Page 30 of A Lie so Pretty and Poisonous

“A little birdie may have mentioned to me that his highness finally found a friend.” Anya giggled as she swept Cora’s frizzy curls over her shoulders. “How about I put your hair up today?”

Cora bit into buttered toast. “Works for me,” she mumbled through chewing.

Anya pulled out another garment from the bag and handed it to me. “This dress is for you.”

I blinked. Green. A lovely pine green dress. Not a speck of pink to be seen. The dress was nothing fancy or embellished. Just a green dress with a green sash that tied in a bow at the back.

Anya ran a hand down the fabric. “I had an inkling that the last two dresses weren’t to your taste. Since the commander is not here to dictate your color palette, I thought we would try something else. I made a wild guess and thought this would suit you better. It seems more…you.”

I huffed out a small laugh with a smile. “I love it. You are correct. The other dresses were not my style. Or color palette. I am sorry if I gave you the impression that your dress choices were bad. I did not mean to be rude.”

“Oh, no need to apologize. I picked neither of the pink dresses. Besides, I didn’t have to see your face to know how you felt. My enchant is clairsentience. I can feel someone’s true feelings and emotions.”

I laid the dress neatly on the bed. “Oh! What a wonderfully useful enchant.” I wondered if the dizzying swing of my emotions would make her question my sanity.

“It can be tiresome, so I shield myself from feeling others' emotions often.”

“Gabriel told me that seraphs don’t talk about their enchants. They keep them private.”

Anya rolled her eyes. “Noblemen and their sense of dramatic flair.” I gave her a nod and a knowing smile. “Enchants are hardly confidential unless they have jobs that require secrecy, or their power is dangerous to the crown.”

I fidgeted with my hands and creased my brow.

“You’re confused.” She smirked. “I assume Gabriel didn’t tell you his enchants then?”

“He did not, and I wasn’t going to ask him because he seems so private about it.”

She scoffed. “I will tell you Gabriel’s enchants, but you have to swear that you won’t tell him you know outright. I don’t want to be in trouble and must repent at the atoner.”

I nodded. “I have heard about this ‘atoner’ but don’t understand what that means.”

Anya’s eyes darkened, and she looked to Cora, who was blissfully distracted with spreading jam on a second piece of toast and watching birds outside the window. “Atoners dole out punishments,” she said quietly. “If they feel you have wronged someone, especially a noble or royal, you must atone for your sin in front of Themis, the God of Justice. The punishment could be a lashing or several lashes. Some punishments are meant to humiliate, like being made to work in servitude or stripped of a title if they are a noble. King Torrish speaks with Themis and tells the atoner what Themis sees fit to use as punishment for someone. Only the king has a direct line of communication with Themis. Though the god listens to prayers and smaller personal atonements at Temple or at the pillar in the courtyard. Do you not pray to Themis in Edenalee?”

“Not exactly,” I said hesitantly. “We have many deities. Most have altars and temples, but the only one we all collectively pay tribute to is Clotha, the Goddess of Fate. The rest of the deities are given devotions based on a person’s profession, needs, or wants. For example, I work at an apothecary, so we have an altar to Airmed, the Goddess of Healing and Herbs.”

Anya raised her eyebrows. “Interesting! I have heard of Clotha through books, but Themis reigns supreme, and no other deities have altars or are worshiped. It is forbidden.”

“Oh, I will keep that in mind while here.” I hadn’t realized how stringent seraph religion was. “So, what enchants does Gabriel have? I promise to never utter a word to him about it.” I took Anya’s hand and squeezed.

“Gabriel is a fire-wielder. It isn’t a unique enchant, but his is extremely powerful,” she said with a shrug. “He also has a secondary enchant of divination, which is useful to the crown. It is helpful in his position as commander to find militia members. It is a rare one but has limitations. His visions can only be accessed with scrying tools, and he must be precise to get accurate information. He needs to have locations, names, or other specifics to get the best results. His divination has found criminals, but he has also been on empty-handed chases when his scrying wasn’t accurate enough.” Anya gave a tight smile and leaned in toward me. “You do not want to be around him when that happens. Such a temper.”

My brows furrowed. “I wonder why he didn’t want me to know this.”

She shook her head with a shrug. “Gabriel likes to put on this mysterious persona. Women tend to like that about him.”

“I can’t say I relate. I have never taken to noble life.”

Anya gently clasped my upper arm and winked. “I think we are more alike than not.”

Her rich brown eyes were warm and kind and held a familiarity in them. We were two women who could see ourselves in each other. It made me want to trust her. “Thank you for sharing with me. I needed a friend here.”

Cora bounced up to us on her toes. “Anya, I am done with breakfast. I don’t want to be late for my schooling. Can you help me with my hair and dress?”

“Absolutely.” She smiled and tapped Cora’s nose.

The pine green dress was far more comfortable than the previous dresses I had been shoved into. The cut of the neckline flattered me without revealing as much as the previous evening’s frock. I was twisting my waves into a simple braid when Anya pulled in a sharp breath. She was kneeling in front of Cora, wearing her slip, wide-eyed. Anya swallowed, dropped her eyes, and resumed helping Cora button up the back of her dress.

I knitted my brow. “Everything alright?”