"Heard someone shamelessly snuck into His Majesty's chambers last night."
Just as I reached for a pastry to fill the hollow pit in my stomach, a silky voice slithered toward me, curling around my throat like a velvet ribbon laced with poison.
"So arrogant already, and she just got here. Not very ladylike." Another bloom added sweetly, raising the drama with such grace it might have passed for etiquette.
I scoffed, calmly took the croissant from the tray, and ignored them completely. I knew their game. If I snapped back, they'd pounce like vultures on a carcass.
"Is she pretending to be dumb, or is she actually dumb?" Someone sneered behind a mocking giggle.
I bit into the pastry. The rich butter melted on my tongue.
"Now now, sisters." Odessa clapped her hands lightly, trying to dissipate the tension with grace. "We're all one big family, aren't we?"
The others fell silent. But not out of peace. It was the silence of hyenas waiting for the right moment to strike.
