I stood there like a mannequin, letting Miri tug, tuck, and smooth my heavy apparels until I felt less like a human being and more like a beautifully packaged weapon ready to be deployed into enemy territory.
Pia gave a lazy yawn that stretched across my consciousness. "If she pulls that lace any tighter, our ribs are going to snap. And if our ribs snap, we can't breathe. If we can't breathe, we can't bite that blonde viper from earlier. Priorities, Waverly. Priorities."
We are not biting anyone today, Pia, I thought back, taking a cautious, shallow breath as Miri smoothed down the front of my bodice. We are being high-born, foreign, and entirely unbothered.
"A boring strategy," Pia sighed. "But fine. Let's go look at the fancy monsters."
With a final, encouraging pat from Miri, I turned and headed out into the corridors of the palace. The grand staircase was a sweeping arc of stone that led down to the main courtyard where the cars were parked.
