Angelica walked into the living room to find her old friend, Valerie, the former Beta's wife, already seated with her daughter, Alicia.
"Valerie!" Angelica's face brightened as she walked in.
"Angelica, darling!" Valerie cried out, rising to her feet.
The two women embraced warmly before Angelica settled into the seat across from them.
They exchanged pleasantries, the easy back and forth of two women who had known each other for decades, asking after this relative and that, this old acquaintance and another.
"And how is Kai?" Valerie asked, leaning forward, her face creasing with concern. "Has he healed completely from those terrible wounds? We heard he was at death's door."
"He has, thank the goddess," Angelica said with a shrug. "He's doing fine now. Back to his usual menace of a self, if I'm honest." She turned and called to a passing servant. "Some tea for our guests, please."
The servant bowed and hurried off.
