up to k

d. The kind that meant you

ed before I co

m. She was followed by three more-each one dressed in soft grey uniforms,

... good

e here to prepare

rrowed. "P

assist you. The

new princes got help doing everything from putting on sh

d. I can, uh,

ances. The older woman ste

ol, Your Highness. The

atched my head, stalling. "It's just that.

oyal family for generations. There's no

in someone else's life. I've got scars, a bust

like I had a hundred t

o scrubbing

n laugh. I thin

-

done with me, I looked

gardens and old money. My hair was trimmed and brushed into place. They dressed me in layers-silk inner robes,

gnized myself

that was

-

eakfas

nt as ghosts, until we reached a set of a

ooked like a scene from a dream-long polished table, crysta

t the end of

h

I guessed were princes-watching me like I was made of glass. An olde

e

oiled around her shoulders. Skin like

d at me d

e I was

puzzle miss

said softly. "Sit

ill rang stra

its I couldn't name, bread still warm from the oven, silve

g. I was too busy feeling li

t glanci

ying

tin

ght, hold my knife right, and pray no one

-

. quieter t

tly, watching me over

lin

something p

The journey took more o

her. She reached ove

ust. You're

odd

o

. Ri

y they

a long-lost artifact finall

mething invisible off my collar. "You lo

ile. "Thank y

it. She smiled as if s

ed politely. Her eyes, though, were searching-quiet

fered, her voice as soft as

e to say. Nice to meet you? Was that how broth

grow legs, two boys leapt u

reen eyes. "I'm Tavian," he said with a gri

iting from Aldemire Province. Heard you

Tavian elbowed his brother. "You were just

like that," Ma

Malik are my sister's boys. They've al

th a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Please.

all me Aunt Estelle. I was the one who used to braid

chuckled to mask it. "Sounds

you home, Elias. Your return is all the King's tal

e

was someone else. And no

t, I almost

thought

, keeping my tone light but sin

oom s

. Liora looked down at her plate. Even

een said after a pause. "He as

crawled down m

he three of us. He

own. "We'll let you go. We're ret

. "So soon? I thought we'd

Gala," Estelle reminded him. "Now

too familiar, too genuine. I said n

hind them, the queen s

," she said.

-

ing's

hanged the d

their shoulders. The walls darkened too-less light, less gold, more

llowed the queen and Liora down a corrido

n front of a

d quietly. "But he'll know you

oor and motioned

eppe

blue light filtering through velvet cur

the center

Ki

fat

oyal blue clung to his thin frame, and though he look

y at the sound

asked, voice ro

miled and s

love. H

-though his eyes didn't move

in

tly, trying to smile. "But I'd

dded-realizing too late h

," I said

ned hi

alked i

hat else

n this world belie

the firs

wanted to bel