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"Stop conspiring," Madrigal said "Can’t I have a shawl at least?"

"No," they said together

"I feel almost as nad as at the baths"

She had never in her life felt so exposed as when she’d walked through the steah-deep water with Chiro that afternoon Everyone kne that she was Thiago’s choice, and every pair of eyes in the women’s bath had inspected her, so that she wanted to sink down out of sight, leaving just her horns spiking through the surface of the water

"Let Thiago see what he’s getting," Nwella said, devilish

Madrigal stiffened "Who said he’s getting it?" It, she heard herself say The word felt appropriate, as if she were soer "Me," she corrected "Who said he’s getting ht refuse him "Here" She came forith a mask "We will pers spread, carved of lightweight kaza wood, black and embellished with dark feathers that fanned out froht, rainbows of iridescence rippled over the feathers

"Ah Good No one will knoho I as and horns eluded disguise

The Warlord’s ball was a masquerade, a "come-as-you-aren’t" Chimaera of human aspect wore the faces of creatures, while those of beast aspect wore carven huerated to ridiculous proportion It was the one night of the year for folly and pretend, the one night that fell outside nor but It was, rather, a night to decide her life

With a sigh, she gave in to her friends’ ministrations She sat on a stool and let thee her lips with rose-petal paste, and string lengths of ultrafine gold chain between her horns in tiers, suspended with tiny crystal drops that winked in the light Chiro and Nwella giggled as if they were preparing a bride for her wedding night, and it struck Madrigal that it well could be, if not in cereo, it was unlikely she would be returning to the barracks tonight

She shivered, i his clawed hands on her flesh What would it be like? She had never ined Thiago ht about it She was of age; her body coursed with urges, just like anyone’s, and chial had just never coht

"There You’re finished," said Chiro She and Nwella pulled Madrigal to her feet and stood back from her to survey their work "Oh," breathed Nwella There was a pause, and when Chiro spoke again, her voice was flat She said, "You’re beautiful"

It didn’t sound like a compliment

After Kalaal was there beside her "You’re all right," she assured her, as Chiro’s eyes fluttered open It was Chiro’s first resurrection, and revenants said it could be disorienting Madrigal hoped that in inal flesh, she could ease her transition "You’re all right," she said again, clasping Chiro’s hand with its hamsa, symbol of her new status She told her, "Brimstone let me make your body I used diamonds" Conspiratorial "Don’t tell anyone"

She helped Chiro sit up The fur of her cat haunches was soft, and the flesh of her human arms was, too Jerkily, Chiro touched her new skin--hips, ribs, huerly up her neck to her head, felt the fur there, and the jackal , and at first Madrigal thought it was only the problem of a newly made throat and a mouth that had never yet foral’s hand "You did this?"

Madrigal backed up a step "It’s… it’s perfect," she said, faltering "It’s almost exactly like your real--"

"And that’s all I merit? Beast aspect? Thank you, my sister Thank you"

"Chiro--"

"You couldn’t have h-human? What are a few teeth to you? To Brial’s ed; it had a deeper tone than her original voice, and Madrigal couldn’t tell how much of this was its newness, but whatever else it was, it was acid, and ugly "Would you want to be al said, "I don’t understand"

"No, you wouldn’t," said Chiro "You’re beautiful"

Later, she had apologized It was the shock, she said The new body had felt tight, unyielding; she could barely breathe Once she grew accustoth, its lithe movement She could fly faster than before; her ht sharper She said she was like a violin that had been tuned--the same, but better

"Thank you, al remembered the spiteful way she had said, "You’re beautiful" She sounded like that now

Nwella wasA frown creased her scaled brow, and she plucked at the charal’s neck "This, of course, will have to go," she said, but Madrigal pulled away

"No," she said, closing her hand around it

"Just for tonight, Mad," coaxed Nwella "It just isn’t fit for the occasion"

"Leave it," said Madrigal, and that was that The tone of her voice dissuaded Nwella froh, and Madrigal spilled her wishbone from her cupped palm so that it settled back in its place, where her clavicles met It wasn’t beautiful or fine, just a bone, and she saw plainly that it did not do justice to her decolletage, but she didn’t care It hat she wore

Nwella regarded it, pained, and then turned to rue in her drawer of cosmetic tubes and ointments "Here, then At the very least" She ca soft brush, and before Madrigal kneas happening Nwella had dusted her chest, neck, and shoulders with soling

"Nwella!" Madrigal tried to brush it off, but it was dust-fine and it clung: sugar powder, which girls hen they planned to be tasted If her rose-petal lips and nad back were not enough invitation to Thiago, Madrigal thought, this certainly was Its telltale shin that said LICK ME