Sera appeared at Emery's door the next morning with the same brisk efficiency as the day before. She just opened the door, those red eyes assessing her.
"You've been staring at that wall for an hour," Sera said. "Time to see the city."
Emery hadn't realized she'd been counted. She sat on the edge of the massive bed, still in the tunic and trousers from yesterday, her hair a tangled white mess around her shoulders. The gold dress lay in a corner where she'd kicked it. She hadn't touched it since. She would trash it.
"I don't–"
"You don't know if you're ready." Sera cut her off, but not unkindly. "No one ever is. Get up, let's walk. The sun helps clear the mind."
★
The city was breathtaking. Emery had seen it from above during the flight, had glimpsed it from the tower window, but walking through it was different.
