el'

iac arrest. My heart jumped to my throat, and I almost

, they weren't

several glossy boxes tied with gold ribbons. The smell of roasted meat and fr

ike I had an app

the tray on the table. "We've brought your meal, and

repeated, blin

mine again. "For the King," she said. "You'll

im?" My voice cracked. "As in-

'll help you prepa

some offering being

, they bowed low and slipped ou

he boxes. The

at it. But my stomach gro

is a dream, at least it's

this was-chicken? heaven?-it melted in my mouth. I didn't re

iot I apparently was,

ped open with a c

nd scandalous enough to make a

actual hel

ird-don't even ask. By the fifth, I wa

ear this... for a man

opped backward, staring at the ceilin

fted off, but the next t

ight, brea

said, trying

the eldest speaking fir

nt dry. "Tim

you," she

my feet, my mind spinning. I wanted to run, scream, anything-but

n in it. The steam filled the air, warm and heavy, and

ime. With

didn't ev

to cry-bu

n. And Hazel Trum

like money. Their hands worked fast-rubbing oil into my skin, twisting my hair into s

ied the sash of my robe. "You look beautiful,

mile. "Yeah.

h the sarcasm-or

reathing. The palace was even larger than I expected, with endless c

ed in time wit

we st

arved with the head of a wolf. Its eyes see

iting," the eld

d forward and pus

roared in

hard and ste

hind me with a de

ting golden shadows over the walls. The air smelle

I saw

d by the window

his hips. His hands rested in his pockets, shoulders

nt, I just

as thick-like even t

owly, he

world

one violent rush. My body we

in candlelight, eyes sharp a

could nev

ut in a whisper

sor...N