SOMA
As I near the door, my throat tightens. “Who’s there?”
“My lady?” The voice is gentle. Female. “It’s Jade.”
I exhale, my shoulders sagging in relief. Wait, who’s Jade? I open the door, and a group of ladies curtsies. There are five of them in identical uniforms that I recognize as the palace maids’ uniform. Only one is dressed differently, with her brown hair pulled back into a knot like the others.
“Jade?” I say to the odd one out.
She nods. “Good morning, my lady. I’m Jade, your lady’s maid. I’ll attend to you from today onward.”
“All six of you?” I whisper.
“The maids are only here to clean,” she tells me.
“That’s… that’s too many maids.”
Jade waves off the other maids and offers me a small smile. I step back into my room, and she follows me. As I move to smooth the b
