I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNhqcnkjLU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddzsHMXBju
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TcCshRe10
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8g46CYUGj
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Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqCOtL9zI1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyRkrBxt8u
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn62BhYBepH
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG5eKq5FBL
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQqw0o36I2
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By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL502LMqjmi
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYOX6fPyq8
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNyGqUQxnX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAmDRsdkMO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGGucpaI9s
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudbzQCuLKD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SfCyiuibY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmvSBlucXT
> “Ariana!”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdDkERETIn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw9BNlwuyH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2rQeQm3a9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbozljwE2wf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5gNNvHs4e
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VOHLDTogV
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3PPQHgwPf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡec89K80efe
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsSyiURX6v
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUoXtmE7eG
My brain short-circuits.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdAfMrKGAJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7At1KjdN8l
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FAcXAQtuU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSP50wurPdt
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAXZitOzqE
> “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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNHNigdmKO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotPKO7h4lm
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1EDD3jHcJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0rB44SFD4
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEXOidhhqU
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrmXicPVBs
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXPqOzSkzJ
And that’s almost worse.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ6u38e3at
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpizwrO5Oz
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYh3S2kXVjO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYmPM8SdrW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXde5zD51Al
The courtiers behind him stay silent.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nJs8MPP7S
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYECIldyeQk
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDskcMZIb1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6TgJSKPxK
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvePu9TcjS
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡon9CgWMWy8
Like she never existed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrIUoUGSja
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8u1bgK3FxA
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPZCHEOkVw
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaOJEPAO0t
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnEfk5c1ye
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4YpXR4zD0
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxeg3a2Ef5
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWpbB9AuZ9
I nod because what else can I do?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOp4O5UNuD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMhSigRfMl
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6ZdXnzJML
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Iy2HZ26Lt
So I just say,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbd1vjWHvj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQVyD7MvCB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoSkQ4OLm9
> “Yes, Father.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQpHDJCTma
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqKvrOhmpR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5y90AD2SaD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaZU5i6SDf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4lNiRfTPE
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXNwBhOg4d
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BlcpGZNTn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvvYSlEzVA
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc9QyOXNH7
---162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gixM1vtSp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen3kFpf6le
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnx13QLrdeJ
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48c5ankIl6
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGH4O3nMuKu
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMMjLSGQmu
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fqlLAwIPr
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp9DsJbi6n
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGPDAynctS
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7QCEV71Lu
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJyB2Wla8k
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQQPEiUAJx
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBcBhFEhvt
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10xbI217CB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIeYtgUKKi
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPXXg27T0E
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpqLevj51F
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iiPPONo23
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpVxzgUY6d
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrNcjEeiBB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWs75ob40U
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGD6QCfKEhY
> “I’m so screwed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAABzpzVfLx
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSQtPckIVR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjPIEiZCxZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCY5UiGUTW7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1iZZDysxG
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBO7HVT3fi
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB6TuZH86u
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DQoQIVYVO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGuOB76FwF
But I already know.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vCBiwfIof
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk66YiwPT8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyPvdTJv0W
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqtgweh9dE
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCxjOqpU2I 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsygcRNYQt
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFz1wxYsVz
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DvUNjH9mP
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlMs7f8xDv
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcewKQhiCsh
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EMxcuTXiZ
Like he’d already done it before.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgEI4aQ3PI
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAABxkPmGZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9nbnim4MV
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoBPdXCIpX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUzCeEmXPF
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsKgLo9td2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUibGNPPLAy
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO9sZQx2pJ
I don’t even know his name.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooIKq71fs9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIdCJG0e1h
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq5Jde7i8E
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j1R1IsreZ
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOs9EzJFEO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlllYxwTfJZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQex0ZU5KM
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOP6YuQI4le
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwydMmO2O55
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfBDmVMVmJ

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