g Her Highness-even if it cost his

hat once the Bennett family finds out I'm leaving

p flower dart hidden in her pouch. "Perfect. If they're dumb

se. But what worried him were the dirty tricks

changing her mind now, so he could only bow his

ght pierce

se, Serena gave him one f

eam of black blood before

s turne

y gone for the

hadn't shown up in time yesterday, and let him suffer the drug overnig

the Bennetts off

e iron gate outside the orphanage

that w

tts. It was that limpin

h their teacher to draw today. Otherwise

to see Dylan swaggering into the orphanage with

, Sarah-the one who clut

nd mean. His good leg was shaking,

linched back half a step, the crush

y face turned pale, and the moment she saw Serena, tear

her

ze went icy

er on a child. Now her lapdog learn

n. She wasn't that twelve-year-old who could

le. "Hey, be a good girl. Close your eyes and co

but obedient, and s

ugs reached for their knives, two fl

h, s

aight into the eyes of t

arg

tore through t

arah behind her. "Get inside! Han

umbled toward the

hen things get scary, you don't run.

ting her. She cou

ng behind the door and pee

. Before any of the thugs could react, he

ground howling in pain.In a flash, Serena landed right in fron

crack echoed

being skinned alive. "Ah!

rena said, "Well, both legs are busted now.

mself to talk tough. "Don't get ahead of your

ean Es

. "Wanna live? Simple. Bring me Esther's

I won't turn on her-AHH

his face to contort in unspeakable pain. His eyes darted to his fallen men sca

t wiped out. J

ena-had don

ries handpicked by Esther. How the hell d

ven crawl-his leg

ur loyalty's impressive. Honestly, being taken out by the

n electrocuted. His voice cracked. "Wa

alkyrie across the whole of

dden weapons, reclaimed lost ground singl

pses again, finally noticing the flower-s

er lilies-he

of death

er. So she... Serena... w

now it was you! Please, spare me-I know

al

r father wasn't just Esth

e relief could even hit his

ward the orphanage. One hand rose to shield Sarah's eyes while the o

wi

h of s

buried clean throu

de open, never believing the

nd her, the blood-soaked wo

rah's hair. "Didn't I say to cover thos

ing with adoration. "When I grow up, I'm g

hers. She wanted to be t

in the kid's heart, only smiled

"Okay, then. Try your best, alright? And about what

l bounced. Then she held out her