Dahlia
The Vale estate was beautiful in the way expensive cages usually are.
Gleaming floors, tall windows, fresh flowers in every hallway that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe growing up. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I'd landed in some luxury resort instead of the enemy territory. Too bad I did know better.
"Miss Dahlia, this way please." A young attendant with a nervous smile guided me down yet another hallway, the third one since breakfast. Her name was Priya, and she'd introduced herself that morning with a kind of forced cheerfulness people use when they're being watched just as closely as you are.
"Do I actually need an escort to the garden," I asked, keeping my tone light, "or is this just Vale hospitality?"
"Mister Vale prefers his guests stay accompanie
