"Please take a few steps back."
Lina kept her guard up, extending only one hand through the narrow opening to retrieve the teapot. She ignored the saucer sitting beside it, grabbed the pot, and quickly pulled it inside before shutting the door. She slid the bolt into place and tested it twice before finally allowing herself to breathe. The maids and guards might think her behavior strange, but she had long since stopped caring what other people thought. In a place where a cup of tea could be poisoned and a friendly smile might conceal murderous intentions, caution was hardly a flaw.
The teapot was warm against her hands, and she welcomed the heat seeping into her cold fingers. However, when she turned around, she nearly dropped it in fright.
