Chapter 656: Negotiations
The corridor to the negotiation room was long and winding, delving deep into the heart of the spire. There were no windows to let the starlight in, nothing to soothe the agitated swish of my tail.
"You don’t need to be so nervous. As intimidating as it seems, negotiations are just talking," Elise said.
"That’s what worries me," I muttered.
She looked meaningfully at my tail. "It’s okay if you’re anxious, but try not to show it. The church might try to misconstrue it for guilt."
"R-right. I’ll try."
Several guards shored up the way behind us, doing their best to seem indifferent to our conversation. But whenever they thought I wasn’t looking, they snuck curious looks at me, especially as I twisted my tail in my hands. My cheeks warmed. After that, I kept my eyes on the ground.
"This way, my Lady," a sixth-level soldier said, opening a door in the side of the passage.
Elise offered him a small smile. "Thank you."
She took a deep breath and then ducked inside. I looked around once more, watching as the guards took position around the corridor. Squeezing my tail for good measure, I gave it a stern look and let it slip out of my hands. It started twitching before I even crossed the threshold.