MAEVE POV
The rest of the morning flew by, and before long, I found myself with an adequately made bracelet and a mildly dry throat from all the talking I’d done.
I survived the lesson. I still wasn’t sure how, but I did… and it felt so natural. Not once did I feel like I had to put on a mask or pretend to be someone I wasn’t.
I was just… me.
Once I was alone, watching a few of the girls and Charlotte start to collect some of the projects that had been left behind, I felt Queen Leonora’s presence approach me.
“That wasn’t so terrible now, was it?” she asked, gazing at me carefully.
“I… actually really liked it,” I admitted. “I’ve never been able to just… talk to other girls like that.”
And I got a cute, handmade bracelet out of it, I silently added.
“I know I warn you and Char
