𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 | the darkling & nikolai lantsov

₂ | INTO THE SNAKE PIT

[𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐘𝐀]

***

THEN

Tasiya stopped in the middle of the hall, glancing around at the white walls with their golden, gilded accents. Around each corner was a hall that looked exactly the same as the one before. The whole damn palace was a labyrinth and Tasiya hated puzzles.

She cursed the head housemaid. The spiteful woman had told her to turn right at the bust of King Alexander II—which she did—and then make a left at the portrait of the late Queen Irina—which she also did. The door should've been on the left at the end of the hall, but it wasn't.

Was the old crone setting her up for failure or something?

The dark-haired girl felt a few strands of hair fall from her once-neat bun but was unable to push them away due to the large basket she carried in her hands. The unruly locks were not used to being restrained as before she came into her new, esteemed position among palace staff, she'd worn it loose over her shoulders. She was still trying to perfect the braided-twist style that the other maids wore in their hair, but her long hair did not want to cooperate and constantly unraveled. It was quite annoying when she was in the midst of scrubbing and dusting.

Trying to retrace her steps, she passed the familiar portrait once again and tried the opposite direction. Once more, it led to a dead-end and she went to retrace her steps once more. Biting her tongue to keep the vulgar language that threatened to escape her inside, the Suli girl attempted to locate a member of the palace staff and get new directions. The ones she previously received had obviously been trash.

"What are you doing?" a sharp voice called from behind her. Tasiya turned to see a girl about her age striding toward her with purpose, her flaming hair standing out against the customary white and gold livery. No, not livery, Tasiya corrected in her mind. A kefta. The perturbed girl before her was Grisha.

The dark-haired girl itched to adjust the crisp, white gloves that covered her hands as the girl approached. A nervous habit she had developed over the years.

"Well?" the girl repeated, her patience tested.

Tasiya's eyebrow ticked in annoyance. "I was looking for Prince Nikolai's room. I was ordered to clean it while he was out for his studies today."

The red-haired Grisha looked her up and down, "You're rather far off then. His room isn't anywhere near here."

The Suli girl pursed her lips. Of course, she wasn't. The jealous, old bat did set her up for failure then. Suddenly, the suspicious look on the Grisha girl's face fell, and when she spoke, it was significantly less harsh than her previous addresses. "Come on then," she said. "Follow me."