Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view
- - -
"Can I help you, Lady Mezzanotte?", the guard at the door asked.
'Lady Mezzanotte', I liked it.
I plastered an innocent smile. "It's noisy and stuffy inside and I was hoping for a breather. Is it OK for me to walk through the hallways? If you can point me in the direction of the garden, that would be perfect."
"Of course, Lady Mezzanotte. The main floor is available. The master asked that you don't try to enter rooms that are locked, and you will find other guards at the points that are off-limits. You can talk to them if you need further instructions." He pointed to the right and explained how to reach the garden, and off I went.
