Chapter 49: Can't go back to sleep

Anaisa sat up in bed, frightened by the intensity of the storm outside. What a strange dream she'd had! And yet, the particulars of the memory were already slipping through her grasp...

"Annie!" A screech from the room next door made Anaisa fly out of bed and across the floor without even gathering her robe.

She flung open the door only to belatedly realize that it was Princess Sapphira, and not Katia, who'd been calling her.

"What?? What's wrong?" She gasped. Was the Princess injured in some way?

"Annie. My lamp went out due to lack of oil. I assume this is your negligence. Get me more." The Princess demanded.

"I… what?" Anaisa's eyebrows rose with fury. "My negligence?"

The Princess had dismissed her other maids to varying temporary duties so long as Anaisa was shadowing her trying to learn about how to pretend to be Sapphira. It would be inconvenient to have others underfoot impeding her progress.