Chapter 26

Lila, as always kept her mouth shut. Althea folded her arms against her chest, she then remarked, "Expected of you to keep shut."

Unperturbed, Lila questioned Althea's recent attitude shift. "What's with the current attitude?" she inquired.

Althea responded with a nonchalant shrug,

"Let's just say I'm getting used to my environment."

Her footsteps echoing on the stone floor, Althea walked over to the door, her curiosity piqued by the room's history and the secrets it held. To her surprise, she found the door was locked.

Turning to Lila with a mixture of frustration and disbelief, Althea lamented, "I'm a prisoner now?"

Lila, choosing her words carefully, responded, "Well, you did upset the king, and he didn't want you out."

"But you said he summoned me," Althea countered, perplexed by the mixed messages she was receiving.

Lila nodded, "I know" and knocked on the door, announcing, "Let the lady out. We're done here."