I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqto1cNd1Vk
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk6908gi0d
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstX9y3ie0x
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALs4MFjxyO
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkieTKZmb7l
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcweRcEwNZr
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3nJ2sBUc1
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxSL2Z8QxD
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.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhcPslbDai
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2dldMuEeA
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLE0BK3bZ3R
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYf979LVAjC
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwscpHSTKFl
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVAKTsy3kM
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2UtbXvgsV
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNSW8WdmOI
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.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3ZnsJeFQy
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDscma7v7Y
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4RUO42Q69
> “Ariana!”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDvxRhqxh7
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnymXuMNqVh
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR2wSCCbEh
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj38Fbz4fSh
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pvhjGtMvZ
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsCGdAOeaT
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadv6bQTOQe
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13BqJ5kbvM
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArWXjTeU3Z
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRc8RuRSzXL
My brain short-circuits.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTXA7m5ESL
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvidg9FBZG
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT7Hr9sDNQ
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEgPBQUnuV
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOghNA7yKYb
> “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.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0t0PK4lIv
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlaEvd49He
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE6sltdH80
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCS3IpkAM4
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGSIEGM0Jz
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DRaTx3Hmy
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbMgJP910o
And that’s almost worse.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVf6g45d9RM
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOHLzv68Fl
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfaAexFcNm
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGnre3HUFt
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7hDNdkYuv
The courtiers behind him stay silent.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC6rfGEaY6
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpN7BBNBkV9
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Bkc4ygYwf
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdviP8nBRRn
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnni8oCUGD
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bb0AaZZ05
Like she never existed.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwJ6pqy46i
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuxyOjHz8m
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNJzx2t7mY
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBzYsGC9mW
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck69pFkeyw
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Lv5L2ld6e
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrdzPXBKep
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwQOVN1PnH
I nod because what else can I do?161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmuAp5aHpD
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaB4gvXkUtr
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjlLvxC4am
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOkzEzIDxt
So I just say,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1INPnvE9fV
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2hmSu6Vxj
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrt30Ueeo4W
> “Yes, Father.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPJUc1FfZJ
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iktjDSdH7
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcHxgzNtTm
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw35g4MyVb3
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cztnDd06Q
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGJX0PuCj1
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMMtZurINo
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKQ4iOD0ym
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTbKpHqWaH
---161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsxfkjaTDj
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfVXB4TXE2
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzauj94wIK
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFGtdgd1lS
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndbdV4zcd7
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyWzOBPfGk
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniHX0QlNLM
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNANhq3ReQo
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIY474PSg1
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKfqADLgsn
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TG9dzKwed
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NQh9QR4oW
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjyN7pAT7s
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQ17yoJ1R9
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxeX7V8jyZ
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm2TEnzaGi
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonp8oWafK4
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBn0k0RcR6G
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26Mo5OLhXN
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3EhX3ZhiU
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNDwYi6BVy
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W1P00qJDD
> “I’m so screwed.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtAEiPgs33
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ykouVs5q7
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKODAwtTDOA
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0Mg08TgwS
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgRiCvafPQ
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRFxWqMIXy
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43HVCWxEIH
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFqIJyTfp5
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo70il99Ps
But I already know.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIeMXuoZbn
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2F4VJlQ19r
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvK9uA4gtg
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbqdC6fk6r
1234 copyright protection157ＰＥＮＡＮＡXseWPfTlii 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGDkrgTScZ
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5Y7fAXZVt
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEwBjvawgP
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfra1xQBG8S
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcTXNqkrt4
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Isg0EnFzB
Like he’d already done it before.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qYw2x5XMv
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLRNcJ1mHv
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5rKhXWGy9
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCuC0x8uQd
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KQTXa95jf
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAV44EiuMq
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ409OgGJvBD
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrBDVPSzb1
I don’t even know his name.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4Pc1WOVdj
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuVgSgeAZ8
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtnRd6XHfZ
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikQJrbRkdE
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiH89G3EDa
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCCxjnLJSu
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjnohabv8F
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj0rUmPTBv
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdvMQfBhsp
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif0aqZkPSZ

216.73.217.14