He exhales, and from the way he does it, I suppose he agrees with his friend. I decide not to press my luck any further and slip away from the door. I retrace my steps and return to my chambers. Clarissa and Naida are inside at the low table where they usually play cards. They smile until they see the state of my clothes and the bird’s nest that is my hair.
“What happened?”
“We were attacked on the way back to the castle.”
Both stand so quickly the cards scatter everywhere. Clarissa starts checking my body for injuries I might not have noticed.
“I’m fine, really.”
They don’t believe me and keep inspecting for a while. I let out a heavy sigh when they finally give me space to breathe.
“You must’ve been so scared…”
I nod.
“There’s hot water ready. Best we get that mess out of your ha
