Sabrina's Pov
I couldn't sleep.
No matter how many times I closed my eyes, my thoughts refused to settle. They drifted back—again and again—to that voice behind the door. Calm. Sharp. Amused. As if being trapped was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
Curiosity never leaves. It only waits.Curiosity never leaves. It only waits.
She was right.
That realization followed me through the dark hallways until I found myself standing in front of the door I had been warned to ignore. The forbidden room loomed quietly before me, unchanged, unmoving—yet I knew better now.
It was past ten in the evening. The house was asleep, but the room was not.
Chains rattled softly from behind the door. Not violently, not desperately—almost rhythmically. As if whoever was inside was pacing, shifting, testing the limits of her restraint out of sheer boredom.
She doesn't get tired, I thought, uneasily.
The sound stopped.
Then came a low, amused laugh.
"Can't sleep, human?"
I flinched, my heart skipping before I forced myself to sit down on the floor, a safe distance from the door. My back leaned against the opposite wall, knees pulled close. Even now, fear lingered—but it wasn't enough to send me away.
"Yes," I admitted softly. "I can't sleep. I think I need someone to talk to." I hesitated, then added, "I'm bored anyway."
The chains shifted again, followed by a thoughtful hum.
"How generous of you," she teased. "Visiting a prisoner out of boredom."
"I didn't say that," I muttered, though a small smile tugged at my lips. "You're the one who said you wanted company."
"You realize," she said mildly, "I could tell Mrs. Arya that you've been sneaking here."
My heart jumped—but only for a moment.
"You won't," I replied quietly.
"And why are you so certain?"
I looked at the door, even though I knew I couldn't see her. "I know you won't."
Silence.
Then a soft laugh, genuine this time.
"…You are surprisingly perceptive."
She sighed. "Very well. If you insist on keeping me entertained, the least you can do is sit comfortably."
I shifted slightly, relaxing my shoulders.
"You said you wanted someone to accompany you," she continued. "So I suppose I'll allow it. For tonight."
"Allow it?" I repeated. "You sound like you're the one in charge."
"Oh, I am," she replied smoothly. "Just not in ways that matter anymore."
The words carried a quiet weight.
"I'm Sabrina," I said after a moment. "The maid. The only one, apparently."
"Sabrina," she repeated slowly, tasting the name. "It suits you."
I blinked, warmth blooming unexpectedly in my chest. "And you are?"
A pause—longer than before.
"…Rue."
"That's it?" I asked. "Just Rue?"
"Yes."
I couldn't help myself. "Wow. After all that mystery, I was expecting something longer. More dramatic. Like—Rue of Eternal Darkness or something."
She laughed outright then, the sound light and sharp. "Careful, human. Mocking names can be dangerous."
"I'll take my chances," I said, grinning. "Still, it's kind of cute."
"Hm," Rue replied. "You humans are quite brainy when you're not trembling."
"Hey," I protested. "I can be scared and intelligent."
"I stand corrected."
I hesitated before asking the question that had been pressing against my chest since the beginning. "Why are you here, Rue? Why would the Arya family lock you up like this? Were you kidnapped? Or is this some secret rich-people hobby?"
She hummed thoughtfully. "So many questions."
"Sorry," I said quickly. "I just—this is all strange."
"Strange is one word for it," she replied. "I've been here for five hundred years."
I laughed.
It slipped out before I could stop it. "Okay, that one was good."
"I'm serious."
"Sure you are," I said, still smiling. "Next you'll tell me you're a cursed princess or something."
"I slaughtered an entire clan of black wolves," Rue continued calmly. "That was what earned me this room."
I laughed harder. "Alright, that's definitely my favorite joke tonight."
She chuckled softly. "I didn't expect you to believe me."
"Good," I said, wiping at my eyes. "Because that would mean I've officially lost my mind."
"Perhaps," she said gently, "or perhaps you simply haven't seen enough yet."
The chains shifted again, closer this time.
"You know," Rue added, "you could come inside."
My breath hitched. "No."
"I can't harm you," she said calmly. "I'm chained."
"No," I repeated, firmer. "I won't."
"You're already here," she pressed. "Already listening. Already choosing."
"I said no," I insisted, though my voice trembled.
Rue's tone softened. "Sabrina… knowledge is frightening only before it is known."
I swallowed hard.
"You clean this house," she continued. "You serve a family that fears what they've locked away. Don't you deserve to know what shares the same roof as you?"
My hand lifted, fingers hovering inches from the door.
Just a look, my mind whispered. Just to know.
The chains rattled softly, as if sensing my hesitation.
"I won't touch you," Rue said quietly. "I promise."
My heart pounded painfully as I pushed myself to my feet.
"Just a look," I whispered—to myself more than to her.
When I finally stepped inside, the first thing that struck me was the emptiness.
