~LENORA'S POV
The elixir must have been stronger than Isla let on because the afternoon sun was gone by the time I finally opened my eyes. The room was dim, lit only by a few thick candles that smelled like beeswax and expensive oils.
Nilah and Xyla were already there, moving around the bed with a quiet focus that made me realize I hadn't just woken up by accident. They had been waiting for me.
"The High Lord sent us to prepare you, Miss," Nilah said softly, as she reached out to help me sit up.
They led me to the bathing chamber where the steam was already thick enough to damp my skin. It felt like a long, slow ritual as they scrubbed my body.
They used salts that smelled of jasmine and honey, handling me with a level of care that felt almost reverent. It was the kind of treatment a king's concubine would receive before being sent to his bed for the first time.
