Starling sighed. “It’s easy to think of sacrifices in theory.” My voice sounded a bit too sharp. I took a deep breath. Let it go. “In practice you might find yourself…regretting the price you paid.” She nodded gravely. Her gaze rested on my arm, where the tapered sleeve of my gown revealed raised scars the whips had cut into me. I tugged the cuff over the marks and she looked away. “Where’s your whiskey?” she asked in a bright tone, then scooted behind the screen to fetch it. Handing it to me, she clinked her glass against mine. “To the new improved you!” I joined her in the toast, grateful for the change of subject. I savored the whiskey and studied myself in the mirror to get my new appearance firmly in my head. Wouldn’t want to accidentally blur it by thinking of myself in an old way. “Will it last forever?” “It should, unless I change it.
