*Blanca* I awake sometime in the middle of the night. When I first got back to my room, I took a long shower and scrubbed my flesh raw. Then, I got dressed in as many layers as I could and fell into bed, exhausted. My mind had gone crazy, even in my dreams, trying to sort out everything that had ha
As soon as I reach for the doorknob, the one on the right hops up. “Hey! You can’t go down there.” “Sure I can,” I tell him. “I’m the princess. I can do whatever I want.” “No, you can’t.” The one on the left is up now, too. “We have it on strict authority from the king himself not to let you down
*Kieran* The library smells like binding glue and old paper. I have no idea why anyone would ever want to spend more than a few moments here. When I was younger, our governess used to herd all of us in here–Anwen, Candace, Finn, Ingrid, and me. We’d sit next to her and listen to her read from story
“None of your damn business.” I slide the book back onto the shelf, knowing it’s not going to help me. Nothing can. I even went to speak to my father’s magician about the Haze earlier today, and he backed up what my father had to say. Of course, Wordsworth is probably the worst magician in the unive
*Blanca* “And if you leave this room without my permission one more time,” Mother says as she stands next to her henchman, Ardesia, “you can rest assured I will break your legs so that you cannot leave again.” The lash hits my upper thighs, my back, my bottom as I stare at the wall above my bed, t
She holds up the key. “Mother isn’t very good at keeping hold of this.” I almost laugh, but then, I have no idea why she’s here. It can’t be for anything good. I don’t ask. Instead, I take a few hesitant steps toward her. Candace is eighteen years old, three years younger than me. Unlike me, she l
*Kieran* The blood splattered all across the stone wall and floor is fresh. The birds continue to caw at me, and it feels as if they are scratching the inside of my brain. I want to yell at them to get the fuck out of here, but I also don’t want to anger them. Besides, I need to know what the hell
Blake’s mouth twists slightly into a crooked grin. “Some.” “The royals?” That’s how the stories always go. All of my father’s enemies had such great magical powers. Yet, he was able to defeat them through his wit, power, and strength. “Mostly.” Blake’s voice cracks such that it’s difficult for me
My quill flows across the page, writing down every word of the story. Mother’s voice rings in my ears, soft over familiar phrases. When I’m done, I don’t read it over. I’ll just crumple it up if I do. But I scribble one last thing at the end.Even if the tower never falls….Seconds tick away as I st
HollisI’m a moron. Worse than that, I’m insane. That’s what Mother said when she found out I’d stuck my tongue to the frozen pole outside of the kitchen three times in a week and basically skinned the damn thing every time. But every time, I thought it would be like in a story Eva and I read, where
“I want something more active,” I say. “Like you. I want to… I don’t know… make something?”“Easy.” Ingrid claps her hands together. “Have you ever done any fine arts? Drawing, painting, sculpting?”I shake my head. Yet another class Mother thought was filling my head up with nonsense.“Okay. I know
CandaceI’m sitting at the dressing table, fixing my hair for the first time in days, when a bird starts singing right outside my tent. An ash warbler. For the third time since sunset yesterday. I almost smile.When it first happened, I made Ingrid go check. We were way outside of where the warbler
‘Catch me if you can!’ she calls through the mind-link.In wolf form, I can’t give her the necklace if I want to. I stuff her clothes and mine in her sewing bag, then shift and give chase.Escuro flies by. I barely notice it. My attention remains locked on Eva’s bright-red tail disappearing between
HollisMy plan to act like I actually believe Eva is going to be my wife is going great—except for the fact that I basically haven’t slept since I started it because my mark hurts so Goddess-damned bad. That’ll fade. I know it will. Because I do believe Eva’s going to be my wife. It’s what everyone
Outside the tent, someone makes the tiniest whimper I’ve ever heard. My heart squeezes.“They can come in, but no lights.” I sit up. “And don’t ask, please.”Ingrid nods and starts to turn away, but her gaze locks on mine. She’s noticed. Of course. Every muscle in my body tenses.She turns back for
CandaceFor the third morning in a row, I pull my covers over my head as lunch approaches and rub eyes gritty from crying.Well, not exactly the third morning in a row. The very next day, I tried. I got up, made myself beautiful even as Ingrid fluttered around me, saying I didn’t have to go out if I
Not that I’m keeping track. I, in fact, am doing the exact opposite. I’ve been so caught up in her that I’ve been neglecting my responsibilities. Even if she’s not the person I’m going to spend my life with, I still believe in her dream. There’s just no reason for her to lie, or to seem so scared if