I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgK2c39x6tz
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGs8K3gf7hD
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQz0s5uxVe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwzoW8LCLx
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzyF0aiOOt
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPve8DGvWP
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGkSnxkkRJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZ9cudNKVH
The palace hallways blur past as they escort me. Gold ceilings. Velvet curtains. Way too much perfume in the air. Everything smells too clean for what just happened.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWbCfTgaxo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRWhl9uMEw
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5qnMdSuYb
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5avATtKO8D
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3chAQiDTQV
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfYCrMsy9U
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO87UAawbcJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuD3A8nC4A
He’s older than I remembered. Tired eyes, gray at the edges of his beard, but when he looks up and sees me… it’s like watching the sun break through smoke.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr16o4H873r
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuh2gQ3eRMw
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGy7XMnPTj
> “Ariana!”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lP0ZCn4AH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAFoQuFBMZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6T2ek26tz
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPzuKLbODX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUK3vqyZgP
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuzooVZY4b
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZrD2s0zcM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwBgWE5AEr
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJOs86uBtj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy0hjlzo2p
My brain short-circuits.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6joTmBTqry
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDSAeZFHdu
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAZA3V83vt
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiURpCUTfW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE2voegaWh
> “My dear, you’re safe,” he says, his voice soft but trembling. “When I heard what happened, I feared the worst. Thank the heavens you’re unharmed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1a2l5yOps2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2xDKWy27P
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDXLFP1EXM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebHf1OJki8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJajDs8nhn
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNGqMf1CSM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzaDfHNv30
And that’s almost worse.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3w14VgSuK
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZONfKiKv6S
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnu0cMMb8RY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgW4GNsEOP
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXUjMiSebn
The courtiers behind him stay silent.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO61345Dij0
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cKS1w3bTL
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFr0fxaPXOP
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxil8jYykl
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcznAQcCxYv
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg05UJDNwt
Like she never existed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQOEiuI1eY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr5FazR2Ne
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVB6Rc9XWs
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBjfNOteSo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhWDyRH3J9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSn2MW8pHFL
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgV9VZdx8k2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwHDZKPDSj
I nod because what else can I do?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDiW1ckofp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAAQMcVemb
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSHgu6Qtcn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzkgv9nQwM
So I just say,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqx24HtkyRo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJI1bWQZKs
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt9gnlWbBq
> “Yes, Father.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaym4wkuDAj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdTKvh3uPe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGya2vCwBT
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrBMYTcFKN
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeRk55OrJc
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8rXW6qEib
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqwHOcQtFm
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsz1bZW7fF
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbUOqxuCbi
---162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyD9uddN3z
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qBZ6w9q9S
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl6BvqRG5S
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ5wOWaRVj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqMPYKl6oP
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsM03bQGN8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcNEkHKgE5
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OOIUNZYzQ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXep60foPh5
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7Sx6jnZac
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dkQQQsDYJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49HyutTycD
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ786IGGytwY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ798HrUyMTc
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNitIRRQIZH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK76PwajHR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbX6bmnGbU
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYgAGyAK23
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXJzJWDt4B
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkf60zGjBJ1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlYEAX4RDV
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxt21mAlt76
> “I’m so screwed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI33uU6UyCo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ5lur6q2I
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw0HLPbbdy
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1B1WjzZ6R
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnmRF0nN32
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84csu9nWam
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgR8htvT9P
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09vpeRIVg6
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvaDywBMes
But I already know.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVLYtnYL9e
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9yeyHbTaZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIvCXDLgQV
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVteTTbVOJ5
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhwVf1FITg 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBv1VIuy5kr
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmsV4IwUsQ
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiUvDnGqf3
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIxMIcURQB
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4r64g2L8I
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fgasPjy0n
Like he’d already done it before.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkPY73q5Ty
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPxz8RVpAU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0d8X4nFrQ
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp6aLgS0P6
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8L7BqUJaV
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmcaztJvfa
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYeScobX0y
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzM6HtZDC8W
I don’t even know his name.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZphYRUxwV
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1D9ZMXF7U
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxsBWCMfHb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiUpFoHH97
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdRyKORCmg
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YhMXvl6sZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufg89iWRAl
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT1fMF8k2d
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH6dVSe3ci
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zkhpEHYH1

216.73.217.14