I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx4Zg3ft5l
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0K0ejlY9YJ
“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9JJaQtWKj
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Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy9lRoHfzM
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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.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09e6T32gkA
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By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllyQoFXZCq
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFmCPNCdPf
The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsMtMivx7i
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKgEGX8p9u
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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.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43YW9AZT3O
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2eDpuDSFp
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> “Ariana!”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhI0b8Z54d
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0OIJjx5CV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMVgReOAlm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgJBtV6tta
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gD07HG335
He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHXxNXMN4v
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplbSk4qAk8
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTyeh2TGg4
I freeze like someone hit pause on me.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy6L5wvxeP
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdSwwm9xnA
My brain short-circuits.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB18G60EtxZ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpl6m0sGV8
Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoXmm92MAV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiFwbPXUiA
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJL8lP9p6t
> “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.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DtaS5MK2z
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrztb1kZBH3
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144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbeNB4ovKn
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J0MWnFnGS
He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbiBpJF0pD
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And that’s almost worse.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2x2xTgiiGt
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Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fzbPposxz
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04217Ht35X
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiHYR8i6GQ
The courtiers behind him stay silent.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NczoO8TW2
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They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡac2StCEkbL
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No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIE0Igtszj
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Like she never existed.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8o3bBxNOzW
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144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF30wlssRY
> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJcquvb8Gd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOWCXByQ61
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I nod because what else can I do?144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiYTQMJWVy
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4P0T1us5wC
If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4n10sQXaQ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEj8VT0sYU
So I just say,144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoYbkekIQL
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQ4brgzwgx
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUXBXk1rOC
> “Yes, Father.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSrhdwVrnh
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXbzcaNG6g
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsVpOxAR9T
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Lo5qM5yms
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He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLWdFRZNHz
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5prvMCAc5
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbT5BfxW4f
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---144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuBTsGy55f
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvXxk6ByZR
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIwKhAJHUl
The walk back feels longer. Quieter.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xM1kCFNzP
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When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3ruKTQc6z
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1u4yfOcrrA
The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp4SggajHS
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> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYW4I8Kxvkr
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dOnQlm4XG
“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybdi9znn22
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaJN3bSooC
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCoCEShBDW
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTej087FA7
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I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6NDy6QKYa
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KOZIOJhf6
Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqh8RqFiTIe
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSZlztypl8
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNLbYWWR20
> “I’m so screwed.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPXhMWURaO
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenU7fIoTU9
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The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamC0Yd5BlZ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0hgQYZcKJ
Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiAoFz3iz1
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQRImddQLM
But I already know.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72Uq3b3Vqb
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bJAqWD5tb
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTq2UBURjgc
It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKImtkX3oC
1234 copyright protection140ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr1A9B8GQW 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugD4j7D0UU
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3o3vvrHzxx
Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0wouPV5IJ
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Like he wasn’t scared of dying.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTWfTHvCGa
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Like he’d already done it before.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD24OLf78Yn
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88yRU7iU4f
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mnVnV8c2R
And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ168ZCvj4CB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8apcqRATT
The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBucsGj85Yl
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I don’t even know his name.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQhL3kCYWV
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But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfZ4N5IW2D
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOanWfXzw7E
Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04mGlUAPnH
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nYOmMj6ZH
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So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YYp4vqkM6
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckQ8agnn6a
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJURI9VrDmN

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