The days in Donkovia blurred together in a haze of exhaustion and endless cleaning. Lily and I worked from dawn until well past dusk, our bodies aching and our spirits wavering under Luna Ruby's constant criticism and threats.
It was on our fifth day in the castle that everything changed. We were cleaning the grand dining room, preparing it for a dinner party Alpha Donk was hosting for some important guests. The pressure was immense, with Ruby swooping in every hour to inspect our progress and find fault with even the tiniest details.
"Rebecca," Lily whispered as we polished the enormous mahogany table, "I don't know how much more of this I can take. My hands are so sore I can barely hold the cloth."
I glanced at her hands, wincing at the raw, red skin. "I know, Lily. We'll find some lo
