The frozen heart

Chapter 13: In the Eyes of the Damned

Chapter 13: In the Eyes of the Damned

The kitchen bustled with activity as the maids scurried about, preparing for another grand feast. The air was thick with the smell of roasting meat and baking bread, and the heat from the ovens made the room feel like a furnace. Anne wiped her brow with the back of her hand, her mind drifting as she kneaded dough on the worn wooden table.

She hadn't seen Kaiden today, but he was never far from her thoughts.

"Anne."

The sound of Maris's voice startled her, pulling her from her thoughts. Anne looked up, finding her friend standing close, her expression unusually tense.

"Maris?" Anne said, her brow furrowing. She could tell something was wrong just by the way Maris stood—her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line. "What's the matter?"

Maris hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. The other maids were too busy with their tasks, and the head cook had already stormed off to the storage room in one of her usual tirades.

"I need to talk to you," Maris said in a low voice, stepping closer so no one else could hear. "About the boy."

Anne's heart skipped a beat. "The boy?"

"Don't pretend, Anne. I saw you." Maris's eyes flashed with worry. "I saw you in the garden with him. The one with the white hair."

Anne's stomach dropped. She hadn't realized anyone had noticed, least of all Maris.

"I—" she began, but Maris cut her off.

"Anne, you have to stop." Her voice was urgent, almost pleading. "You don't understand how dangerous this is. If someone finds out... If the nobleman hears about this..."

"He won't," Anne said quickly, but her words felt weak even to her own ears.

"You don't know that," Maris hissed. "All it takes is one maid to see you, one word whispered in the wrong ear, and it'll be over. You'll be punished, or worse."

Anne swallowed hard, her mind racing. She knew Maris was right. She had been so careful, making sure no one saw her when she left food for Kaiden, but she hadn't counted on Maris.

"I can't just stop," Anne said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "He's... He needs help. He's not what people think."

Maris shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. "You don't know what you're dealing with, Anne. That boy—he's cursed. He's dangerous. The townspeople, the other maids... they all avoid him for a reason."

Anne felt a surge of frustration. "But you don't know him! He's not—"

"I don't need to know him," Maris interrupted sharply, her voice rising in desperation. "All I know is that the nobleman hates him. Everyone in this castle knows the story. He's trouble, Anne. Please, for your own sake, stay away from him."

Anne's heart ached as she looked at her friend. She could see the fear in Maris's eyes—the fear for her. But she also knew what she had seen in Kaiden. He wasn't just some cursed boy, some monster to be feared and cast aside. He was lost, alone, and hurting. And something deep inside her told her that if she didn't help him, no one would.

"I can't abandon him," Anne said softly, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her chest. "He's not dangerous, Maris. He's just a boy."

Maris's expression softened, but the worry didn't leave her eyes. "Anne, please. Don't get involved in something you can't control. The nobleman won't care what your reasons are. If he finds out you've been sneaking around with that boy... I'm scared for you."