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The dissonance still got to Elly. Palaces should make her nervous. Palaces made Elly nervous. The slightest hint that she might be out of place and Elly wanted to grab Alfie and run. But grand buildings were nothing to Rachel, it didn't matter if it was a palace, a castle, a skyscraper or a bank vault. Nothing made Rachel even twitch.
Even the things that should.
Sometimes Elly thought Rachel should have spent more of her life twitching.
But then the cognitive dissonance would get to her. Elly judging Rachel for being a bit too evil would happen on one side of her brain, and then Rachel judging Elly back for being a lot too timid would happen on the other. And then she'd be stuck going in circles waiting for something to distract her so she could stop.
Fortunately Saba Al-Badr was a very immediate distraction. Both sides of her mind were in agreement that she was a very tasty treat. The Secret Keeper was daring and darling enough for Elly and Rachel. Which was very important, considering they were actually the same woman, regardless of what her double set of instincts and morality might indicate.
Not memories though, they had already finished merging, even if everything else was still settling into a new conglomeration of Elly-Rachel-Elly-Rachel. Which was what brought her to this satisfying encounter.
"You know there's only so long you can enjoy the view before I'll think you're ignoring me?" Saba interjected from her place behind Elly.
Rachel turned around to look at the secret keeper, meeting her dark brown eyes. "Am I not allowed to ignore you, when you've been so rude to me?" She asked playfully, her pout audible.
"Are you still bitter about the drugging? I won't apologise, that's what happens when you bring riff raff into my home." Saba waved a hand liesurely as she walked over to meet Elly at the balcony, leaning her long body against Elly, the warmth from her arm bleeding into her body. A small reprieve from the cold wind and a good sign Saba knew she was teasing.
"You know I'll forgive you anything, dearest." Rachel whispers into Saba's hair. Careful to hide her mouth from the guards she could spot downstairs, who had a perfect view up to the balcony. "As long as I get the proper payment."
Saba takes a step back, causing the warmth to leech from Elly's arm, and walks back to the chaise in the centre of the room. "And what would constitute proper payment, habibi? Secrets?"
"Oh darling, I know you don't like sharing those." Rachel turned to look over her shoulder and caught Saba's eyes as she walked over to meet her on the chaise. "I much prefer payment in kisses."