|| -- Chapter 7 -- ||
The maids walked away and left Jane breathing heavily. She watched them go while blushing to herself. (Did that really just happen..?)
The events repeated in her mind, and she stood in a daze as she remembered them. Camila had reached under Jane's dress and rubbed her off. The mere thought of it sent embarrassment burning through her cheeks.
The maids were gone now, and only Jane remained, but their sly smiles remained in her mind. A flicker of arousal lingered in her sex, and she reflexively squeezed her thighs together.
(Did I... Did I enjoy that?) The memories flashed through her mind even stronger than before. Rather than simmering down, it felt like her arousal got stronger with every moment.
A gentle breeze blew around Jane. The garden's flowers waved in the breeze, and their candy-like scent filled the air.
Jane took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down, but she got a lungful of the sweet aroma. The floral smell filled her head and, rather than calming her urges, it fanned the heat building between her legs. Her eyes fluttered, and her core clenched reflexively. Beneath her yellow sundress, her nipples visibly stiffened. It took all her willpower not to start masturbating immediately.
(What's going on, why is my body so warm? I just came, but the urges won't go away...)
Jane took another deep breath, but more of the candy-like scent filled her lungs. A shudder ran through her, and she felt a twinge in her sex. At the same time, the memories of the maids repeated in her mind. They looped through her mind, fanning the urges between her legs.
Time slowed down as her mind focused on the heat in her body. She didn't know how long she stood there, but it felt as if no time passed, and as if she waited for an eternity.
"Are you okay?"
Jane's eyes snapped open at the sound of Serina's voice. The maid stood before her, staring at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine." Jane hurriedly smoothed the wrinkles in her dress.
"My apologies for leaving you unattended. Shall we continue on with the tour?"
"Yes, that sounds great." Jane nodded quickly. (I think the smell of all these flowers is getting to my head...)
--
After leaving the gardens, Jane's mind cleared up and her urges simmered down to a dull buzz. The strange warmth died down to a gentle throb in her sex, and it never went away, but it faded enough that she could focus on the tour itself.
"This is the room we have time for," Serina said and led Jane into a small book room.
Dust covered shelves filled the room, and countless books packed them. Only a small window let light into the room, but the glass was red-stained, and it cast an ominous glow over the bookcases.
"This place doesn't seem to have been cleaned recently..." Jane said, glancing around the dusty shelves.
"Few are allowed in here, and the dust makes it obvious when someone unwelcome intrudes."
Serina approached a bookshelf and looked over the volumes contained within. Strangely, there wasn't any dust on the shelf she looked at. The ones below and above had plenty of dust on them.
"Here." Serina pulled out a thick leather-bound journal. She flipped through a few pages and nodded to herself. "Take a read."
She handed the book over, but Jane looked at it skeptically. It had no title or markings on the outside to distinguish its contents. "This is?"
"It's a research journal written by your forebearers." Serina's face never showed much emotion, but her eyes sharpened ever so slightly. "Tell me, what do you see inside of it?"
"Uhm..." Jane glanced down and opened a random page, but it was only filled with tables, numbers, and obscure jargon. She couldn't make heads or tails of it.
"Why don't you start from the beginning, like how all books are read." Serina stepped over to a small table and pulled out a seat. Similar to the shelf, it was completely devoid of any dust.
Jane swallowed in uncertainty, but sat down. She placed the book in front of her and opened to the first page.
The journal described breeds of plants, watering cycles, and gene theory. The pages contained detailed information on generations of plants and their results. However, unlike where Jane initially opened it to, it also contained diary-like entries.
The journal contained details on who the author talked to, shops they visited, and grocery lists. Jane tried to read a few of them, but they seemed mundane and boring. Her eyes glazed over as she scanned the contents.
"Who would read something this dry?" Jane furrowed her brow and glanced up at Serina, but the maid smiled faintly.
"As a child, I used to sneak in here to read that journal between shifts."
(I hope I didn't insult her... Perhaps I'll try reading further... )
Jane flipped through the pages while skimming for information. The pages grew more streamlined as she went. They contained fewer grocery lists, and more numbered tables. Eventually, Jane found a single torn page, and beyond that, there were no more diary entries.
"This page is missing..." Jane furrowed her brow and flipped back to the torn page.
Serina nodded. "Does it spark your interest, I wonder? That is the only page missing in the entire journal."
Jane blinked and glanced up at the maid. However, Serina's expression had returned to an impassive stare.
"I suppose?" Jane said with a hint of a question in her words. (It still sounds rather boring to me...)
"What if, out of every book in this room, you were forbidden from reading that one? Would the missing page not be much more interesting?" Serina asked.
"If I were forbidden from reading it, I would probably read a different book..." Jane said slowly.
Serina remained silent for a few moments, then nodded. "I suppose that is the natural reaction."
(I feel like I disappointed her somehow.) Jane thought to herself, but she didn't know how. There were plenty of other books on the shelves. Surely those would contain more interesting reading material?
