The morning sunlight filtered softly through the cracks in the window, a welcome warmth against my skin. Today was my free day, a rare chance to leave the palace without the suffocating constraints of duty. Not as a crippled maid, but as someone who could pretend, even if just for a little while, that she belonged to the pack.
Madam Stella’s voice startled me from my thoughts. “Leona, aren’t you leaving?”
I blinked up at her, momentarily confused. “Leaving?”
She gave me a knowing look. “Your day off, remember? You’d better get going before Clara drags you around.”
“Oh,” I mumbled, finally remembering. “Right, the day off.”
Stella chuckled softly. “Go enjoy yourself for once. You deserve it.”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Thanks, Madam Stella.”
As she walked away, Clara appeared in the
