[Host. Are you breathing.]
"No," I whispered back.
Nero sighed in my head. [Please do not faint at the altar. That would be so embarrassing.]
I inhaled sharply, lifted my chin, and let the maids help me into the carriage. The wheels bumped over cobblestones as we rolled toward the palace. I clutched the emerald necklace I had bought yesterday. It pulsed faintly, warm and steady, like a heartbeat I could hold onto.
[Host, you do know a glowing necklace won't save you from human stupidity or jealousy, right?]
I ignored him. I just needed something to hold.
The closer we got, the more the crowd appeared—nobles in elaborate dresses, commoners who had managed to get a glimpse. Not a massive crowd… just enough to make my stomach twist with nerves.
The carriage stopped. A footman opened the door.
"Lady Seraphina Valemont."
I stepped out, careful with my posture, every inch the poised daughter of a Grand Duke. The whispers started instantly.
"She's beautiful…"
