ree

into the woodshed from the servants' latrine

old washerwoman from Consort Cora's courtyar

round my forearms, preparing my under

stayed in Cora's room, the sheets were completely clean-they didn't consum

n, the only person he lets attend to his injuries is Consort Cora herself. She's been grinding his herbs f

d apothecaries from outside the city for days. They say his Dragon

d before a low, mocking laugh bubbled

unchastity out of petty jealousy, but to create a massive scandal that would d

Prince couldn't even bed a woman to produce heirs

ught he was nobly sacrificing my reputation for his beloved savior,

ke a fiddle by his own concubin

impotence to the streets ri

agon King's assassins down on our heads," I replied coolly. "Leave

and a middle-aged woman wrapped in a dark-blue v

vant's quarter, but the note my shadow guard delivered-a single line naming the blood-lotus she had qui

n for dragging me to this dump," Elena hissed

ten gleaming gold coins on

official medical scroll certifying my untouched virginity, stamped with your royal hea

You think ten gold coins can b

ing to a lethal whisper. "You've taken the blood-lotus out of the palace stores for three years running. I've never seen that count

finally realizing the woman in front of her was no weeping noble girl-an

ur wrist," she spat t

hands from my pulse, her forehead covered in

our virtue is untarnished," she muttered, her hand trembling slightly as she wrote

chment and blew gen

orrow morning." I waved a hand. Elena practi

hree maids, who quickly stripped off their skirts

st tightly with linen, and pulled on a f

il, I darkened my eyebrows with charcoal powder and

checking the short

, their fear completely replaced by

r the capital, bringing a heavy downpour

he rotted wooden window frame with a sin

s royal capital a parting