Zareth clapped his hands once, the sharp sound echoing across the stone room. Before the echo faded, a door Rowena hadn't even noticed, a seamless panel in the wall slid open, and three young women hurried in. They lowered their heads, hands folded neatly in front of them. They wore identical grey dresses. The women stopped a few steps from the bed and bowed deeply, not speaking.
"These are Selveth, Elowen, and Nyven," Zareth said, gesturing towards them one after the other. "They will tend to you from this moment onward. You will not have to trouble yourself with the small things anymore."
Rowena frowned slightly. "I can take care of myself."
Zareth waved the comment aside. "You have done enough of that already. Here, you'll be treated like a queen."
Rowena looked at the three bowed heads. Their obedience was absolute, and it felt stifling. They were not introducing themselves; they were being presented, like tools.
