Nothing greeted Valentina like laughter, arguing of her sisters, Maddie's voice committing emotional crimes from across the room or Sierra sweetness softening the air, neither Patricia making some dry, elegant remark from a couch while pretending she was not deeply invested in everyone's nonsense.
The entire place seemed strangely empty, the vast living room glowing beneath dim lights and the tv, the city and dark lake spread beyond the glass in a silent glittering panorama.
Everyone had scattered.
Emily and Lydia shared a room. Nastya and Victoria did too, and they had come back before Valentina, though whether they were here or still somewhere below was anyone's guess.
Who knew what princesses did in their free time? Practice glacial expressions? Plot romantic ambushes? Adjust crowns that existed mostly in social pressure?
