“Ashcrest won’t return to what it was,” I continued. “It answers to me now.” I let that settle before I went on. “Nothing changes here without my order.”
She listened without interrupting. She didn’t look away this time. She held the words where they were given.
“You need to change,” I said. I kept my voice even and didn’t look away. There was nothing more to add to it. It was simple, and it stayed that way.
Her fingers stilled for a moment. Then she looked at me fully. “I don’t have anything,” she said. There was no strain in it.
“You do,” I answered. I turned and walked to the table near the wall. The clothes had been left there earlier, folded and untouched. I picked them up and brought them back.
“Sera left these for you,” I said. I held them out without stepping closer than neede
