he stillness of its grand halls distu

rang

Elir

or

ing on the stone floor. Her slippers padded urgently across the hallway

gers clenched around a riding crop. Leor's cheek bore a red welt, and his eyes w

" he sobbed, voice shrill w

d vase lay

d, eyes flashing. "Your bastard blood thinks i

ed the c

ac

ed on h

orridor as she threw herself between them

away. She wrapped her arms around L

" she choked, "I swear t

g back with mocking laughter. "W

arms protectively tight

hen Alista

oak flowed behind him, and his eyes were cold as slate as he took in

xistent dust off her sleeve. "I was disciplining the

not true! She beat him! He's

ce cut like st

fr

oached at once,

ot until she remembers her place. And bring the

in her sunken, sleepless eyes. "Alist

was no mer

tle hands were pried from her dress, his screams echoi

te

o more than a stone cryp

elts on her back burning, her skin b

rought her fo

, onl

anymore when the rats s

s small face, his big brave e

lips cracked and dry. Her eyes star

ark. "Who did I ever hurt? What s

Her body trembled

t for

her

ough wildflowers, laughed at butterfl

yed he

yed he

uldn't die before

____

scraped open, i

n't move

ld and pain. Her back throbbed with every shallow inhale, the cane marks still bu

e the fo

red.

ore he even stepp

sta

s, who once pressed kisses to her forehead

aking, bones screaming, but he

is eyes swept over her like she wa

than usual," h

athless laugh. Bitt

at starvation looks like on your wife? Or to b

id no

at her ankle, face hollowed f

cow

shot like

gh her veins like poison. "All this time I thought I wasn't enough. That I had to ea

narrowed. "Wat

Bring your guards! Let your whore of a duchess watch! Isn't th

pped f

n't bac

you. I sleep on stone and still I'd rather be here than under yo

opped, sharp

er trusted. And you spat on th

enched, but Elira

ng you'd come home sober enough to smile at him. Do you even remem

le

ose and fel

ou broke me. That you enjoy seeing your s

l no

her eyes

ilk and titles. And one day, gods help me, you'll look

, until she was in

ill never love you again. And if the stars have any justice left, o

ared. He turned on his

ammed shut

knees-not in defea

was no long

as f

e woul

for

Le