VALORIA WILDEROSE
I stand hesitantly in an unexplored wing of the castle I've never been to before, supposedly belonging to the Luna and usually closed off in her absence, standing outside large double doors that lead to her room.
Azrael's and Yara's warnings replay in my head.
Be a wallflower. Keep your guards up. Don't stand out. Easier said than done when she's already singled me out.
How far up should my walls be, I wonder? How cautious is cautious without it being too obvious that I'm being cautious around her?
The longer I stand there, the more I lose my mind, so I swallow my nerves and fill my lungs with air and knock on the door.
Silence and anxiety follow, and I'm second-guessing myself all over again, realizing I'm not ready to face her yet.
But the doors slowly pull open before I can run.
A maid stands on the other end, her dull expression greeting me before a bow.
"Her Majesty is expecting you."
