I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zdb5VtgBR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxWkqLvN3g
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8X2Wse1QzS
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajUcjpi3kI
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Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqodcjosjV3
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPctsNMvdgo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD97T1gFBOf
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAHoIdb7iZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfugeXFW2f
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By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLhWrMrJXM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0Z13dOWxZ
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4oEXi2OCp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhuAFjbZfe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyVkAWxuoh
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDrI9hHwu2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBab0lIveBJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZutrcrMm1
> “Ariana!”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSjzUSlwZR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaZVEIJzjw
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWGEVE6lHW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNc3o2KjX9Y
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Psdr2qJV9
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TzDpwA8TA
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rRRgheHCD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLYoZSwE8l
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEfdmnEhip
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh65bOBbffB
My brain short-circuits.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPrhDbp5A7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIa5YZbKLw
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7Rh4r4p7w
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0G7M8vSlt
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakDH99oTY3
> “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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnach1r446
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4o03T5LRo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19Z2OF1wAy
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BKJKnVHuN
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44hAElKn2i
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNh39d3rlH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPgGCHC39I
And that’s almost worse.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2bTK03tWB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpl4ma0ubP
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iA9BtKYnT
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9uFVy14Kv
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE2j2CUTca
The courtiers behind him stay silent.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQExZx4OwxC
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5a8hOGjbV
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxIXRDqRLF
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK2sRNFpbO
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUe2KR4qt1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmmPcO5b6j
Like she never existed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EIEZJ1Ws9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5F9XFkQrL
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> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXiwPV2gec
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8KpzFqh8T
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhgjD6MvQD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfcPadIMFp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZNtbtpZUD
I nod because what else can I do?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpuPzZC7PL
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yZRVCZMlm
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ997iLLR8pW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hd9FhN27y
So I just say,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhpzsIiNdc
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OmJ5Z8Oxk
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡll3PlHnT5m
> “Yes, Father.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfB5KQvhn5i
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPn7rbYMn3
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBa64TmDA0d
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHjKd4PluE
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCCQrKCBdC
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFysV45GhkJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLcL54KeiU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZl1QFoqha
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---162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCWlm2WJKE
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmEBYVoJ0U
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLhZmMznbT
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMRzuBKpQk
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL35rqa60pq
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRGx2z5kCe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FMesVyuic
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYVHkNGGFa
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JkePddfPT
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRlaYh11oE
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡST4dz2zxjX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFtkYxaxJW
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AjaivKGxH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8REP94WFqW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPfdvxi4kc
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVycCCj722
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkkzu7d8JU
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B2iBrbwoy
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUlkcY5gFI
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8THBOOu5kh
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHxYWzJOOy
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7umj2uwVxZ
> “I’m so screwed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R0ndTZGzs
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms1vnNlpgc
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1w0iXiCzr
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqv0AwfIXu
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw8ejAKumt
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxyCa7oIaz
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmU0qIXB4q
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmFqlaxFq5
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP09xBGzfT
But I already know.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xYxUdCbUJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiqLyeyRwC
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiGdIC4zL7
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6AEKrIRaR
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2AzW4B0VU 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nJlhKwV2Y
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLo56vrkUp
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfdPo78e9b
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFosguLcCCm
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQn0Go9GxaZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiP7m6gwLj4
Like he’d already done it before.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAI7R1u7tWl
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDwyaWsdm1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77VmM2z8j5
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTobP72uAmO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsaDrEN5kX
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoTYDeXLpJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv6Wo9qz8z
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelwskljjFf
I don’t even know his name.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu4O6j01gQ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfIUgoIvUm
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKdpClyv4V
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1EHqjNssq
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ9ebKNsvQ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JPLIP2nYY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE253ioIdWp
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH67ze0yBjZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtDfjfKx4Q
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YYmBTHzxW

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