Serena stared at the paintings lining the walls for a few minutes before a steel figurine caught her attention. Darius had welcomed her into this place, and it was truly fit for an ambassador.
"It would have been difficult to explain why an ambassador from a Cardinal pack was staying at Oakspire," Darius explained.
It made sense. The Cardinals rivaled one another in power, at least, that was the long-standing belief, reinforced by massive history books and countless tales.
Someone of her supposed rank staying at Oakspire would've been a spectacle, an invitation for scrutiny neither of them could afford.
Serena nodded in response, then found herself staring at her reflection in a round mirror with silver trimmings.
In truth, she understood Beatrice's scrutiny. The woman staring back at her was unfamiliar. Her hair, hidden beneath the old white scarf, made her look more like a ghost of herself than anything else.
