Lenora has spent years lowering her gaze in the imperial palace, hiding the hunger for a place she can never lose. When the empress's summons arrives at dawn, the command is simple yet absolute: serve in the private chambers, where silk sleeves graze skin and a hand rests heavy at the small of her back.
Margaret's authority leaves no room for refusal. Every precise order draws Lenora deeper into obedience, exposing the empress's own need for surrender that no one else dares offer. The line between duty and possession blurs with each lingering touch.
What will the empress demand once the maid has crossed the threshold into her keeping?
