Lyra and Riven walked through the sprawling atrium of a District Mall, their heels clicking in sync against the polished, light-reflective floor. The mall was a cathedral of commerce and technology, its vaulted ceiling made entirely of translucent smart-glass that shifted colors throughout the day, currently bathing the interior in a warm, golden afternoon glow. Holographic advertisements drifted lazily through the air above them, projecting images of perfumes, accessories, and the latest fashion lines from Martian designers whose names Lyra could barely pronounce.
Both women carried sleek handbags slung over their shoulders, and both were dressed to impress.
Lyra wore a gown that was impossible to ignore. It was a soft, radiant pink, the kind of color that seemed to shimmer under the mall's ambient lighting, shifting between rose and coral depending on the angle.
