A WEEK FLIES BY, and suddenly it’s time for my twice-monthly lunch with Astra and Daciana. I settle into the plush cushions of Astra’s private sitting room, the afternoon light filtering through her tall windows and casting everything in a warm, golden glow. This is so much better than the crowded dining hall—just the three of us, plates of sandwiches and fresh fruit spread across the low table, no one else around to overhear our conversation.
“You’re glowing,” Astra observes, curling up in her favorite armchair with a cup of tea balanced on her knee. “Why are you in such a good mood?”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I reach for a strawberry. “Can’t I just be happy?”
Daciana snorts from her spot on the window seat, already halfway through her sandwich. “She’s being
