elle

umbled to the ornate, full-le

ed back at

s were full, the eyes wide and unburdened by the

hed. I was ali

Another torture devised

y arm. Pain, sharp and real, shot up to

hoved open the window, and the morning breeze, damp with dew and smelling of f

eality of this moment-sent a wave of nausea through me. I lurched into

bedroom door. "Miss Is

. Her voice, so full of life,

ed to call out, my voice

er kind face etched with concern as she t

orry about some silly dream. A bit of fun will chase it right away! T

la

gath

ty. This was the day I had made a fool of myself, publicly and shameles

t sharper than I intended. "I'm

ch Genevieve gave a direct order. All th

him. I couldn't see h

manor and toward the lake. The grounds were alive with the excited chatter of other

who had just bested every

was spread across the lush green lawn. My

en I s

maybe seventeen. The cruel, sharp edges of the man he would become were not yet visibl

felt like I was drowning all over agai

us to my terror. She grabbed my arm, trying to pull

r foot slipped on a

ing backward. Her hand tightened on m

y own balance was gone. The world tilt

owd as I fell backward, a single,

the lake water

.I flailed, but my arms

pted from

e cut through the water, moving

urky blue, I

n We

pulling me upward. The moment his skin touched mine, a jo

ghed, sputtering, as he hel

erwhelming and intoxicating.

d, frantic rhythm. My body, this stupid,