I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8SI0ftx6N
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWadG1PvIj
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpe1UFRmpP
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGimeROjRxa
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFf5eJe6Z6
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQ5Guewyz3
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsC6E1tF6F
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaSuIk10Gb
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauhDMyQyPz
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6DEEh7FNh
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ736TTuFiFZ
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo43Ye3RN46
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLLjZuB8gf
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9mIdyqYFI
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlqD7MQVef
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimo1aSpnj9
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmmAOBN7Cd
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqdDIHykJs
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt2eX5d3c6
> “Ariana!”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vUx8SXmUf
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghUoPxNa73
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcL2GhYeWL
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMHhnzA7XN
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkODww8Fl2J
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQs8xPvdqK
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfCpyi55yg
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSM5ArZ4GK5
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3IzVp97vA
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89PhwHXFGL
My brain short-circuits.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvK9wzHj4b
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBp5mHLvAx
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOrSVSbv6b
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MFWEqdYb4
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY8NYZCW0m
> “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.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jcL9roVRW
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjq9xONPux
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeNHOXYRso
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CVfhZ386s
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NfS6n9pxG
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe6NXnJ0MA
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8bfPiaPxF
And that’s almost worse.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzug7Oh1fEv
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPos2ZN5ZK
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl8ReYavpP
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw383mFYjE
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRommFbY40
The courtiers behind him stay silent.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjHLCKEFym
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3NnKGVSwT
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdhO2AZ54B
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOictz4BL66
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FgXuZdd0S
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1HwljW2oP
Like she never existed.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4IrzpZzvg
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVrto4VNKw
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxlOCRfiS9
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVepTd6aqm
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw39dnNETLW
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPaPrXsjOv
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeG6JYehsq
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRvYdZFICg
I nod because what else can I do?136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJFBA5uDF6
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifjMk44pFp
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecLz6x0ke3
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpmWAwiaHI
So I just say,136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYGeQijVb8
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWZ2FsWw5A
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoKUKPMPq9
> “Yes, Father.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWRvTnUE39
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXvTq8vI7S
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpY2VQKDwhl
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgPek4IXVR
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXw2H6RkHGz
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgdvE1gbTx
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolfGKYhlmQ
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXKRJzOcOC
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrjlp5nhwD
---136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX8mZrB21y
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7iBTaFaQN
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t1rwBs7Tp
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD81k2VUr2b
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTvMR7yb2w
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOytVRWC5uh
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrkuzI1bGs
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwcYNd49Dd
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZdXmrwBrU
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ366lOj7hFu
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkElYrgCM5S
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyhhalTbPz
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZ1AJFNdFh
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6O9Gk5iNlT
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwJFmRqmjj
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eE7IbZSjy
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDbG80m3sh
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiPsUmOJK9
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihlBkPp0oM
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNC4Fk9ciS
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeY2yT5LwH
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtegfvdhB6
> “I’m so screwed.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcLCNBvIvY
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqL55Bb0vye
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReUrYOLkgX
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqw4JOW6wF
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC0U15UX9j
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVbE2fuN6T
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOLpv12lps
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1j291cpYr
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgebgMO0Uxr
But I already know.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilqv2OYSjT
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBAG4Z4T6E
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBQiB15SZb
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJS4M3VcpIE
1234 copyright protection132ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjqxqUBOat 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB53Kq0782
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJ5rLHEuqo
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdWE39WrZH
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fqidsneyt
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVxDo9Qwvz
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q2C84FGpK
Like he’d already done it before.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFJ5Ul6max
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc9JIv873i
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHnuKOJ8Eq
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5r9EqCoajr
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9HLS6K85l
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7k6wrxrIK
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q7n9su2Zz
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBXK3RHho8
I don’t even know his name.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIwP4MKFhB
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tnEP8sA18
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF9XppZ3yA
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT59iN6CVAz
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4Z9EcdF9j
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFRZ2NCUr1
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJBZvIxiNS
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSbstw9IU7
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlLZdZ1G3p
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Bd290llqu

216.73.217.22