Emaine
I lean forward, catching her attention.
"Aurelia," I say, lowering my voice slightly,
"do you mind if I use the toilet? I don't know my way around the palace."
She looks at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she nods and rises gracefully from her seat, her gown sweeping the floor. "I'll show you."
I follow her through the corridors of the palace, the air cool and thick with silence. Aurelia moves like a shadow, barely making a sound as we pass towering windows and tapestries that seem to watch our every step. I keep my face calm, but inside, I'm calculating. I need to find a way to speak to her, to make this trip to the toilet seem less... pointed. But before I can think of anything, we arrive at the door of the bathroom.
"There," she gestures, her tone curt but not unkind. "I'll wait for you outside."
