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you’re so fond of.”
    I hated when Lilith called substitutes surrogates.
    “Ahem, Level Two right here,” I said, regretting it as soon as I spoke. Their attention shifted to me, the informative feud over.
    Lilith sniffed. “Did you forget to wipe you shoes before you stepped out of the bubble, Meredith? Smells like…Idaho.”
    I pursed my lips into a smile. Lilith had charmed me during my Level One training, but now I saw how deceitful and condescending she was. So, yeah, she did kind of own the whole lavender-and-lace look, but she was a total snob. Seriously, Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind was a sweetheart next to her. “Hi, Lilith.”
    “Oh, Desi dear!” Lilith gave me the once-over. “I didn’t even notice you.”
    Meredith stood. “Well, we couldn’t help but notice you, darling. Your fragrance is so cheap, how could we not?”
    “This is from the Façade boutique.” Lilith looked down at her wrist. “I like to support this agency any way I can.”
    “Like perfume is supportive,” I said.
    “Spoken like a non-deserving, uneducated Level Two.” Lilith rolled her eyes. “You probably can’t even apply eyeliner.”
    I snorted. “Eyeliner has nothing to do with being a good sub.”
    Meredith squeezed my elbow. “She’s right. You’re digging a hole. Let me talk, okay?”
    I opened my mouth. Meredith loathed Lilith. Why would she agree with her, and of all times, during a makeup argument?
    “Lilith, you can sit around knitting blankets, clinging to your family’s rotting tree, while I’m going to go get some actual work done. Promotion is mine, darling. Game. On.” Meredith pivoted on her heel and marched toward one of the hallways attached to the circular lobby. Lilith smirked at me one more time. I did the mature thing and avoided sticking out my tongue. I couldn’t resist a parting line, though. I pointed at her blanket and said, “Your stitches are sloppy.”
    So maybe I’d have to check the manual and see if there was a section on better insults. Regardless, I held my chin high as I hurried past the tiara wall to where Meredith waited on a velvet bench. She patted the spot next to her.
    “Sorry I lost my cool. That woman gets under my skin.”
    “Yeah, well, her skin has scales underneath it.”
    Meredith snickered. Where was that line when I’d said the stupid stitches thing?
    “What was that all about anyway?” I asked. “I know Lilith is vicious, but you two seemed like you were out for blood.”
    “Ever since the news broke that Genevieve might be retiring, the whole agency has been on edge. When the Head of Council leaves, everything is restructured. Someone from the court will become the new head. That court member must then be replaced, so all the agents and coordinators of various divisions start vying for the seat on court. And when you start dangling promotions in front of a very ambitious group of employees, most who have MP, well…Façade will be unstable for a while.”
    “Wait, so…divisions. Are there six, one for each member of the court?”
    “There are dozens of divisions that I know of, more probably that I don’t. The court members are assigned two or three each, and Genevieve manages the main branches, like Central Command, Specter, and our subbing branch, which is actually called Glimmer.”
    “I’ve never heard our division called that.”
    “I avoid the word myself. Too sparkly. There’s also Bubble Maintenance, Mirage, Glamourification, Historical Preservation, Human Resources…I can’t list them all.”
    “I don’t know about of half of those. Tell me about them! This is so cool.”
    “Not now. Genevieve is the only one who knows how far-reaching the agency goes, and that’s because she’s the only one who needs to know. All you need to worry about right now is your own job. So hush about it. She’ll be here soon.”
    “Who? Genevieve?”
    Meredith ignored me, pulling out her remote and punching random buttons. Of course I had a