"Yes. Maki is professional bath attendant and stress relief specialist. Purple Queen is Master's woman for mating and territorial claims. Different jobs."
The silence that followed was the kind you hear right before lightning strikes. The air itself seemed to crystallize.
Natalia raised her hand. Ice spikes erupted from the floor around the tub like a forest of frozen spears. Each one was sharp enough to core an apple and positioned with surgical accuracy. They surrounded the bathtub in a perfect circle without actually touching it.
"Territorial claims?"
Maki examined the ice spikes with professional interest rather than fear.
"Very impressive ice work. Purple Queen has excellent control. But Maki is not threatened by frozen water."
