Chapter 56. I Have the Answers You Seek

AURELIA

In the peaceful embrace of sleep, the chaos of reality fades—until it inevitably drags you back. Today, reality had a face, a Viking accent, and smelled of fresh onions. Sigrid.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” came her irritating voice from above me. “With the way you sleep, Astrid, one would think you’re royalty, not a maid.”

“Maybe because I am royalty,” I mumbled, half-asleep, earning a scoff from her.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, looking outside. The sun hadn’t even risen, and I groaned in frustration.

“I’m not even a kitchen maid. Why do I have to wake up before dawn?”

“Forgive me, my lady,” Sigrid said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “But the head maid has ordered every maid in the palace—yes, even you—to attend fellowship for the new religion. She got permission from the Empress herself, as long as we’re all back to our posts in time.” She reached down and tugged me out of bed. “Now make haste. We must join the others.”

Sigrid lef