The throne room looks like someone turned “rich” into a physical object.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCILU6BOsb
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGG0gcCA3A
Golden pillars, carpets so soft I feel guilty stepping on them, and a chandelier big enough to crush a small car.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2RJ7czNDG
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiomGRO5lFe
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1URXoc2kc
I stand there awkwardly while Clara glides forward like she’s auditioning for Royal Swan Ballet.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhJI25Hsp2
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnduAZLBjD
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBVNrMfiIT
The man on the throne looks up — middle-aged, strong, with tired eyes that soften the moment he sees me. Then, before I can even blink, he’s out of his seat and walking toward me.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJW8iWgc57
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtF1TMIGmAA
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFC1pLqMhhe
“Ariana…” he breathes, voice cracking just a little.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROGRcNpzE1
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtbeyFLo6S
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJZ7Of0FKT
I freeze.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32wyKE1TO7
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3MxkcfPsG
Oh no. Not another emotional reunion. I’m running out of reaction faces.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Xx4NnDT5L
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVT9EXBOsZ
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXutn8C3eL
He stops right in front of me, studying my face like he’s memorizing it. Then— suddenly— he laughs, pure relief spilling out of him. “By the gods, it’s truly you! My daughter!”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnS67uXktq
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWnJNkaliL
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwMFvsTnas
My what now?224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLKT890UWZ
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIBrFgBbqf
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03AhTVEO8r
Before I can process that, he wraps me in a bear hug that smells like sandalwood and nostalgia. My body goes stiff. My brain? Blue screen of death.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsm9xaAzMbe
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XqW3sw6BM
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uk6jKGw8r
“Uh… hi. Yeah. Totally your daughter,” I mumble into his very royal shoulder. “Big fan of your… throne?”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkXaE5JDaW
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlMDsuo1uR
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1PyKCvfh8
Clara stands a few steps away, smiling that perfect smile again. But her hands are clasped too tightly — the knuckles white.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt87ELJamK
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4x8Pch0IT6
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9WxAf7Zq0
“She doesn’t seem to remember much, Father,” Clara says gently. “Perhaps the… ordeal affected her memory.”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGdz9RxlPu
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCODo7rJcE
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSgkclKAHm
“Memory?” I echo. “Oh. Yeah. Definitely lost that. Totally blank. Don’t even know my Wi-Fi password anymore.”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahUZIKcbGi
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNBXCZRuLs
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5rMB38p42
The king looks devastated, like I just confessed to forgetting Christmas. “Oh, my poor child,” he says, guiding me toward a velvet couch. “You’ve been through so much. Rest now. We can speak of what happened later.”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qEp66VLvW
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECx8zudgxf
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97W9YIWK5S
“Cool. Rest. Great idea,” I say quickly, because honestly, my brain is melting.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKYfFQ3pPt
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyCcgiddkV
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTB3FCK6vjO
He calls for servants, who appear instantly like ninjas in expensive robes. One of them bows and gestures politely.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FHsEzE9b7
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2pgaF2l2i
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NDfIfyfmO
“Take Princess Ariana to her chambers,” the king says softly. “See that she’s comfortable.”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCgCKUpqkJ
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlAD4oK6dE
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrdqLWnQDj
Clara’s eyes flick toward me again — something sharp hiding behind her calm expression. “Yes, Father. I’ll make sure she’s… well taken care of.”224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgzCVGM8op
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5J1HpDUaFC
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiRLCeu02X
The way she says it sounds sweet. The way it feels sounds like a threat wrapped in ribbon.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUCdt0bmee
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPccWPSI8V
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL96etWjT0a
As I’m led away, I glance back once more. The king’s still watching me like I’m his whole world.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPHU8ulrJ0
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTJ34swWdX
And I can’t help wondering — who was the real Ariana?224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsj2iQKVXop
224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblHvJSgPhk
And why does it feel like she’s still here… somewhere inside me?1234 copyright protection220ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQItKLsGZQ 尼

216.73.216.133