Jasmine's POV
I tracked her down in the palace kitchen.
The sound of clanging cookware and bustling servants couldn't mask Sylvia's commanding voice echoing through the stone chamber.
She stood like a jeweled statue in the middle of the workspace, her elaborate sapphire gown completely inappropriate for the humble kitchen setting.
The dress made her look like she'd wandered into the wrong world, and from the way every servant moved with stiff caution around her, it was obvious she wasn't welcome here.
I studied her from the doorway. Her dark hair was sculpted into an intricate updo, decorated with a circle of gleaming pearls that formed an almost regal pattern around her crown.
A young servant girl stood trembling before her, shoulders hunched as Sylvia's harsh words rained down. The other kitchen staff kept their eyes fixed firmly on their tasks, desperate to avoid attention.
