I knocked timidly on the wood of the door and waited for the cue to enter. When none came, I knocked a bit louder. Still nothing. I called to Adelind, wondering if perhaps she had dozed off. Not a sound. Slowly I opened her door a bit and poked my head inside. I looked around and saw her sitting lazily by the fire, reading something. I stepped into the room and cleared my throat. Adelind looked up in surprise at me.

“Marina,” she gasped.

“Adelind, I—”

“How dare you, enter my quarters without knocking first!” She exclaimed.

“I did knock!”

“I didn’t hear you, you couldn’t have.”

“But I did! I knocked twice and I called your name!”

“You little liar! Are you trying to tell me that I’m deaf!?” She shouted at me. My brows furrowed together as I tried to understand why she was acting like she hadn’t heard me.

“I did knock.”

“Marina, if you cannot tell the truth, I can’t allow you to return to your room.”

“But I am telling the truth!” I exploded.

“Don’t you raise your voice to me!”

But I couldn’t obey.