Circe was perched on the edge of Rowen's bed, her journal splayed open across her lap, when the distant sound of hooves reached her ears. She froze. The last time she had heard horses approaching the manor, it had ended with her being summoned to the palace by the queen herself.
Slowly, she closed the journal and slid off the bed. She crept toward the window, lifting the curtain just enough to peer outside. A woman she had never seen before was making her way toward the front entrance with confident strides.
Not even a full minute later, a knock sounded on Rowen's door.
Her gaze snapped to the door just as it creaked open. A maid entered without waiting for a reply. Circe recognized her immediately. She was one of the young women who worked in the gardens. She looked flustered, her cheeks flushed and her breathing uneven, as though she had rushed all the way there.
