The bus was heard before it was seen. The squeak of ancient wheels and the loud popping of a failing exhaust system announced its arrival, the sounds echoing off the castle's stone walls. Most of the waiting servants kept their heads down, though Adeline noticed hands rising to faces every few seconds to wipe away stray tears. She spotted the kitchen girl from yesterday, the one who had talked about finding the King of Ziad attractive. The girl still looked excited, but her eyes were wide and jumpy, telling a story of barely suppressed fear. Her hands trembled as she clutched her burlap sack.
The large yellow bus trudged around the corner like a dying beast, belching black smoke from its exhaust. The paint was faded and peeling in places, revealing rust beneath. John's mother had told Adeline once that vehicles like this used to transport human children to school five days a week, back before the Beasts came. She said her great-grandmother had attended school regularly, and that her family had owned their own house and their own vehicles. She had loved telling grand stories about what life had been like in the old world—stories of grocery stores overflowing with food, of libraries filled with books anyone could read, of hospitals that healed the sick without question.
At the time, and even now, it was hard for Adeline to visualize such a life. A world where humans owned things. Where they went to school. Where they had choices.
As the bus shuddered to a halt with a final grinding of gears, everyone picked up their sacks and formed a line in front of the double doors. With a loud mechanical whine that set Adeline's teeth on edge, the doors folded open. An annoyed-looking Beast sat in the driver's seat, his dark eyes sweeping over the assembled humans. His lip curled slightly, as if their very presence offended him.
"Get in and sit down," he commanded, giving them a quick once-over.
Disgust twisted his features, but Adeline had seen that expression enough times that it barely registered. She simply obeyed, scurrying up the steps with the others, the metal treads cold beneath her worn sneakers, and searching for an open seat. The interior smelled of diesel fuel, old vinyl, and something musty she couldn't quite identify. She found a spot near the middle, and John sat down in the aisle seat beside her.
Adeline dropped her sack at her feet and readjusted, trying to get comfortable on the hard cushion. The seat felt like sitting on a wooden bench covered with a thin layer of fabric, the springs poking through in places. This was going to be a miserable ride.
"Do you know how long the trip is going to be?" Adeline asked John, keeping her voice low.
She turned to watch as he struggled with the seatbelt, his thick fingers unable to pull out enough slack to buckle himself in. The belt was old, the mechanism stiff from disuse. Reaching over, Adeline swatted his hands aside and helped him, then turned to fasten her own seatbelt. The fabric was frayed, but it clicked into place.
Once they were settled, John let out a loud sigh that seemed to deflate his entire body. "Not sure, but I've heard it's long."
The word 'long' turned out to be a gross understatement. They sat for hours in near-total silence as the bus carried them north, the engine's rumble a constant background drone. Occasionally someone cleared their throat or whispered something too quiet for Adeline to hear, but otherwise the vehicle remained eerily quiet. It felt like riding in a funeral procession. The sun tracked across the sky, morning giving way to afternoon.
Adeline stared out the window the entire time, her forehead occasionally pressing against the cool glass. Most of the journey consisted of long, empty stretches of land. Grass and more grass, rolling away to distant horizons under an endless sky. The wind rippled through it in waves, like an ocean frozen in time. But occasionally they passed an old abandoned human town or a small Beast village.
The Beast villages were orderly, built with the same dark stone architecture the Beasts seemed to prefer everywhere. Adeline paid the most attention to the abandoned towns, imagining what life must have been like before the Beasts came through their portals and claimed the earth as their own. The buildings were crumbling, reclaimed by nature. Vines climbed walls. Trees grew through broken windows. Signs hung at odd angles, their paint faded beyond recognition.
She envisioned the towns full of bustling life, packed with people of all different stations and occupations. People who chose their own work. Who owned their own homes. Who weren't afraid of being murdered for sneezing in the wrong direction. Children playing in streets. Shops with windows full of goods. The ghost of a world she would never know.
