Dryad = a girl, but made of plants (in these stories). There isn’t much fantasy in this excerpt so it’s not important.
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Though she looked impassive, the queen’s mellifluous voice shook slightly. But not with anger and betrayal, that the male brought in peace was coming unbound. No, for now we seemed safe. She was explaining in terms that I couldn’t quite understand that she couldn’t let Lexi leave, and that she didn’t know if the chance would come again. She was, in fact, seething slightly, under her neutral demeanour. It felt as though she were angry at herself for wanting this, for putting herself in the position of supplicant in her own land. The queen’s guard took up a position in the corner of the room, pretending hard not to listen. I could sense Lexi’s annoyance.