Page 101 of The Safest Place She Knows

She looked athim and muttered, “I am going to go.”

He blinked.“You will not get far. The guards are going to keep you with me,and you do recall how efficient they were at locating you.”

She grimaced.“Yes, I do.”

“So, wait untilyour first outfit is ready, and then we will begin to introduce youto my social circle.”

Zelle nodded.“Sure. Why not? It isn’t like I can do anything without you for awhile.”

He smiled. “Itisn’t enthusiastic, but I will take it.”

She nodded andbegan to formulate a plan.

ChapterSixteen

Zelle got out of thecar over a month later and waited for her cousin to make her wayover. “Come on. There are a whole bunch of mortified shopkeeperswho are excellent seamstresses and tailors.”

Lya hugged her.“You look pale but good.”

“Thanks.Growing a person is hard work.”

Venka frowned.“You hid from your alpha?”

“I got my pointacross. He wanted to haul me over the globe and back again. I wasin no mood. Oh, and his family wanted to give him a lovely youngwoman from a good family as a bride. It was when his aunt startedreferring to me as a breeder that I left.” She smiled. “Right inthe middle of his birthday celebration. By the time he noticed Iwas gone, I was gone.” Her smile got feral. “Come along. This willbe fun.”

Bolin held thedoor open for her, and Chang came in to scowl at theshopkeepers.

The staff tookone look at her and bowed. “Lady Zelle. To what do we owe thehonour of your visit?”

“Thank you foryour gracious welcome. My friend Lya has recently entered a denwith a higher income standard than she is equipped to deal with.They are using Lady Olyna’s dressmakers, but as the good lady wasdisciplined by Lady Lya here, we are a little leery of what shewill actually end up wearing. I am hoping that you can dobetter.”

Lya looked ather. “Zelle, how do you know about that?”

“Lady Fen andLady Olyna own and control most of the businesses around town. Theydrive commerce, and therefore, Kaiyun knows all about them. Hetells me all the gossip.” She smiled.

The staff werescrambling into action, and Zelle wandered to the design book. Shepicked out a few looks for Lya that she knew she would appreciate.She spoke with the seamstress, and Venka appeared. “Oh, that willlook lovely on her.”

Lya was bulliedonto a dais where the measure storm took place.

Venka chuckled.“Can you pick something else, Lady Zelle? You know our princessbetter than we do.”

Zelle smiled.“For now. I suspect you are interested in catching up.”

“I am, but sheis our greatest treasure. All of us serpents are accepted as weare, and she’s immune to venom.”

Zelle smiled.“Yes, she is. How is Tamara doing?”

“She iscurrently at school with friends. She’s been transferred to theschool for alpha children.”

“Oh, good. Shewill fit in better. She needed peers.”

Lya called out,“Zelle? The measurements are getting intense.”

Zelle turned toVenka, “Can you help her out? They will kit her out from skin tocoat.”

“Thank you forbringing us here. If the design you have chosen is any hint of yourtaste, please continue to make your selections. If they could havea dress ready for her birthday next Monday, that would bedelightful. The aunties are making one, but as you have stated, mymother is not a fan.”

“We will makeher one. Lya is a great mother and an excellent friend, and I haveno idea about her enthusiasm as a lover, but I have heard goodthings.” She chuckled and took the pattern book to the designers,speaking in Cantonese and asking for small changes to the details,including a lot of serpentine embroidery.

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