I didn’t even get a chance to breathe before someone grabbed my arm.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TaWeu69wu
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“His Majesty requests your presence,” a guard said, like I’d just been invited for cake instead of after confessing to murder.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKqjyr5Gx2
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Oh, sure. Totally normal post-manslaughter hangout.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLJ7bUzSLO
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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.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y0x2yWmeU
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By the time we reach the King’s chambers, my stomach’s doing gymnastics.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tKHJCTQbQ
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The doors swing open with a heavy creak, and there he is — the King.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhPXL41qeR
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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.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8wvXyl0M2
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> “Ariana!”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcj5EVOVCi
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He rushes forward and before I can dodge, he hugs me. Full royal embrace. Armor and all.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMo2xjDlFed
147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BYEmtaEcj
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I freeze like someone hit pause on me.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiAoIzsFe0
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My brain short-circuits.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDR9ysIYws
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Right. Hugs. With the guy who rules the kingdom. After a public murder. Totally fine.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WLyTNRzGN
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> “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.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVrWctfbBD
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He pulls back to look at me — and for a second, I see it. Real worry. Real love.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPyGn4KZCJ
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And that’s almost worse.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGXGTBFlng
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Because I didn’t do anything to earn it.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHfbIwYYKy
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The courtiers behind him stay silent.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FRGHvmzxQ
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They bow. Whisper. Pretend not to see the mess.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUsR9DQa5M
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No one mentions Clara’s name. Not once.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVPbgmOPNd
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Like she never existed.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8Ae4S3V43
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> “You must rest,” the King says gently. “The court will handle the details. You’ve suffered enough.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvH1jMfd2Z
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I nod because what else can I do?147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcxbkVoQp4
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If I open my mouth, sarcasm will leak out and ruin my life.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARX3deq51q
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So I just say,147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoDhWv66BE
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> “Yes, Father.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjS1vRxv5d
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He smiles — relieved, maybe even proud — and calls for the maids to take me to my chambers.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVt9MW9bZV
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---147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3AvcdFi2T
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The walk back feels longer. Quieter.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WcXQslHYY
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When they finally leave me alone, I collapse onto the bed.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ017AJyrDns
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The silk sheets swallow me whole, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBb3lfby9X
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> “So,” I whisper to the empty room,147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVdBtLMlcf
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“confessed to murder, adopted by the King, promoted to favorite daughter. 10/10 quest rewards.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pEVl9gOl1
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I laugh a little — that weird kind of laugh that sounds dangerously close to crying.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1d1MEzn8G
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Then I pull the covers up to my chin and stare at the ceiling.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu99YvaVMWq
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> “I’m so screwed.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUZQvLk4Eg
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The gold chandeliers flicker overhead.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZO9gonFBD3
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Somewhere outside, the bells toll faintly, like the world’s trying to remind me what time it is.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKQNsy8swC
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But I already know.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9E4SBCYhG
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It’s the hour when fate stops pretending to be fair.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UQSLAmG6j
1234 copyright protection143ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuqF1G98c7 尼I close my eyes, but his face won’t leave me alone.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWYO4tFStK
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Those blue eyes — calm even with a sword over his neck.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGlpVrRdu8
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Like he wasn’t scared of dying.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7clUfaNiZ
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Like he’d already done it before.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqyKRi5lmR
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And that smile… no, not even a smile — more like quiet acceptance.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUoHffG5Uw
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The kind that says, “I told you this would happen.”147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M9r4cbyKl
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I don’t even know his name.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4LhHcDXwi
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But when I think about him, my chest tightens, like I’m remembering someone I already lost.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna5DiswAbC
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Which makes no sense, because I’m supposed to be me. Lily. The girl who fell into a cursed fantasy soap opera.147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxJ3vDqpwE
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So why does it hurt like it’s not the first time?147Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0WxgpZozz
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