The Wolves Belong Underground

Chapter 3

Maria's excitement for her new job at the Wolfsbane manor slowly dissolved over the next week. Zorath was not lying when he said he ran a tight ship at his home. Everything had a certain order to his manor, and nothing was to disturb that. He had even gone as far as putting on one of his white military gloves, and glide a finger across one of the book shelves in his office. His face flickered with disgust when he showed her the faint, tint of grey against it.

"Do it again. Properly, this time." he snarled as he walked by her. It took everything in her not to throw the dirty rag at the back of his head. Even when Maria scrubbed, mopped, and polished until her hands were red and raw, it still wasn't enough. He would just say the same thing over and over. Do it again.

A spot on his fork? Do it again. All the silverware, might as well since you were careless enough to let that spot slip by. A stain on my waistcoat? You were beyond careless to miss that. Do it again. My tea is too weak. A commoner like you may not understand, but tea must be made bold and dark.

Do. It. Again.

Maria was going to scream if she heard those damned words be uttered from his mouth again. How she was resenting him by the day. Yet she pushed herself to the limit, staying up after hours to make sure he wouldn't have to say those words to her again. She knew the only reason she was still working under his roof, was because his cold and stern mask would examine her work. And by the last day of the week, Zorath inspected her work. He glanced at her with those burgundy eyes, and gave her a single nod.

"Well done." he muttered. These words did not satisfy Maria. She knew she was still very much on thin ice. She was dancing on a blade working here, but the paycheck at the end looked too tempting to pass up.

The day came to an end ever so slowly, black clouds circling the sky as it hid away the moon. Low rumbled threatened in the distance, yet delicate drops of water fell from the heavy clouds. Maria wiped the sweat from her forehead, leaning against her mop.

"What's next," She murmured to herself all alone in the ballroom, its floors now glistening from a fresh mop. She pulled out her list, making a mental check list of everything she had done for the day. She sighed with great annoyance as she read the last one. Clean the master's chambers.

"Shit." she muttered under her breath as she shoved the list back in her pocket. She had no clue where he was at this hour, and she needed to hurry as the day was coming to an end. She hated bothering him, he always seemed so unenthused with her presence. She figured she couldn't expect less from a Lord, and she was just a commoner. He rarely made eye contact with her. But when he did, something about it sent chills up her spine. Giving her a feeling no one else had given her. She couldn't put her finger on what the feeling was, but she didn't enjoy it.

With a tired huff she picked up her mop and bucket and began her search for him. She was getting more familiar with the home, though occasionally finding a hallway she had never seen before and taking her to a new area. Even now, searching everywhere she could, the master was nowhere to be found.

Maria was rather puzzled by this. From what she had seen, he seemed to nearly never leave the manor. Not even to step outside for fresh air. The only other place she could think he would be was his very own chambers.

She made her way to his room, the rain outside falling heavier and claps of thunder shook the bricks that held up the manor as strikes of lightning filled the hallways with white light. The hall to his room seemed the coldest, making Maria shiver. His door was at the very end, and she gave a good few knocks and waited for a response. Nothing.

"Master?" She called out "Its Maria. I'm just here to clean and then I'll be on my way."

Silence answered her. She pressed her lips together, wondering what the best option was. Walk away because she did not receive his consent to enter his room. Or clean the room in a haste before he comes back and be praised for finishing her chores.