The throne room looks like someone turned “rich” into a physical object.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvNlxyoPyY
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MhcSGWAvQ
Golden pillars, carpets so soft I feel guilty stepping on them, and a chandelier big enough to crush a small car.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaqalA4L0h
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuEJ6KNXFf
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7OuXCD1zM
I stand there awkwardly while Clara glides forward like she’s auditioning for Royal Swan Ballet.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7Fpv6cJ67
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU0YaptfzC
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMxmJ5sHIT
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYGPeuJJoZ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeCT3y1ZHy
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9fVaYrJBd
“Ariana…” he breathes, voice cracking just a little.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMFfRlHLPv
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5vDdkLW8z
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHqV24xeNp
I freeze.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP1UQLSJtF
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpTrI0J83E
Oh no. Not another emotional reunion. I’m running out of reaction faces.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQztsWXrMoA
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOr5ZRxJJY
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09hauh1jvN
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!”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVmSLOmbbn
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVg7NLfvpl
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdnBVlzGXd
My what now?225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYPEm4fCt4
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYZdoeol96
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVHwwwymfc
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq3ABUwvRB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRod55ZmSs
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdKeO5tFmW
“Uh… hi. Yeah. Totally your daughter,” I mumble into his very royal shoulder. “Big fan of your… throne?”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFGLtXuftD
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYChKfxvwO
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAm2cSqcOau
Clara stands a few steps away, smiling that perfect smile again. But her hands are clasped too tightly — the knuckles white.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0CsSfih6C
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48TNnNFEBW
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sBMvwymzD
“She doesn’t seem to remember much, Father,” Clara says gently. “Perhaps the… ordeal affected her memory.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA1qsKH1As
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DTZUr5RJH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3spfMNbRhP
“Memory?” I echo. “Oh. Yeah. Definitely lost that. Totally blank. Don’t even know my Wi-Fi password anymore.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZm9gM9X13
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWyG2nTdPo
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe51z2n6upG
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.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjr2ymIEjd
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqFuR7x5Ch
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZyEfkFdrr
“Cool. Rest. Great idea,” I say quickly, because honestly, my brain is melting.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgof19VygSF
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx3bc9ZWaH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y1OkTVXC4
He calls for servants, who appear instantly like ninjas in expensive robes. One of them bows and gestures politely.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Qxzhh3qwL
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5rll7S0YA
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsXIGISCnI
“Take Princess Ariana to her chambers,” the king says softly. “See that she’s comfortable.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sDMiiarHL
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoBiLXAVuB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQcBa8IYpP
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.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvJwCJzL5D
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uirX8KigD
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZCmA1w46C
The way she says it sounds sweet. The way it feels sounds like a threat wrapped in ribbon.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF90Ne5FKjG
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHl11NY1a6
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMYU97i9S6
As I’m led away, I glance back once more. The king’s still watching me like I’m his whole world.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYSbYtiFZV
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIWgkThFWy
And I can’t help wondering — who was the real Ariana?225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFf9ZaIGX89
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Xak1LbqKJ
And why does it feel like she’s still here… somewhere inside me?1234 copyright protection221ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk7OivYO1o 尼

216.73.216.133