She mocked and I bit back a retort.

Arguing with her is pointless, this is all Zane's fault. He brought me here and it's because of him that I'm having to go through all of this. I should murder him in his sleep when I get the chance.

I reluctantly began washing the clothes while Isla placed that haughty maid of hers from earlier to supervise. The girl was a real menace, she nearly talked my ears off as I washed the clothes, instructing me on the dos and don'ts as if I had never washed clothes before. I eventually had to zone out on whatever she was saying.

Isla sashayed back into the room sometime later, it's already been hours and I'd just finished washing the last piece of clothing.

She took a look at the clothes and confirmed with the maid that I had indeed washed all of them.

“It's good to know that you're not completely useless. Your skills will surely come in handy in this palace, 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!