summoning La

olite in the way people were pol

en exploded into motion like so

rms

kly, q

all goin

ight like a ragdoll, still processing the fact t

hat are

ribs and started lacing it like they

a maid chirped while actively tryi

ezed. "I can tast

will surely

course, ve

head. It had approximately seventy-three laye

litary fortification?" I

ne an

Others straight-up vanished. One second they were fluffing my sleeves, the next they'd

ined kept shooting

dy, you

unni

u could ki

Wh

you look

t them. "That

drone who had to smile through client tantr

ould see t

e whole dying

ed. Then-without warning-memories slammed into my br

ce's me

ather who'd given her literally everything except boundaries.

d girl who'd waltzed in an

ton, are you

rned but also clearly thinking p

having someone else's memories upl

y l

Onward to

us, all cold elegance and judgmenta

Ah

t so

omach

h

lutel

I'd rage-read while eat

preading like an accusation. A girl on her knee

of sunlight-because of course there

rya

bright.

o one going to m

gave me a c

ed wildly. "In what world-

celain skin. Huge doe eyes currently filled with crystalline tears. She wore literal r

f her screame

nted

her, and I didn't need Beatrice

laric C

fat

h

cond he saw me, like I'd person

quickly, smart enough to step as

the floor. Still ble

he

me like I was a war criminal. "Why do you keep bully

IN

RACTER U

ke Alaric

Lord Marshal, Supreme Comma

nship: Y

t Leve

elieves you're a m

ntastic. Love

ollowing his pointed fing

one

king to me?" I

their chests. One maid made the sign of the cross

be addressing? There's only one person in this househ

went dea

delicate sniffle

"

gestured dramatically at Maryann. "Look at how bruised she is! I understood you w

who was doing her best wounded

nutes ago. So unless I've developed sleepwalking superpowers, I don't

IN

EM WA

CHARACTE

her father in public. She's a Daddy's girl w

Cry prettily and

ou give me tip

jaw clenched. "

ely weather

twitched. "Bring i

g two sobbing girls whose wails immedia

ct moment, flinging herself at Duke

t in the novel? I couldn't remember.

please save us!

your orders!" the other waile

a. The loyal minions who'd done Beatrice's dirty work. Spilled

were being fed

n the hall l

c's voice could have frozen h

Samantha reached towa

ng you asked!" Si

at Maryann, still clin

I s

for a

urved up. A

, replaced by tre

ye tw

u cleve

out of me. Co

like he was about to have an ane

just-" I gestured at the whole ridiculous scene, "-peak comedy.

u lost yo

rned on my heel.

Wh

head maid, hurried after me.

ard him. Sti

g, heels click

pt playing the villain. Kept tormenting Ma

't have to foll

lf to another continent, open a bookshop. Live my b

Sienna's voice cracked b

lton, you stop this inst

pped crying. Just sta

her step tow

al. A life that

more

shed behind my eye

IN

TICAL OUT OF CHARA

DEVIATING FROM C

AVE THE SCENE EQU

MMEDIATELY O

across my vision

ld." I took

PLOT CORRECTION VIA

WILL

RNING: TU

hit like

ugh my skull. Every nerve endi

okay, th

s fal

. Marble rushed u

Y CRU

nd me, but they sound

went fuzzy.

ng I saw was

te

fe

all, satis

managed to pierce

onnivin

rything w