After the maid set down the tray of food and helped arrange the new clothes on the nearby dresser, she turned to Lyra with a warm, practiced smile.
“Everything should fit. I checked with Beta Chase,” the maid said gently. “He also asked us to make sure you’re settled in… comfortably.”
Lyra fidgeted, the words making her stomach twist. Comfort wasn’t something she was used to. She stood awkwardly, glancing at the bloodied pile of her old clothes folded on a nearby chair.
“Um… where can I wash these?” she asked hesitantly, nodding toward the pile.
The maid blinked, confused. “Wash them?”
“Yes,” Lyra said quickly, trying not to sound too desperate. “I can do it myself. I just need to know where the laundry area is. I don’t want to be in the way.”
The maid’s expression softened, then tur
