Aileen's breath hitched, but she held herself steady.
Brenna smiled with obvious approval. "I trust she has served you well. Come, ambassador. There is yet much to show you before nightfall."
Serena's fingers curled tighter around the handle of the cup, the warmth of it pressing into her palm. Her eyes widened slightly before she schooled her expression into a tight smile. "Nightfall, you say?"
"Oh, excuse my manners. You have a couple of days to be here. We mustn't exhaust you."
Serena let out an awkward smile and looked briefly at Aileen, whose attention seemed to be elsewhere. Was she misremembering Ryker's words when he said they would return on the same day? Of course not. It was the only reason why she had agreed to come out in the first place, that and her respect for Cedar.
"I see," she said quietly.
