I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6wtzT1KRW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVfTK8G3ts
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqNazjvdQY
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Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCZg2EXJMH
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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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvHF3G1F6G
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaa02TPFYH
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By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeoNhz4iSM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYfvrU100E
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWefvKkRSj
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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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MB8jXRyDx
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aywxvWE52
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> “Ariana!”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2aI1YcmB6
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsiX4OScIs
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkLwOqA1UO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu7PIbeNWi
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXYMRY3avf
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCoIhfiphb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd2UCcyAZb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPUQj6368J
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMPOD964kW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2z8DGElIxT
My brain short-circuits.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIVwdtojfk
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Acl13QAm3
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ1f67en8O
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWApKvGkDZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEWXiEWEpI
> “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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9msGZ1HCgz
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rhiS6CHzT
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162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPQL7P66mN
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRD3ESbwSkM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEpHXYTuCW
And that’s almost worse.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEdBx1ZwxU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Rc8t6HVpK
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v29JzbrwA
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LE1oSnTna
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The courtiers behind him stay silent.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOCgt2Fv7G
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They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rQS3WrlIf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtymKaaD2oH
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhttzTqgj9U
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Like she never existed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuN5BkhTDG
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgS0lf2lTg
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> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KRiO6ptR7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNaCUQrOI7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39SE9uARJI
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdvMJ2l1dL
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I nod because what else can I do?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt155MwEYj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXc4VVoZKO
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc2W9sBoEH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8htlIFhmk
So I just say,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjCLGbnmea
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoilOClpF7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8v5x4Zusrw
> “Yes, Father.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayjBYiInWr
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnurnyPAEb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7SvRhyUQA
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He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahaUT658Fr
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---162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspLNisDGI9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGakx7EFAN
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The walk back feels longer. Quieter.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI3CwjYNnT
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqjlXOEusD
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3eQoByFwp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB6TMAEk3I
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSQNKDBUBa
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPoWymaR1i
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbYcN1K6XF
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4Qkpu6l0w
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeSfpQDDWe
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoutYvVSvrF
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L8AVohG7n
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEuKpZdHtJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiHuhwb9OL
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I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLk0x0YY9h
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSRy2y7nMF
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObM5Yk7UGB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRydkJ8Ggst
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> “I’m so screwed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBleHOAHOG
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162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F3sjPPFLn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWkO4DKO56
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAYWe0rSvl
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjEBB73Rkf
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZbewWIW0F
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But I already know.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0B18azYCI
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkg7Xc6WgIX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlm6ikCDGHg
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceNmqWGnB1
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSrc8tF0S0 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9BeyBopTr
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMovJoelx8
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy6QhJywnZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKvbmxdbEO
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH13HA2FCpU
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Like he’d already done it before.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5je0V9oAp
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi0vpnqudY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TfeKb5M2H
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kj2dmeB5M
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFchjWY7B7R
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjTZeNxFjM
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I don’t even know his name.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiewKSAWSrt
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But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0Ve09dkYN
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYOT92Cfwn
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE40m45yW9G
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQi7APiLww
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6SmToNOfJ
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKxQtwu00v
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