Chapter 58

Olivia Martins

The sound of quiet footsteps stirred me from sleep.

I blinked against the light pouring in through the tall windows, my body stiff from sleeping curled up on the couch. My blanket had slipped halfway off during the night, and the air was warm, but not warm enough. I pulled it tighter around me, pushing up on one elbow.

There were maids in the bedroom. Two of them, moving softly, carefully. Their eyes flicked to me and then away again. Not unfriendly… but uncertain. Like they didn’t know what to make of me.

I sat up fully. “What time is it?” My voice was hoarse.

One of them, short and younger, looked at the other, who cleared her throat and said gently, “Almost noon, miss.”

“Noon?” I scrambled upright, my heart lurching. “You’re serious?”

She nodded. “You were asleep when we came in. We didn’t want to wake you.”

I rubbed my eyes, muttering under my breath. I hadn’t meant to sleep that long—hadn’t even meant to slee