"I really like your style of art."
It was the first session Elain had attended at Lucresia's newly opened art studio. The studio had been set up in one of the vast rooms within the Laurel mansion.
Several young ladies had joined them, some eager to learn from the teachers Lucresia had hired, others simply delighted to speak with peers who shared the same interests.
"You flatter me. Mine barely looks put together compared to yours," Elain told Lucresia.
Days had passed, and she still had not found a single trace of the amulet she was searching for in the Blythmor mansion. She had begun counting the days left before the delivery she had promised, and anxiety had slowly started to coil around her heart.
She knew there was a strong chance she might fail, and failure would surely cost her life. With the bargain binding her to Rafelius, there was no turning back on her word.
