Seraphine, Lyra, Lena, and Rhea reached Nikki's room. Rhea lagged slightly behind, her eyes darting everywhere. She studied the walls, the floors, even the doorframes, her gaze restless, like someone seeing a place for the very first time.
Lena and Lyra exchanged puzzled glances, each catching the other's look of suspicion. Why is she acting like this is all new? their expressions seemed to ask. Has she really gone insane?
Seraphine rapped her knuckles against the polished door.
Silence.
The three women shared weary glances.
"You sure she's in there?" Lena asked, brows knitting together.
"She has to be. She told me she would be waiting inside her room," Seraphine replied confidently.
"Then why isn't she answering?" Lyra asked, her voice dripping irritation.
Rhea shifted her weight from foot to foot, her arms crossing tight over her chest. Her expression balanced somewhere between boredom and annoyance, as though standing here was beneath her.
Seraphine knocked again, harder this time. The sharp sound echoed down the corridor.
From within came a muffled reply. "Come in."
Seraphine wasted no time. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, her daughters filing in after her. Rhea lingered at the threshold, hovering like an unwelcome guest, until Lena reached back, clamped her forearm, and yanked her across the threshold before letting go with a sharp sidestep.
Thrown off balance, Rhea caught her toe on the edge of the plush pink rug and lurched forward, steadying herself a breath before she hit the floor. The door closed with a soft click behind them.
Rhea spun around, her glare sharp enough to cut. "What the hell was that for?" Her voice cracked with a mix of anger and disbelief.
Lena met her eyes without flinching, her gaze hard and unyielding. She said nothing, her silence carrying more contempt than words ever could.
Across the room, Nikki stood, a plush pink towel draped over her head as she rubbed at her damp hair. Her long strands clung to her shoulders, droplets rolling down her skin. She must have been bathing, Seraphine thought fleetingly.
"You're here?" Nikki asked, her tone casual.
"Yes, my lady," Seraphine, Lena, and Lyra answered in near-perfect unison.
Rhea snorted quietly and glanced upward, scanning the room. Pink. Everywhere. Pink walls, pink curtains, pink bedspread, pink rug. Her skin crawled at the sight. Back in her own world, her family had tried the same nonsense, drowning her in the same nauseating shade. The moment she'd been old enough, she'd tossed it all out, replacing it with crimson reds, deep blacks, and touches of gold.
"Why is she still standing?" Nikki asked, tossing the towel onto a nearby chair and reaching for a hairbrush.
Seraphine, Lena, and Lyra shared a knowing look. At Seraphine's subtle nod, the sisters moved in. Lyra seized one of Rhea's arms while Lena gripped the other, forcing her down.
"Hey...what the hell are you doing?" Rhea demanded, yanking against their hold.
"On your knees," Seraphine snapped. She stepped forward, driving her knee hard into Rhea's midsection.
Pain exploded in Rhea's gut, her breath tearing out of her chest. If Lena and Lyra hadn't been holding her upright, she would have doubled over. Seraphine shifted her stance for another kick, the promise of it alone enough to make Rhea relent. Not because she wanted to, but because she didn't care to take another strike like that. Even her master back home hadn't landed a kick that heavy. Who knew werewolves could pack that kind of punch?
"That's more like it," Lyra smirked, loosening her grip just enough to let Rhea remain kneeling before Nikki.
Nikki crossed the room with slow, deliberate grace. She lowered herself onto a plush, high-backed chair upholstered in pink velvet, her movements languid but regal. She crossed one leg elegantly over the other, posture exuding calm authority, as if she had nothing but time.
She lifted the hairbrush from her vanity and began dragging it through her damp hair. Each stroke gleamed in the soft light, strands falling into perfect place. She didn't so much as glance at Rhea, as though the girl kneeling there was nothing more than background furniture.
Lyra said softly, careful not to break Nikki's calm. "My lady, would you like me to brush it for you?" The reverence in her tone made the offer sound like an honor.
Nikki's hand paused mid-stroke. Her gaze drifted lazily to Lyra, studying her in silence before her lips curved into a sweet smile. "Sure," she murmured, extending the brush as though bestowing a privilege.
Lyra's face lit up, her spine straightening with eagerness as she stepped forward. Seraphine moved seamlessly into her place behind Rhea, clamping a hand on her shoulder to pin her in place.
With almost reverent care, Lyra accepted the brush with both hands as though it were sacred. She said nothing, only moved behind Nikki's chair and began brushing. Each stroke was slow, deliberate, the bristles gliding down with soft whispers. Lyra's expression shone with sycophantic devotion, every movement a plea for approval.
Rhea rolled her eyes from her kneeling position. "Eye service much?" she scoffed under her breath. Seraphine's grip tightened instantly, fingers digging into her shoulder.
Seraphine and Lena now flanked her, keeping her firmly grounded.
Nikki leaned back in her chair, letting her eyes flutter shut, savoring the attention like it was her due.
When Lyra finally finished, she stepped back, bowing her head. "I'm done, my lady," she whispered.
"Mmm," Nikki hummed. She opened her eyes again and shifted in her chair, turning with unhurried grace until she faced Rhea fully.
The look wasn't rushed. Her gaze slid from Rhea's head down to her knees, slow and deliberate. It stripped more than appearance; it probed deeper, colder. The faint curve of her lips didn't touch her eyes, which gleamed with polished steel.
Rhea met that gaze without flinching, her jaw tightening as her spine locked straight.
Nikki tilted her head, mild amusement flickering in her eyes. She's changed, she thought. Well, it doesn't matter. I'll correct whatever has gotten into her.