Tania was hungry.
Not the "I can wait" kind.
The annoying, stomach-twisting kind that made her even more irritated than she already was.
She sat on the edge of the bed, tapping her fingers against her thigh.
"They said food," she muttered. "What's taking so long?"
Right on cue—
A knock.
Tania looked up.
"Finally."
The door opened slowly.
A girl stepped in, carrying a tray.
Tania noticed her immediately.
Pretty.
Too pretty to be just a maid.
Her uniform was neat, but something about the way she held herself didn't match the others Tania had seen earlier. Her chin was slightly raised. Her eyes… sharp.
Judging.
Tania leaned back slightly.
"You took your time."
The girl didn't respond.
She walked further into the room and placed the tray on the table.
Up close, it was even clearer.
This wasn't just any maid.
"Who are you?" Tania asked.
The girl finally looked at her.
"Tasha."
Tania nodded slowly.
"Right… and what's with the attitude?"
Tasha's lips tightened slightly.
"I could ask you the same."
Tania almost laughed.
"You came into my room," she said. "With food that took forever. You don't get to act offended."
Tasha's eyes flickered with something darker.
"This isn't your room."
Tania stood up.
Slow.
Calm.
"But I'm in it."
They stared at each other.
The tension was immediate.
Clear.
Tasha straightened slightly.
"You should be grateful," she said. "Most people in your position don't get treated like this."
Tania walked closer.
"Like what?" she asked. "Kidnapped? Chained? Attacked?"
Tasha didn't flinch.
"You're alive."
Tania smiled.
"But not for long, right?"
That did it.
Tasha moved first.
Fast.
The tray crashed to the ground as she lunged forward, aiming straight for Tania's face.
But Tania was ready.
She stepped back just in time, grabbing Tasha's wrist mid-air.
"Bad idea," Tania said.
She twisted.
Hard.
Tasha gasped as her balance broke.
Tania shoved her back, sending her stumbling.
"What's wrong?" Tania added. "Didn't expect me to fight back?"
Tasha's expression snapped.
Anger replaced whatever calm she had.
"You think you belong here?" she snapped, charging again.
This time, Tania didn't hold back.
She dodged the hit, drove her elbow into Tasha's side, then shoved her hard against the table.
The impact knocked the air out of Tasha.
She collapsed to the floor with a sharp cry.
Silence.
Tania stood over her, breathing steady.
"Don't try that again," she said.
For a second, Tasha didn't move.
Then suddenly—
She screamed.
"Help! Somebody help me!"
Tania blinked.
"What the—"
"I didn't do anything!" Tasha cried, scrambling back. "Please—don't hurt me!"
Tania stared at her.
"You're joking."
The door burst open.
Devon stepped in.
And he wasn't alone.
Another man followed behind him.
Taller than most.
Relaxed.
Observing.
His eyes moved from Tasha on the floor… to Tania standing over her.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Well," he said, "this looks interesting."
Tasha immediately crawled toward Devon.
"My lord!" she cried. "She attacked me!"
Tania let out a dry laugh.
"Seriously?"
Devon's gaze shifted to her.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
"What happened?"
Tania crossed her arms.
"She came at me first."
Tasha shook her head quickly. "No! She—she just started hitting me!"
The other man stepped further into the room, clearly entertained.
"Who's she?" he asked casually.
Devon didn't answer.
His attention stayed on Tania.
And something about his silence was… off.
Tania frowned slightly.
"What?" she snapped. "You're not seriously believing her?"
Before Devon could respond—
Tasha reached for something on the floor.
A broken piece of the tray.
Sharp.
She lunged.
Not at Devon.
At Tania.
"Die—!"
It happened fast.
Too fast.
Tania reacted on instinct.
Her hand shot out—
And something… snapped.
The air shifted.
A sharp force burst from her palm, slamming into Tasha mid-motion.
Tasha was thrown back.
Hard.
Her body hit the wall with a loud crack before dropping to the floor.
Everything went still.
Dead quiet.
Tania froze.
Her own hand still raised.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
Devon didn't move.
Didn't speak.
But his eyes—
They changed.
Completely.
The man beside him let out a low whistle.
"Well," he said slowly, his gaze fixed on Tania, "she's definitely not normal."
Tania lowered her hand slowly, her heart racing.
"I didn't—"
Devon took a step forward.
And for the first time since she met him—
There was no control in his expression.
Only interest.
Dangerous interest.
"Do it again," he said.
Tania stared at him.
"I don't know how—"
"Do it again."
His voice was deeper now.
Commanding.
Tania took a step back.
"I said I don't know how!"
The other man chuckled softly.
"This just got a lot more fun."
Tania's chest rose and fell quickly.
Something wasn't right.
Not with him.
Not with herself.
And definitely not with this situation.
Devon stepped closer again.
Slow.
Focused.
Like she wasn't a person anymore.
Like she was something to figure out.
To use.
To control.
Tania's back hit the wall.
Her pulse pounded in her ears.
"Stay away," she warned.
Devon didn't stop.
And this time…
She wasn't sure if she could stop him.