LIORA’S POV
I stared at the woman in the mirror and couldn’t believe she was me.
The maids had outdone themselves. My hair had been swept up into an elegant arrangement, small pearls woven throughout the dark strands. The gown they’d dressed me in was deep sapphire blue, the fabric so fine it seemed to shimmer with every breath I took. The neckline was modest but flattering, and the skirts fell in perfect waves to the floor.
I looked… beautiful.
It felt wrong somehow, like I was wearing someone else’s skin.
“Is everything to your liking, my lady?” one of the maids asked, her voice trembling slightly.
I turned to reassure her, to tell her she’d done a wonderful job, but she flinched backward as if I’d raised a hand to strike her.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said gently. “You’ve do
