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T he silence of the room was deafening. It turned out that all those thick fabrics absorbed all sound, leaving the silence feeling heavy and overbearing.

I found myself being noisy on purpose, clicking my tongue, stepping heavier than usual, tapping my fingernails on the intricately carved wooden dressers.

Anything I could do to make some noise, I did.

I checked out the bathroom, only to witness the jaw-dropping majesty of a huge, Roman-style bath, gold faucets, and monogrammed towels bearing the Calvernon family crest. Frankly, it was too ridiculous. So I checked out the closet instead.

The door opened to reveal another room that was bigger than the bathroom and almost as big as my actual bedroom.

And it was full. As in, every single rack was filled with shirts, pants, dresses, and coats.

There were racks for shoes, parading heels and sandals and tennis shoes and glamorous boots and just about anything else I’d dare put on my feet.

And I was instantly confused. Who did all this stuff belong to? Because it sure as hell wasn’t mine.

My clothes consisted of nothing more than my military issued cadet uniform, combat gear, and a skintight jumpsuit that felt more like being nude than being naked was. I didn’t own anything. So who did all this belong to?

I stepped out of the space, closing the door quickly. Walking in someone else’s closet felt a lot like snooping in a diary. I’d have to figure out what the deal was with that.

Unless…

Do I have a roommate? I quickly searched around, looking for anything that might confirm the thought. Did Wes have a sister or something? No one ever mentioned a sister before, but it’s not like anyone ever talked about their families at the rebel camp.

I rushed to the vanity and examined all the brushes, combs, hair ties, make-up brushes, lip glosses, eyeliners, and everything else.

It was a full set of every hair accessory and make-up tool you could think of.

And it was all a hundred percent brand new.

Not so much as a single hair stuck in the bristles of the brush, or a delicate swipe in the fine pressed foundation powders.

The tips of the eyeliners were as pointed as ever, the mascara brushes were clean of clumps, and the lipsticks were perfectly shaped and smooth. It was all new, never used.

“Does that mean…” the sentence fell into silence as my eyes landed on two cards propped up on the nightstand. I quickly swiped up the cards and examined them. They both had my name written on them, but in completely different handwriting. I recognized the first and quickly opened it.

Welcome to your new casa, newbie! I’m sorry about our fight, but remember, I’ve always got your back. Hope you like the clothes I picked out. Be sure to check the dresser in the corner. ??

Edith

My heart warmed, and the tension that had settled there eased. Leave it to Edith. Even after having our first fight as friends, she still had my back. I smiled, staring at the words, and then my eyes landed on the winking smiley face she added after telling me to check the dresser.

Interesting…

My curiosity had definitely been piqued.

I put the cards aside on the bed and marched over to the only dresser located near a corner in the room.

Another intricately carved piece of art, with a deep stain highlighting the grains of the wood.

I ran my hand over the smooth, glossy top and couldn’t help but peek at my fingertips.

Nope…no dust.

Whoever they got to clean around here was definitely no Chelsea.

And then I felt my heart squeeze momentarily, feeling guilty.

I shouldn’t be making jokes at her expense.

She might have served as my maid in Telvia, but it was all a front to kidnap me and whisk me away.

And now she was crazy…like, certifiably insane and locked up.

I grimaced. I had it so much better than she did, and yet here I was too focused on being jealous over Matias.

I was standing in a room bigger than the homes of every Subclass citizen in Telvia, with a closet packed to the brim with more clothing than I could ever wear in a lifetime.

And where was she? Lost…lost in her own mind.

“Ugh…I’m such a bitch.” Admitting to myself that I had been less than likable didn’t change anything, but I hoped that I could do better if I ever saw her again.

I sighed, trying to clear the thoughts, and returned my attention to the mystery dresser. I ran my fingers over the brass nobs and pulled on the top drawer. And when my eyes landed on the contents, I found another note resting right on top.

Remember, modesty’s for prudes, bestie.

If you’re jumping in, might as well go all the way…

What the…?

I swear to god, she was nuts. I didn’t even know what this was supposed to mean. I read the note again, and then finally gave up. Putting it aside, I reached in the drawer and pulled out one of the pieces of clothing, holding it up to see.

Oh. My. God.

The heat that flushed my cheeks burned like the fire of a thousand suns, and I instantly felt so hot, I thought I was going to pass out.

Because in my hands was the skimpiest piece of flaming red lace I had ever seen.

It was way too little fabric to be underwear, that was for sure.

And not nearly enough to cover anything . Like, nothing !

Nope!

No, no.

Narp.

Don’t think so.

Hells to the no.

Not. Gonna. Happen.

I shoved the lingerie into the drawer as deep as I could. I didn’t even dare check the rest of it because the drawer was full of more lace in varying colors, and I had no intention of ever, ever , wearing any of it! I slammed the drawer closed and took a massive step away from it.

A shiver passed through me, causing my whole body to shake. Next time I saw her, I was going to shove that thong down her throat.

Who the hell bought all of this? Edith had clearly been here, that was for sure.

But who purchased everything? I remembered the second card on the bed, and ran over to it, taking it and tearing it open.

Inside was a piece of elegant stationary with the Calvernon crest printed on the top of the page. And underneath was elegant handwriting.

As the future First Lady of the North, you must dress like one. I have tasked Edith to purchase you a new wardrobe. I trusted she would know your size and pick clothing suitable for a young woman of your stature.

My cheeks colored as I cast another glance at the sex drawer in the corner. Boy, was she wrong.

Remember, child, that the future of Telvia and your brother’s life are now in your hands.

Regards,

Sasha De’vor

Well, that answered that. I’d have to thank Sasha for the clothing and Edith for shopping. Though, the thanking part might come after I punched Edith for the clothing—if you could even call it that—in the skank drawer.

I put the cards back down on the bed and took another look around with a long sigh. This was it. I was here, and I was moving full steam ahead with a plan that may or may not explode in my face. I felt heavy, and I started to chew on my nails when I heard a knock at my door.

Don’t tell me it was dinner already? I glanced at my mini-tab and noted the time. I still had two hours before dinner.

“Coming,” I walked to the door. Marissa had mentioned someone would give me a tour of the house.

It was probably a maid or something. I reached for the knob, pulled open the door, and then my stomach dropped.

Immediately, I felt an icy chill run down my spine as my heart squeezed, threatening to explode.

Because right in front of me was Matias.