phin

too sharp, but they were enough t

last night, Lady Helena had mockingly lamented that the arrangement to share Lord Gideon's bed was supposed to fall to Ruby.

he morning, even though she wasn't on duty. She had planned to force me to kneel in the dirt and humiliat

other breath on her. I simply brushed pas

, so I didn't need a guide to navigate the towering stone corridors. I stopped

ly. "Tell Milady that Seraphina W

inside. Barely a moment later, the he

folds of my plain linen skirts, kept my h

dropped to my knees, pressing myself into a deep, formal bow. "This lowly one greets Lady Helena," I said

tatus in Lord Gideon's bed had come with so little warning, the craftsmanship was a bit rushed. Thankfully, I had em

nto minutes, and no

Lady Helena's expression. I held the grueling position, my knees digg

e finally echoed above me, dripping with cold di

ead to the icy sto

r lip in silent endurance. I kept my neck bowed, the prominent line of my spine maki

sed Lady Helena-the legitimate future Duchess-by plucking me from the servant quarters and placing me in Lord Gideon's bed to secure an heir. Lady Helena's mother had surely taught her that any low-status companio

d all her fury at me. Yet, bound by the decorum of a highborn

criptures," Lady

rward with what soun

Lady Hele

as slightly puffy, dark shadows lingering ben

n. Having just endured my first intimate encounter with Lord Gid

h that his overwhelming presence had left upon me. The contrast was stark; next to my

knuckles turned white. An older maid gently nudged her, and only then

my chest loosened. But before I could even let out a

its rules. This volume of the First Dragon's Hymns is entrusted to you.

iver one hundred completed copies to the sanctuar

time in torturing me. We were less than a mont

in such a short time would require me

ing of the Dragon-born, I dreaded to think how withered an