Chapter 72

• I was the first to step out of wardrobe, boots striking the floor with confident weight.
• The red-and-white outfit they put me in hugged my frame with sharp lines and clean authority, the fabric whispering of steel beneath silk. My long hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swayed behind me like a battle flag. I caught my reflection in one of the crew’s mirrored palettes arched brows, focused eyes, and a smile that didn’t quite reach the surface.
• For a second, I didn’t see myself at all.