I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjub5D8CeCz
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfD0XzfsSS
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByYQYOUIJT
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Q9ViIDQIV
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8kgWMLQeB
Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqte6x8AQa0
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjygFsSWua1
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHc0paqJ7s
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.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8ForVR6yz
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1kf5c9LYp
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG64WX0uxF
By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmW2poYw34
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58mBSQdu6m
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokXFufmc2w
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6PySGocbd
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo86rj3CHqg
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.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpahAjse2iR
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2EQPgojjB
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEocQn5mgA
> “Ariana!”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2S9ag3fo4
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0nktFWQvX
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLGqiEJTSK
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3Om3f8mQq
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZSJnXCwM6
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCmbn46Tsa
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWRopiTLuT
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRkK3E0END
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWJjmAi64H
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHHfVYEPwD
My brain short-circuits.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mapsOWEOP
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dWFKb03tV
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MTx1HG8QL
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKoWTLpOXo
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6VHiZxTH2
> “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.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb6zFu5Mkk
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UGlExkPHn
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmqBp4SM3o
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBQPYneYKD
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHWr0E5wYr
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pGfGfz46Y
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2bhxZGwUb
And that’s almost worse.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmO0FyB7PN
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoilVkBl77
Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk4ysKTAeI
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH90QqPCSlC
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNENts2muB
The courtiers behind him stay silent.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiUQqXnp3Q
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWLCIWXOmS
They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rbAZGoR38
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeJU4N7oxe
No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhtf5Tih6f
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWIDDE7WPH
Like she never existed.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlETXCqU583
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdCOkd9RFU
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSXfGMhgYM
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRAT7rFuYf
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFr6uDU9JYP
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJ5gjM8mqc
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5suAxAaQJ
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfZaPkNujI
I nod because what else can I do?198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKZrBqhCvb
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1FKO9q2xB
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsS7PFy9Vn
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GxgAuLXc7
So I just say,198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFmPl6doJn
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqCbdzNFeh
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfNy2l2BeI
> “Yes, Father.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKaLBQiifL
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfeLPimoIt
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mT315tU0N
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnw3M7lY0a
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZ1QZBhb20
He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q99mubMsQ
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTT69sBdYw
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9dWbRTlkx
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMm3ZkQvLP
---198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXbWziq82g
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2FjQ9VoE5
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRxosVyIQm
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8yhKmwG4U
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ771XrNUNAB
When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoNixua0EB
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfeg5zwtUy
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyOj8LjcLF
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiiZ0klYlq
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEMNtfBPak
> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKK8UFWCr0e
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2r6xGpY5R
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCaVDf7PLM
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhuCUQU3s9
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nDTRxN4d8
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHAzPLnyXq
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdUezTe9uD
I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60bCkWxsab
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPLO8u6T04
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJTwGuerGu
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgZgeycmxm
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfd5iRtoIa
> “I’m so screwed.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSr6uPYni5
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggXlP9bvXs
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9uRKvGPw7
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5OfB4lbkj
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHLbMqBGvJ
The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINgZV5xs1W
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkYO4RZ4LQ
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblqsEDzNhK
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiqhz3I8Wp
But I already know.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbnjfFQeJA
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIe7bWfpb1
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSkQxqzTHd
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhYJxOfDGZ
1234 copyright protection194ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgkbOkhfPT 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhImlyuqvqd
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAwGHECUTC
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHk4TZTvWY
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wnAf7FXkA
Like he wasn’t scared of dying.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJmM6qvKiX
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7S1b9pL0DO
Like he’d already done it before.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Yol38U8XI
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bEIRfOiK8
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CSvPIjkUl
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9KFMCU0cu
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1sObjnoQB
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKeBaILDCa
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAwkqudQfH
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsgDPPA40H
I don’t even know his name.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9SWoipRcL
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0v5k7OPmI
But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88bUhZnme5
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLOuxeUTaz
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznvx1XYcQ5
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JUv9Z2ulD
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2kstJxrin
So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDUqajg4SQ
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FWAcydKpy
198Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMvmOqCXZZ

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