Maria
Dominika descends the spiral staircase, holding a silver tray filled with breakfast food—French toast, strawberries, yogurt parfait, scrambled eggs, and bacon. But nothing is touched.
"She's not eating?" I ask, staring at the heavy tray.
Dominika's expression betrays not a single emotion. "She says she doesn't want it."
I pick up the bowl of strawberries and yogurt parfait and make my way up the stairs. "She has to eat something."
A corner of Dominika's lips twitches ever so slightly as she calls out after me, "Wielding authority may seem easy at first, koshka, but using it is hard—especially when you realize there are consequences for every action you take."
The Kuzma Fedorov painting, stacks of art books, and plush high-end furniture clash in a conflicting environment—one wit
