I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcf2nY5NwR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYxxqgPNwc
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9laIypwYS
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mlfy9UnNB
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LRZH0vl5e
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHRPx4aoOH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluA2JVXdM9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpjkvuyUo7
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJv8488PoU
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotcfYv9O7t
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJubMzZcOJ
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBqDXE7Ug0
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e6om03sRE
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCX0R51slk
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKDlvGIs9Z
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07ybWwhCkV
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIYerQpLVW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdBqe2qz55
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4D5VRGxRv
> “Ariana!”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9cjTdhUn1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEH7J68nco
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAxZX1iT7T
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmycy3qs029
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnU2CJ4lhx
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJ6gVc0alM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbDwAP15fb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjiYw8GAGo
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlR5IJdnre
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgYd461vBS
My brain short-circuits.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWwncAnmCE
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5x8yVGR84
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj4gy3OdBo
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9onWXWq4jE
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7I7qhmVcv
> “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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnDQPPq0P8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60XAnRfKHF
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWA7NluLmb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5t4msbu9u
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxXcvFpljw
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5uX55LlYv
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5GgdmUOsV
And that’s almost worse.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8aepbjmvs
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoNZW5N9rz
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70rwEJuIoJ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKuOmmUhVd
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLKCpPcafz
The courtiers behind him stay silent.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0NTIh5hT6
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMorUr9WrZV
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRiHXs5JPa
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANkWjkC6Zm
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm84wf05kfw
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEI2HUIgdC
Like she never existed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0hEZSvw9u
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGctbTPXShW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjAiL72g7I
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnSt5NjP9r
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhG3gZlsul
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlmO7QMR11
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEHl61XL3C
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0BFwwyqpf
I nod because what else can I do?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nRMIbBgGH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoCKs2MZO0
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40ML7FHtcH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETEP2ERRcB
So I just say,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fz0kGIiHS
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuYvsoHzIC
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQJytuZSYB
> “Yes, Father.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tdzXw3pdG
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy9y2rg1IN
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Zgf9Xvzj1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5d4Bk4UVn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDGWYxai9F
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkQSSQ72vl
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKAptKOQSf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHe0yQxrK2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fu896W3qn
---162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfALNSyJMgb
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIkxvoPMJR
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pyvsMzDBZ
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4EEAvMsQM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstGOBrFyF6
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIgGUZWlXZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33MoTZqDyL
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwM3Mba04HK
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplxSimvJWV
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAAfUD6DgX
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cVGFBcuHD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhreHqesJfo
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzicsmjzP0l
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b2yB3Gso8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfkaQWe045
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBybrbgSFh
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TySyBG9gb
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMZvkt58q9
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pv49tJ8ET
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8eZ51TLMH
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SZPtEZNlc
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVEwJ0N41l
> “I’m so screwed.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIsmXAYp7t
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZqKMTqaGe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rfK6RA9BY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu17ntbFVM
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3OaaaOCGf
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93cjoC6Nua
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXfSvldMFh
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFeG8gY8VT
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvebbkEWDW
But I already know.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7quVq2kJn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiKJoIO4G2
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjHGja8k2j
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSGp1oHzpm
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnBSepQuXT 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkYT35ualL
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTLxchk4Mq
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCQ52sbkPe
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDkycdwZfZ
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cXy72TqIx
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMIBwARmia
Like he’d already done it before.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXW6uQCk2r
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcCIdIZUSj
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtZAXgc00E
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsuq433IKi
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLTfdKwY4i
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjKO4I7Bwn
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVSv8sw7gY
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vUFxfiiNJ
I don’t even know his name.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmh0VMVk7D
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IvKeCNZi2
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalaFCwgxj7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1ZDbb23yY
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIqdITqDyO
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExUAQqDou7
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVlgpcnJxJ
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZqMWvn2Xv
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqMtywnwVA
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy1Mp7ZB4o

216.73.216.236