Katia lifted her head and met Serena's eyes directly. "I appreciate your concern, Serena. Truly. But I can't leave the palace. Not yet."
Serena let out a long sigh. "Have it your way then."
With those words, she turned and walked away.
Katia surveyed the room full of noblewomen and gave a slight nod in greeting. A few of the more respectable ladies returned the gesture before politely excusing themselves and heading toward the exits. Others, however, remained behind with different plans.
A small cluster of girls stood nearby, their voices low but deliberately pitched so Katia could hear every word. They glanced at her as they spoke, their expressions sharp with barely concealed malice.
"Can you believe her nerve? She actually thinks she deserves to be here..."
"The auda
