Hearing Ave's firm words not only amused the Princesses, who had been too scared to talk back to Catherine after the Empress's orders, but also shocked Catherine herself for a moment before she recovered.
"Goodness gracious," Catherine chuckled. "For a woman who was picked out of slavery and given the title of a Princess, you sure want to rebel against the Empress by going against my decision. I am their guardian, and my decision is the most important one here. The Princesses won't be making any of those things you called a dress."
Ave couldn't believe Catherine thought she was the kind to follow some damn words because the Empress had ordered them. Yes, she was terrified of the tyrant Empress, but not to the extent that she'd let Catherine do as she pleased in a palace that belonged to Lucian. She hadn't only come here to spy but also to disrupt everything Ave was preparing for their dance. She would be a fool to sit still like the princesses and let her have her way.
