I checked myself in the mirror and ran my fingers through my short, dark hair, before shrugging to my reflection. There wasn't exactly a lot to work with, so I ensured that I wasn't a mess and that my shirt didn't have wrinkles before heading out the door and into the hallway. Sapphire Spirit, my daytime guard, was standing outside my door, her golden armor gleaming with the high polish I'd come to associate with the fastidious nature of the castle and those that lived and worked in it. She turned to look up at me, her face set in a neutral position that I'd learned was colloquially known as "guard face". It projected an air of stern, competent vigilance, and brooked no fools or tourists. 