By the time they arrived at Ziad, the sky had grown dark and the streets were nearly empty. Only a few gas lamps lit the wide boulevards. The city sprawled before them, much larger than King Richard's modest domain. The buildings rose higher, built closer together, more imposing. The Beasts on the street looked at the bus with mild fascination, their heads turning to follow its passage. Most humans worked in castles or in the homes of wealthy Beasts, so it wasn't often that common Beasts laid eyes on human servants being transported.
Adeline watched as a young Beast child, probably around five or six years old, tugged on his mother's shorts and pointed at the bus, his small voice audible even through the glass. His mother ignored the vehicle, grabbing her son's arm and moving him behind her body so he was out of view, as if shielding him from something dangerous or unclean. Adeline frowned at the interaction. Did they hate humans so much that young children were prohibited from even seeing their faces?
Slowly, the buildings became larger and less frequent. Giant plots of land surrounded each home, testament to the wealth of Ziad's elite. Manicured lawns stretched into darkness. Iron gates marked property boundaries. Adeline's body leaned to the left as the bus made a sharp turn to the right and began heading up a rocky path, the suspension groaning with each bump.
On her left, Adeline could see the main road they had just exited and the imposing front gates of the castle just ahead. Torches burned on either side of massive iron doors. They must have turned to use a smaller servants' entrance instead of the main one. She couldn't help but fidget with her hands and adjust her dress every few seconds as she watched the castle grow larger and larger, blocking out the stars.
The structure was massive. Towers stretched toward the dark sky like accusing fingers. Walls rose like cliffs, built from dark stone that seemed to absorb the moonlight rather than reflect it. Lights glowed in hundreds of windows, warm yellow against the black stone.
Adeline turned to her right and glanced at John. He was looking past her out the window, also watching their approach to what would be their new home. Sensing her gaze, he turned to meet her eyes. His face was blank, carefully emptied of expression, but she could see the fear in the tightness around his mouth.
"You ready?" Adeline asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're almost there."
The bus jolted to a stop as the words left her mouth, throwing them forward against their seatbelts. The driver didn't hesitate. He opened the double doors with that same mechanical whine and barked out a command for immediate exit, his voice sharp with impatience.
One by one, they each grabbed their belongings and filed off the bus. The night air hit Adeline's face, cool and carrying the scent of earth and something floral she couldn't identify. Adeline's mouth fell open as she fully absorbed the castle for the first time. She had thought King Richard's castle was large, but it was nothing compared to this. King Heloix must have hundreds of servants working within these walls.
"Okay everybody, listen up!"
A loud, feminine voice cut through the night air like a whip crack. Adeline's head snapped forward. A tall human woman stood about twenty feet in front of them, her posture rigid with authority. She wore a clean gray dress similar to Adeline's own, but her bearing suggested she held rank among the servants. Her dark hair was pulled back severely from her face, emphasizing sharp cheekbones and cold eyes.
The woman continued without pause, her voice carrying easily across the assembled group. "Line up single file. Women in the front and men in the back. Keep your heads down and do not speak. We are to head inside where you will be informed of the castle rules. Then I will show you where you will sleep and what your jobs are."
The woman turned and began walking up the path toward a small side entrance, her shoes clicking against the stone with military precision. Caught off guard by her abruptness, the new arrivals fumbled to grab their belongings and organize themselves. Adeline rushed toward the front, not wanting to get caught behind, and slipped into the middle of the small line of women forming. Her heart pounded in her chest.
She was awestruck the moment they stepped into the castle. The hallway stretched before them, impossibly long, lit by sconces that cast pools of golden light. Each room they passed was grand, the walls covered in elaborate artwork—paintings of Beast conquests, portraits of past kings, landscapes from worlds that weren't Earth. The furniture was dark, sleek, and modern, gleaming in the low light as if recently polished. Everything spoke of wealth beyond measure. They walked past perhaps six rooms before being led down another corridor. The wall lights were kept dim, casting shadows that made the space feel eerie and oppressive. Their footsteps were muffled by thick carpet runners.