I had expected… something. Someone. A presence waiting for me the moment the door opened. Instead, the room greeted me with silence so thick it made my ears ring.
The door closed behind me with a soft click, and I flinched. The sound echoed unnaturally, bouncing off stone walls that seemed far too distant for a single room. The chamber was vast, its ceiling disappearing into shadow. Dim lights—small, pale orbs embedded in the walls—cast a faint glow, just enough to reveal shapes without offering comfort.
The air was cold and smelled old, like dust that had never been disturbed and iron that had long forgotten blood. Strange markings were carved into the stone floor, circular and precise, glowing faintly as if alive. Heavy chains lay stretched across the room, anchored deeply into the walls, some coiled, some taut, all of them etched with symbols I didn't understand.
At the center stood a chair.
No—a throne.
It was raised slightly above the floor, carved from dark stone, tall-backed and imposing. It looked ancient, regal, and deeply out of place in a world like mine.
"Where are you?" I asked, my voice echoing weakly.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then I felt it—a shift in the air behind the throne.
A tall figure stepped into view.
She moved slowly, deliberately, as though she had no reason to hurry. She wore a black robe, the fabric thick and heavy, falling elegantly around her body. It draped over her shoulders and arms, pooling slightly at her feet, swallowing the dim light like shadow given form. The robe was loose but intentional, as though it concealed rather than protected.
She was… not what I expected.
Like something hunched and drooling, I had imagined earlier. Glowing eyes, sharp teeth, maybe crawling on the walls.
Instead, she stood straight and composed.
Her hair was long—unnaturally long—and white, cascading down her back like strands of moonlight. It looked almost unreal, too perfect to belong in a place like this. Her face was sharp and beautiful, carved with elegance rather than cruelty. High cheekbones, pale skin untouched by time, lips curved faintly in amusement.
But it was her eyes that held me still.
One red.
One blue.
They weren't wild or feral. They were calm. Ancient. Watching me as if she had been expecting me all along.
Then I noticed the chain.
It circled her neck like a cruel crown, thick and heavy, glowing faintly with runes. It extended backward, merging into the wall behind the throne, binding her to this place in a way that made my chest ache.
"I thought you were…" The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Her eyebrow lifted slightly. "Go on."
"…ugly," I finished awkwardly. "Creepy. You know—like a monster."
For a heartbeat, I thought I had offended her.
Then she smiled.
A slow, knowing smile as she turned and sat upon the throne, resting against it as though it belonged to her.
"I do not look like that," she said calmly. "Not yet."
"Not yet?" My stomach twisted. "That's not comforting."
"The time has not come," she continued. "If you remain until midnight, you may revise your opinion."
I swallowed hard. "I didn't come here to stay that long."
"Of course not," she replied lightly. "Humans rarely intend to face the truth. They simply… arrive there."
I didn't like how easily she read me.
Up close, she didn't feel threatening. The chains limited her movements, yes—but more than that, there was a restraint in her demeanor. Control. A quiet patience that made my fear slowly unravel into something unfamiliar.
Admiration.
She was beautiful in a way that felt unfair.
Too bad she's chained, I thought before I could stop myself. She'd make a great model.
The thought startled me, and apparently amused her.
"You are staring," she said. "Rather intensely."
"I'm not," I lied.
"Are you falling in love with me already?" she teased.
My face burned. "Absolutely not."
She chuckled softly. "Humans do that sometimes. Attach emotions too quickly."
"You said you've been chained here for hundreds of years," I said, crossing my arms. "And you still believe in love at first sight?"
She leaned back against the throne. "No. I believe in curiosity. And curiosity is far more dangerous."
I hesitated, then asked again, quieter this time. "Why are you really locked in here?"
Her gaze never wavered. "I already told you.I slaughtered an entire clan of black wolves."
I laughed again. I couldn't help it. "You're really sticking to that nonsense, huh?"
Her smile deepened, unreadable. "Truth often sounds absurd to those who have never witnessed it."
Time passed strangely after that. I lost track of minutes, of hours. The room felt heavier, warmer. The lights dimmed further, the symbols on the floor glowing brighter.
Then Rue stood.
She reached for the clasp of her robe.
"Why are you removing your clothes?" I asked nervously, turning away.
She didn't answer.
Instead, a low growl filled the room.
It wasn't loud—but it was painful. The chains rattled violently as her body tensed behind me, metal screaming against stone.
"What's happening to you?" I asked, panic surging. "Rue?"
No answer.
The growl deepened, sharper now. Not human.
I turned.
And my world shattered.
A massive white wolf stood where she had been.
Its fur glowed faintly in the dim light, eyes burning red and blue with terrifying clarity. The chains dug into its neck as it strained, muscles rippling beneath thick fur.
Fear swallowed me whole.
Before I could scream—before I could run—darkness claimed me.