Page 43 of Naga General's Mate

“Just browsing.” Mila affected the dismissive tone she’d heard countless nobles use.

She selected a deep purple gown with gold embroidery while Brivul found formal robes in midnight blue. The fabric whispered against her skin as she changed in the fitting room, so different from her rough slave clothes.

“You look…” Brivul’s eyes widened when she emerged.

“Like I belong here?” She smoothed the silk, wondering if he could hear her thundering pulse.

“Beautiful.”

Mila’s cheeks flushed. She busied herself adjusting the golden sash at her waist.

The clerk processed their payment without question. Outside, the evening air had cooled. Mila’s new shoes clicked against cobblestones as they made their way toward the boarding houses.

The Gilded Rose Inn rose before them, its windows warm with lamplight. Inside, dark wood panels lined the walls and plush carpets muffled their footsteps.

“One room.” Brivul placed more credits on the counter. “Two beds.”

The innkeeper handed over an ornate key without comment. Their fine clothes had worked. No one looked twice at them.

Their room was small but clean, with views over the market square below. Mila sank onto one of the beds, finally letting her shoulders relax.

“We did it.” She couldn’t quite believe they’d made it this far. Tomorrow they’d seek out Talis.

“Get some rest.” Brivul settled onto the other bed. “You’re safe here.”

Safe. The word felt foreign on her tongue. But as she lay in the darkness listening to Brivul’s steady breathing, she allowed herself to believe it might be true.

Dawn’s pale light filteredthrough gauzy curtains as Mila smoothed her new silk gown. The purple fabric felt so soft against her skin. She traced the golden embroidery at her sleeve, remembering all the times she’d watched nobles wear such finery while she scrubbed the floors.

“Ready?” Brivul asked, adjusting his midnight blue robes.

“As I’ll ever be.” She pulled Ellri’s map from her sleeve, the paper worn soft from constant handling. “Talis’s estate should be past the merchant quarter.”

They slipped into streets already bustling with early morning activity. Servants hurried past with baskets of fresh bread and flowers. The scent hung heavily in the air.

“Left here.” Mila guided them down a boulevard lined with towering white columns. Each step brought them closer to Talis’s estate, and her heart raced in her chest.

The morning sun climbed higher, glinting off gilded domes and crystal windows. They passed through the merchant quarter where silk banners snapped in the breeze. Finally, the estate’s high walls rose before them, crowned with delicate spires.

“There.” Mila pressed against a shadowed alcove, Brivul close beside her. The evidence against Kurg felt heavy where it was hidden in her bodice. “That’s Talis’s estate.”

Armed guards patrolled the perimeter. Somewhere inside was their only chance at justice—and Priscilla’s freedom.

“Second thoughts?” Brivul’s eyes searched her face.

“No.” Mila squared her shoulders, though her hands trembled. “This is our best chance to take down Kurg and free my sister.”

“Then let’s do this right the first time.” His tail curled protectively around her.

Mila nodded, drawing strength from his presence. The weight of what they were about to attempt pressed down on her, but there was no turning back. Not when they’d come so far.

Mila slipped from shadow to shadow along the estate’s perimeter, her silk skirt whispering against the cobblestones. Years of avoiding notice as a slave had taught her how to move unseen.

Two guards patrolled the main gate, their weapons glinting in the morning sun. She counted their steps, noting the precise thirty-second gap between passes.

The eastern wall caught her attention. Thick vines crawled up the stone, providing potential handholds. A service entrance sat partially hidden behind a cluster of fragrant jasmine bushes.

The service entrance saw steady traffic—servants coming and going with baskets and parcels. Each was checked, but the guards seemed bored with the task.

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