Chapter 2 His Space

  Beatris

  My hand hovered in front of the door.

  It wouldn't move.

  The cleaning cloth was clenched tightly in my fingers, damp from how long I had been holding it. I stared at the dark wood, my pulse thudding louder than it should have.

  It was just a room, just  another chore, so why couldn't I knock?

  The hallway behind me felt... quiet, too quiet.

  The usual morning sounds, the clatter of dishes, distant voices, footsteps felt far away, like I had stepped out of the house without leaving it.

  I swallowed, forcing air into my lungs.

  Then I knocked, the sound echoed softly, no answer. My fingers curled tighter around the cloth. I knocked again, still  nothing, the silence stretched, too long.

  A cold feeling crept up my spine, slow and deliberate, as if warning me to stop.

  I didn't, My hand moved to the handle, and pushed.

  The door opened.Darkness greeted me.

  The curtains were drawn tight, shutting out the morning completely. The air inside felt colder than the hallway, still and heavy, like the room hadn't been touched in hours, Or days.

  I stepped in slowly.

  The door closed behind me with a soft click that sounded louder than it should have, my chest tightened.

  "It's just a room," I whispered, but the words felt thin. My eyes adjusted gradually.

  Shapes formed.

  The bed  was untouched, the furniture perfectly arranged, the desk near the window and then

  something caught my eye.

  A ring, resting beside a closed book.

  The red stone caught the faintest light and held it, glowing softly in the darkness. 

  My steps slowed, something about it pulled at me. I didn't understand it, but I felt it.

  My fingers loosened slightly around the cloth as I moved closer. My hand lifted slowly as I reach for it.

  "Eudora."

  My body went still.

  The sound didn't just reach my ears, it settled in my chest. My heart slammed hard against my ribs.

  I turned slowly, he was there. Sitting in the darkest corner of the room, so still I hadn't noticed him.

  How long had he been watching?

  My throat tightened.

  "Eudora," he said again, softer this time.

  Like he was sure, like he was waiting.

  I forced my voice out. "No... sir. My name is Beatris."

  He stood, his movement was slow and controlled, but it made something in my chest tighten. 

  In just a few steps, he was in front of me.

  The faint light from behind slipped across his face, revealing sharp lines, pale skin, and eyes that didn't look away, not even for a second.

  "You're Eudora," he whispered.

  The certainty in his voice made my stomach drop.

  "It's you. I know those eyes."

  My foot shifted back on its own.

  "I'm not...I swear I'm not," I said quickly, my voice unsteady. "I was only sent to clean, I didn't mean to..."

  His hand closed around my arm.

  I gasped. The contact sent something strange through me, not pain, not fear, something sharper and colder. My breath caught.

  His grip wasn't rough, But it wasn't gentle either, It held me in place.

  His eyes searched my face, Slowly, carefully.

  Like he was trying to peel something away and find what was underneath, my chest rose too fast, I couldn't look away.

  Something in me didn't want to.

  And that scared me more than his grip.

  Then just as suddenly, he let go.

  The absence of his touch felt just as sharp.

  He turned away, his hand moving to his forehead as if something inside him hurt.

  His shoulders tightened, his breathing changed, Uneven.

  "I was mistaken," he said quietly.

  The warmth in his voice was gone.

  What remained was cold, like  a door had shut.

  I stood there, my arm still tingling where he had held me, my thoughts struggling to catch up.

  "Leave."

  I didn't move at first, then  slowly, I stepped back, the room felt colder now. He didn't look at me again.

  His gaze had shifted back to the desk, to the ring. I followed it for a second, then  forced myself to turn.

  My fingers trembled as I picked up the cloth again and walked to the door. Each step felt too loud. When I reached it, I paused.

  Just for a second, then I looked back. He hadn't moved, he was still standing there

  staring at the ring, like everything else had disappeared. I stepped out and the door closed behind me.

  The hallway felt warmer, but my chest didn't.

  My heart was still racing, too fast, too loud.

  His voice echoed in my head.

  Eudora. Eudora.

  I pressed my lips together, trying to steady my breathing as I walked, it didn't help.

  The name stayed, Stuck, like  it belonged somewhere I couldn't reach.

  "Beatris!"

  I flinched slightly.

  Diana hurried toward me, her eyes scanning my face.

  "Done already?" she asked. "That was quick. Did you apologize?"

  Before I could answer, she hooked her arm through mine and pulled me along.

  "Tell me everything," she said excitedly. "Did he say anything? Everyone's talking about how handsome he is, don't tell me you didn't notice!"

  The maid quarters were already loud when we entered. Voices overlapped, laughter, whispers.

  "I swear, he doesn't look like he belongs here," one of the girls said. "His eyes alone..."

  "He's like something out of those gothic stories," another added.

  Diana dropped her basket and turned to me. "They're right, you know. He's not like anyone we've seen."

  I forced a small smile.

  "He's... quiet," I said.

  "Quiet?" she repeated, raising a brow.

  I nodded slightly. "And polite."

  She laughed. "That's all you noticed?"

  "I didn't stay long."

  "Lucky you," she said with a grin. "If I were you, I'd faint before even stepping inside."

  The others laughed. I didn't, my arm still tingled, his  voice still lingered.

  Eudora.

  I opened my mouth to say something then closed it again. Diana was still smiling, dreaming. She hadn't seen what I saw, Hadn't felt it, so I said nothing.