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With each success, Cress had grown more confident I think so I will try Yes, Mistress, I can do that
That had been back when Cress still harbored hopes of one day being welcome here, before her imprisonment aboard the satellite She should have known better when Sybil refused to ever bring her through this breathtaking round tunnels as so sha the palace beside an ally and a friend If there was anyone in the galaxy she trusted, it was Thorne
As if hearing her thoughts, Thorne pressed a hand against her lower back
"Pretend you belong here," he ainst her ear, "and everyone else will believe it"
Pretend you belong here
She let out a slow breath and tried to
Today, she was Lunar aristocracy She was a guest of Her Royal Majesty She was on the arm of the most handsome lamour But most important …
"I am a criminal irinned at her "That’s my line"
"I know," she said "I stole it"
Thorne chuckled and strategically placed theh that they would appear part of the group, and they glided up the white stone stairs The doors looer as they stepped into the palace’s shadow The chatter of the courtyard was replaced with the echo of stone floors and the resounding laughter of people with nothing to fear
She and Thorne were inside the palace As far as she could tell, the guards hadn’t even looked at theain as she took in the extravagance
More aristocrats loitered in droves in the grand entrance, picking at trays of food that floated in the basins of crystal-blue pools Everywhere were gilded colue of all was a statue at the center of the hall depicting the ancient oddess, Arteoddess wearing a thorny crown atop her head and holding an arched bow, the arrow pointing toward the sky
"Good day," said ainto Cress’s back
The h his dreadlocked hair was dyed in variegated green--pale foah Cress was on guard, waiting for suspicion or disgust, the uards, were chosen for having little talent with their gift, and he wasn’t able to sense that Cress was nothing but a shell
She could hope
"We are glad you have come to enjoy the festivities on this most celebrated day," the enerous queen has laid out for her guests" He gestured to his left "In this wing you are free to enjoy our erie, full of exotic albino animals, or listen to an assort place in our grand theater throughout the day" He lifted his right arame rooms should you care to test the providence of luck, as well as our renowned coentleman is in need of further companionship Of course, a variety of refreshhout the palace The coronation cerein to reat hall at half before For the safety of all our guests, there will be no continued access to the corridors once the coronation has begun If you require anything to make your day more pleasurable, please let me or another courtier know"