We arrived on time, wearing black dresses Lily assured me would be proper attire. "I checked with Josef back in the shop for something we could wear around the palace, wanted to make sure we weren't going to cause a fashion crisis," she said as we made our way to the dining room. "He assured me this would fit in with whatever the other guests are wearing."
The guards opened the double doors, admitting us to the same dining room from last night—but it was nothing like the previous evening.
The table was the same, the polished oak rectangle stretched out across most of the room. But people wandered around, chatting in low whispers as servants brought trays around with crystal flutes, a variety of fine wines on display.
"Thank you." Lily snagged a pair of glasses, filled with white wine. S
