"You will have to stay in the servant quarters," Liora said gently as she pushed open a wooden door and stepped inside with Elara.
The air smelled faintly of fresh herbs and polished stone. "Because you were kind to me earlier, I made sure you got one of the better rooms. It's just beside mine. Otherwise, you would have been placed in that one near the washroom, and trust me, you wouldn't have liked that."
Her tone carried a teasing lilt, but her eyes were sincere.
Elara's chest swelled with relief. She turned toward her and smiled gratefully, her voice soft yet earnest. "Thank you, Miss Liora, for your generosity. Truly."
Liora blinked, clearly caught off guard. Then her lips parted in surprise. "You… don't have to thank me. It's nothing," she murmured, a little flustered. She quickly smoothed down her clothes, as if hiding her reaction. "Come. Let me show you something before you settle in, the little garden that belongs to the servants' quarters."
