Kaida's kaleidoscope eyes fixed on one of the guards standing at attention near the chamber's perimeter—the one wearing the fox mask. With a languid gesture of her hand, she beckoned the figure forward.
"Sarah," Kaida called, her voice a melody that seemed to linger in the air long after she'd spoken. "Escort our... Veilwalker... to Number Five's chambers." The pause before and after "Veilwalker" hung heavy with meaning, the title simultaneously honorific and mockery.
The guard stepped forward immediately, her movements fluid and precise. She removed her fox mask, revealing features of striking elvish beauty—high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes of deep emerald, and skin like polished alabaster. Her hair, a rich auburn cascading in intricate braids interwoven with tiny silver beads that caught the light, framed her face in an elaborate pattern that spoke of rank and station among Kaida's forces.
