Elara let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, waving her hand dismissively in the chilly room air as if brushing away my panic. "Alright, fine. Stop spiraling, Seraphina. You are overthinking everything to the point of absurdity. We are going to go get a strong drink, clear that overheated head of yours, and maybe hit a lively club down in the lower city."
I stared at her in total disbelief, my jaw practically touching the floorboards. "Elara! Are you completely out of your mind?! I am the Duchess of the Sovereign Keep! A noble lady doesn't just go sneaking into lower-city clubs in the middle of the night!"
"Sometimes, dear sister, a Duchess has to behave like a regular civilian if she wants to keep her sanity," Elara shot back, a mischievous, razor-sharp grin spreading across her face. "It's simple. We slip past the outer guards, grab a very strong drink, watch the strippers perform on stage, and—"
