Nina stood at the front of the line, her back stiff as she tried to keep her shoulders straight.
It was her eighth try.
The muscles in her arms burned from holding the same position over and over again, and she could already hear the whispers beginning behind her. The girls were trying to keep their voices low, but the courtyard was too quiet for gossip to stay hidden.
"She keeps dropping her shoulders."
"At this rate, the Hunt will be a disaster."
Nina ignored them.
Lady Emory stepped in front of her with her hands clasped neatly behind her back. The older woman studied her posture carefully before narrowing her eyes in disappointment.
"Your posture is poor," Lady Emory said firmly as she circled around Nina. "Your shoulders are uneven, and your stance lacks confidence. What are we going to do about this?"
Nina exhaled slowly through her nose.
Her shoulders ached badly now. She lifted both hands and pressed against them, trying to ease some of the stiffness gathered there.
