Nora’s POV
Kade didn’t let me follow the teacher Harte had sent. Instead, he tugged me forward and pushed open a door beside the committee office.
Behind it wasn’t some empty meeting room—light flooded a space so bright it almost blinded me: racks of gowns, spotless vanities, mirror bulbs glowing like a river of stars. The air carried a faint blend of perfume and crisp linen.
I froze. My feet felt nailed to the floor, breath caught in my chest.
“So this is the girl?” A woman stood waiting, hair swept high in a sleek knot, lips curved, eyes flicking between Kade and me as if she’d already unraveled all my nerves.
Kade’s tone was low, edged with warning. “Muriel. She’s yours.”
The woman laughed lightly, slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Relax, little prince. I’ll make her the bright
