Page 80 of The Mercy of Dawn

Gaudy and awful.

Layers upon layers of tulle and gauze, and other fabrics that looked like they were going to itch terribly, all gathered up under the bodice to form a full, cumbersome skirt.

Runa responded to her with a tight, brief smile before she turned to the dressmaker and bit out, “This is not what we agreed upon.”

The short moon-fae man balked at her.

“Your Majesty, I assure you—”

“No, no.”

Runa stalked around the bed and separated the two halves of the dress.

“This”—she pointed to the bodice—“we agreed upon. But this”—she waved her hand at the skirt—“couldn’t be further from what we talked about.”

Cyril and Dion both watched in silence as a few stuttered syllables left the dressmaker, and the queen sighed, pinching her brow.

“Wait for me outside,” she said, and the man backed out of the room in silence. “Your other dresses, are any of the skirts separate?”

Cyril shook her head.

“They’re all attached. But it’s alright!” She looked from Runa to the dress and back. “I don’t mind, really. I’ll just need some help with it.”

A crease formed between Runa’s brows.

“I’ll make sure one of the girls comes up, but I’m sorry, Cyril.”

“It’s fine, really!” It wasn’t fine at all, but the last thing Cyril wanted to do was come across as unappreciative of Runa’s gesture, even if it had run utterly sideways.

Runa sighed and said, “I’ll see you two at dinner.”

Amusement glimmered on Dion’s face, but he waited until the door had closed behind Runa to say, “Will you chat with me for a minute before they come to stuff you into that monstrosity?”

Sitting beside Dion in front of the fire in her room, Cyril’s palms were sweating. He wasn’t the sort of man to want to talk without reason. Not usually, at least.

“Did something happen in the city?” she asked quietly.

He had once again been absent for the past few days, returning only that morning, and it was the only connection she could make. He seemed happy enough, but Cyril hadn’t seen her other uncles in a while now and she had no idea what was happening there.

Dion smiled and shook his head. “No, but I’ve been thinking.”

“…About?”

“You, and your future.” He cast her a sidelong glance. “I wasn’t planning on bringing you here at first, you know, when Lars sent me the contract. But the more I thought about it, I realized it would be good to get you out of Helia and let you explore your prospects elsewhere.”

Cyril’s mouth went dry as she said, “Prospects? What do you mean?”

“Work.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“But I already work for the guild.”

Dion sighed. “Cyr, proper guild work is dangerous. More than you understand.”

“You mean more than you’ll let me understand,” she scoffed.

“I’m not kidding, Cyr. It is not the sort of life I want you to have, period.” Dion scrubbed his hands over his face before he looked at her again. “I’m asking you to have an open mind while we’re here, please. Talk to Runa about it, if you can. She has an unfathomable number of connections, and she might have some ideas on things you could do.”