I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98jwKR0bBo
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6d0s5UbbN
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29ZsqolY1j
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSsxKq62mA
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGrXXs3ROr
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8bs6Y2j8F
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0BjoV9dsp
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxEuT1Q9sv
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAP3Leba6N
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoo2uyxJEio
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T3NfcC7ZV
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnseWunGmpJ
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASeYq2HBpa
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGcPec8yHj
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hNAMuj1xe
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPgrbC3Pe2
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuUTOltZxY
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIvkng3zZd
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0h1tODrOE1
> “Ariana!”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPGCht1UJc
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wsykSEeMO
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldLKLY8SFy
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pUzz4OpXB
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzK1j4Ap1C
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwbXPwU2MN
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXo8UmAkocB
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGlhRHwfds
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbvxuWGnlA
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVONT5NSYmU
My brain short-circuits.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyOiBlQkP5
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY4wlbeeia
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsWPPU5z1T
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YL7iOv6rG
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKJOm5DKkL
> “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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lf09xjQJG
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EqShWAMFs
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUYKI1Tvjo
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFswQQcMRlX
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ikKzaNh7b
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Tfcg9dfkG
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcM5F6NpQKE
And that’s almost worse.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfO4J7eEwi
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybfZGCoBe7
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7V2zpfmi76
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d9Vpc8meD
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRq2Rwdh1I
The courtiers behind him stay silent.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmTHUHTQhz
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2EwXeWIlu
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVxjtUBs3y
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJjyP4sGV1
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIKYKVAesd
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBUEf2xg2R
Like she never existed.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYIQiFLFNd
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ujiOnVlOU
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecxKnkbEfL
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXE3NgKswVM
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PfPbdVRz0
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKA74hjAgRE
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmU9tFRLNLc
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6Bq4OJztU
I nod because what else can I do?108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBhFfgPaSz
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDJnrxjuaM
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtROebCsyc1
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKcKsqTxLY
So I just say,108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzkqEBXUOf
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvTaS6oCW5
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbp8b39hyC
> “Yes, Father.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPOBq73TFP
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpa9x6jYZK
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PI7GzUJ8a
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8mm7GxM6N
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR4jGVYK4p
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w4zoTu4Q2
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NicjQeuSe
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPECzxIGMaB
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTvND7vADX
---108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9uVnTms9J
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncfYC4AXpf
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKMtpnNMYQ
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QmqX74N8V
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7BtQTkPmY
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYf7ed1HFt
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZeeNqpKnB
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpLtuFR1L6
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVQjt4f16N
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVFDXqhtPJ
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFRpP07cd1
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDz97wFoAvY
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQI7C4vB29
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19uHnP3Iev
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXD8t9FOtNm
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOIRZOTACT
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfs7ScUtFe1
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1G0cEr3LL
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaha9EJ2E0V
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWIbCYxzjq
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffNPilogQY
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jVUUqmQxn
> “I’m so screwed.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAux6UQJRr
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdY3gbmVIn
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVthBu0OzzV
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZSFdtSo9s
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5kgxlr71b
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHimfRgWAXm
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlXd3riabn
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DCd2zwdGz
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbt2ZpiPCq
But I already know.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkaLcyNLop
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l0xT2uXR4
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0vUKGcZh9
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9VMrh4esz
I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjIMfVg9KI
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtACPcZzhvN
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVLuhLedVY
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPpzkQeIX5
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVi7k0Zb3JI
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLm52yupCky
Like he’d already done it before.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQa7kZWtORN
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPJzxJVK6c
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZhvodTNsK
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyng1zATTiU
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNrGHvT5Ze
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBF6VO1JPrI
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXfHaqLbTd
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltF2a83oqN
I don’t even know his name.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHmVYUqUcx
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypykC8Eq7I
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMi5LDjo7MB
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzrawNNnFS
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbX7ZINuRPc
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6JXl65EkX
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqDflaDi8P
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco5zwfJQuG
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjpLp3PjcZ
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw4kCdkkXr
and then Add to home screen.