I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrzNZulVCO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmafThR1uiM
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDoMSUZdEp
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqce4XDl8Jz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb8EdH7k53
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY27ZEAwqha
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eevJf09BN
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ1roXJ0Qw
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.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IaX8XKxhu
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDwiawtUOG
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vOM5fuyQF
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJMHt1MX1x
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NTYFPBzRZ
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbjaWdnj9y
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nbRvcGdIP
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitctW3mf81
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.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYVrKwehmg
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1v0V0OnMrQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QS0eBBkKW
> “Ariana!”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6Ei85JyFJ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImJcg0hZ4D
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDiH3os4jq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcytVVJ43oz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zOXWHE8hk
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2N1Jap5w6
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBla6C7yWF
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaZka1J6E5
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrft0BQKwzQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO9kO2bsrN
My brain short-circuits.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGcCX9EHkO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3ii2vYkIR
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY138EECB4P
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnnvZTBfEc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bSVTsCb1u
> “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.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MX9Vkp26e
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfBqUdq0pI
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmAZMDVCHo
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LGmKMPkVQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU7NWrYy2f
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJ2Muc6Bhm
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaaaNz8RzN
And that’s almost worse.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7txXmp1nq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5j2SPkWVLr
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqiTn4nwwq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdU4ADU3iK9
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXC2u8NlSg
The courtiers behind him stay silent.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhygfQVzglY
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB8gR85cKy
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡij6sz3przU
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQHZpDj88V
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZQOn4IPP9
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDRRpoTC2a
Like she never existed.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8x6p6tWvj0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwioDFF7EHV
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqFE2grz4o
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2B01YZaen
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24sK67xk3F
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW02oiSGXz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ063ck3ZC4A
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2qvsrmRGA
I nod because what else can I do?77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBCpLHp1DD
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVUEMcby8V
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTibo9ofST
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L4pJHmGsj
So I just say,77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPNx0gP8kH
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfrkuxlAXx
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJRRnHhYUK
> “Yes, Father.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKu085HbaR
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25GPkcmTBP
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwP0pozk0VL
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t4zzuISd1
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdR956bw6yn
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RLBHPhhsi
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRHPkoScXM
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ3aytjhV0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbqEyCH9Jb
---77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaedeFMNGC
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHQUBEs3yf
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7JM99rdG9
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8RtaPnhfk
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJPsRD8dPl
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nUtFZQaYX
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHONclS1ox6
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bhW8bh2QZ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTU2mRkPMr
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXWAyEugU7
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriEkcYjNIO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj0JvFVPXV
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYvTyJfDCj
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvRWP28ODR
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ800GQr88qd
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUXf7O7PGt
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFccolxPY60
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1byNBKfe7u
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOzYqXuPtg
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe17cYJPvM
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8fsCCeDy0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61F3YA6Tc7
> “I’m so screwed.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfSFAV7V9H
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Tp0iZnyiI
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx1KdNum9r
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7rXRhPJRl
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnb5snckNUq
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOv2mbt67f
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiaeoQIiP1
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KPeIwf5ad
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jIQ7lFdUB
But I already know.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJpRUtDQnc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLcY303AYJ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHubYFw7PUt
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMeFZs9r5W
I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqT0chHTan
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSk7nyqLqr2
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmf3zOLC0S
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAXQW0I9bi
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUzTkPwh5H
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoavxykd05J
Like he’d already done it before.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPG9mkVrnq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaAO1SimQx
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrF64AWHjpP
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuqj7fNCLc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiSdniFdMT
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOmKWMbbgI
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAh8QpCj274
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj3rDX3fci
I don’t even know his name.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00fXunRTIk
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qpbLnXxkX
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNj2tD92Dq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRA3giFIjb
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtb6jWG7br
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcA3zi9MfO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3CkS9ApsV
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DzLGcHUB0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW7izfgTA8
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1wzPxWI9f
and then Add to home screen.