" I stand, and Dona slips behind me and immediately sets to work unbuttoning my dress. If she weren’t here, I would be tempted to rip the intolerable thing off and toss it across the room.

‘Did you say something, my lady?’

‘Hmm?’ God, did I speak aloud without realising? I rub my eyes. ‘I’m just tired.’

‘Did you have a splendid time at the assembly?’ she asks.

Oh, aye. Killed a faery. My fifth this week. "

― Elizabeth May , The Falconer (The Falconer, #1)