Once Upon a Dark Turn by Tana Rose

Author:Tana Rose [Rose, Tana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Fable

The next day, I’m told that I’ll be serving in the ballroom. Apparently, whoever arranges these parties likes the idea of a servant who will remain completely silent through the whole thing.

After I’ve scrubbed what feels like every pot in the kitchen twice, Cook orders me down to the servants’ bathhouse, with a fresh uniform and a bar of harsh soap. “Go get yourself as clean as you can, braid your hair, and come back here for more instructions.”

The servants’ bathhouse is really more of a shed with a few wooden baths filled with lukewarm water that have clearly already been used. It’s almost empty, beside a single chambermaid lounging in her tub like it’s the finest porcelain ever and she’s a lady of leisure. She runs her gaze over me dismissively before closing her eyes and leaning her head back.

Of the three remaining tubs, I pick the one that looks cleanest and shudder when I finally dip my body into the water, trying not to think about how many people have already used it. So gross. So fucking gross.

I don’t feel any cleaner by the time I’m done, though my skin no longer has smears of dirt on it, and my hair is so clean it actually squeaks when I run my fingers through it. Though that might have to do with the harshness of the soap drying it out. It is also still brown, thankfully. Though the color looks like it faded a bit during the wash.

The new uniform is like my old one, but cleaner, and made of finer fabric, obviously meant to be worn while in the queen's presence. It’s a wonder she cares, seeing as she’ll apparently kill anyone at the drop of a hat. Seems like she would prefer for us to look as run down as we can.

When I step back into the kitchen, Cook runs a practiced eye over me, before nodding once. “You’ll do.”

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