Soraya's POV
My first morning as an employee of the palace didn't feel real until I stepped past the third marble archway and saw the ocean-blue banners hanging from the ceiling. They swayed gently, as if greeting me—or warning me.
A tall, bald man in a dark gray coat stood waiting near the east wing. He glanced at a sheet of parchment, then at me, frowning.
"You must be the new one," he said. "Maria, yes?"
I bowed slightly. "Yes, sir."
"Mm." His eyes swept over me quickly, assessing. "First rule: never give the palace reason to frown. And you're already on the edge of it."
We had never met before, but he already sounded disappointed in me.
"I am Master Harlan," he continued. "Head steward for the royal household."
He turned sharply, and I hurried after him, almost jogging to keep up with his long strides.
