9: A Very Peculiar Door

Restless after her first day in the castle, Aurora rises, writes a reassuring letter to her family, and seals it alongside her earlier note to Farren. Seeking the mail chute and some calm, she ventures out with Constance the rabbit, finding comfort in the castle’s quiet, candlelit glow.

In the kitchen, Aurora posts both letters through an ice mail chute, then wanders the first floor, taking in opulent rooms, an expansive library, and a moving portrait of the First Starmaker that briefly animates with falling snow and a caretaker’s silent aid. The castle’s enchantments stir both wonder and a pang over Aurora’s lost writing opportunity.

Climbing back toward her room, Aurora notices an oddly plain door. Curiosity wins; she forces it open and discovers a modest, dust-laden bedroom brimming with living plants—jarringly ordinary amid the castle’s splendor. Books on horticulture and astronomy line the shelves, and a cracked photo reveals the current Starmaker as a mortal boy with his family.

On the desk, a leather journal titled “The Fourth Starmaker” and a tucked photo of a smiling blond girl hint at a personal history the Starmaker has preserved. Aurora, chastened by the intrusion, steps away just as Ina arrives, explaining no one is allowed inside and that the Starmaker forbids even cleaning it.

Ina chooses not to tell him but urges Aurora to respect his privacy. Escorted back to her room, Aurora breaks down, newly confronted with the Starmaker’s enduring ties to his former life and the profound loneliness that may await her.