Eventually, the hallway opened into a large entryway. The ceiling soared above them, supported by stone columns carved with intricate designs. This was presumably the main hall where the Beasts entered and exited the castle. A massive chandelier hung overhead, its crystals catching and scattering the light. The woman who still hadn't offered her name directed them to line up against the far right wall.
Adeline risked a peek at the women on her left and right, but neither returned her glance. Their heads remained down, eyes locked on the floor in front of them, faces pale with fear. Adeline quickly mimicked their posture. They waited like that, the room so silent that Adeline swore she could hear her own heartbeat echoing off the stone walls. Somewhere in the distance, a clock ticked.
After what felt like an hour, Adeline felt herself starting to get restless. Her lack of sleep the previous night and the stress of the day were catching up to her, making her eyelids droop. Her legs ached from standing. At one point she even had to stifle a yawn, her jaw cracking with the effort. She quietly shifted back and forth on the balls of her feet, trying her best not to make any noise that might draw attention.
At the sound of loud boots against stone, Adeline tensed and straightened her back. Two male Beasts entered the room from the far left hallway, moving forward until they stood directly in front of the assembled servants. The air seemed to change with their presence, growing heavier, charged with authority and threat.
The man in the front appeared to be in his late thirties. Gray had taken over most of his hair and sideburns, giving him a distinguished appearance. He wore a tailored suit that hugged his powerful frame, the fabric expensive-looking even in the dim light, and he walked with the confidence of someone who had never questioned his right to command. His scent reached them—that distinct Beast smell of cedar and musk, but sharper somehow, more aggressive.
Behind him stood a younger Beast who looked to be in his late twenties. He stood even taller than his companion, a couple of inches above an already imposing height—easily six and a half feet. His face was set in a mean scowl, his dark eyes hard and assessing as they swept over the humans like they were livestock. The thick hair visible at the open collar of his shirt was darker than most, nearly black against his tan skin. His pointed ears were partially hidden by dark, wavy hair that fell almost to his shoulders. Power radiated from him like heat.
The older Beast cleared his throat, the sound commanding immediate attention. "I am Axis, Second to King Heloix. We will inform you today of the rules you are expected to follow. Any disobedience moving forward will be met with immediate punishment."
Axis stepped aside, making room for the younger Beast to move forward. Adeline felt her stomach drop as she realized the older Beast was the Second, which meant the younger, crueler-looking one was the King. Her breath caught in her throat.
She had expected King Heloix to be older. From what she had heard, most Beasts came into their title when they were much older, after years of proving themselves worthy through displays of strength and strategic thinking. For someone so young to hold such power, and to have earned such a terrifying reputation so quickly, spoke to acts of violence and cruelty that Adeline couldn't begin to imagine.
She held back a shudder, her fingers curling into fists behind her back.
King Heloix's gaze swept the room, hardly pausing on any individual face. Up close, he was even more imposing than Adeline had anticipated. Despite the formal suit he wore—dark fabric that looked almost liquid in the low light—his powerful frame was evident. Beasts in general were much stronger than humans, but he looked large even for a Beast. Muscles strained against the fabric of his jacket with each small movement.
Adeline forced herself to look up from his body and take in his face. He had a sharp, defined jawline that led to full lips and that dark, wavy hair. His eyes were so dark they appeared nearly black in the dim lighting, like pools of ink. His skin held the warm brown tones common to his kind, and the hair visible at his throat and wrists was thick and dark. A small scar cut through his left eyebrow, the only imperfection on an otherwise striking face.
If he wasn't such a monster, Adeline thought with detached observation, he would probably be considered attractive.
When it became clear that King Heloix had no intention of speaking, his expression remaining cold and unreadable, Axis continued. "While things may have been relaxed at Richard's castle, that is not how we operate here. We have rules, and they are expected to be followed."