summoning La
olite in the way people were pol
en exploded into motion like so
rms
kly, q
all goin
ight like a ragdoll, still processing the fact t
hat are
ribs and started lacing it like they
a maid chirped while actively tryi
ezed. "I can tast
will surely
course, ve
head. It had approximately seventy-three laye
litary fortification?" I
ne an
Others straight-up vanished. One second they were fluffing my sleeves, the next they'd
ined kept shooting
dy, you
unni
u could ki
Wh
you look
t them. "That
drone who had to smile through client tantr
ould see t
e whole dying
ed. Then-without warning-memories slammed into my br
ce's me
ather who'd given her literally everything except boundaries.
d girl who'd waltzed in an
ton, are you
rned but also clearly thinking p
having someone else's memories upl
y l
Onward to
us, all cold elegance and judgmenta
Ah
t so
omach
h
lutel
I'd rage-read while eat
preading like an accusation. A girl on her knee
of sunlight-because of course there
rya
bright.
o one going to m
gave me a c
ed wildly. "In what world-
celain skin. Huge doe eyes currently filled with crystalline tears. She wore literal r
f her screame
nted
her, and I didn't need Beatrice
laric C
fat
h
cond he saw me, like I'd person
quickly, smart enough to step as
the floor. Still ble
he
me like I was a war criminal. "Why do you keep bully
IN
RACTER U
ke Alaric
Lord Marshal, Supreme Comma
nship: Y
t Leve
elieves you're a m
ntastic. Love
ollowing his pointed fing
one
king to me?" I
their chests. One maid made the sign of the cross
be addressing? There's only one person in this househ
went dea
delicate sniffle
"
gestured dramatically at Maryann. "Look at how bruised she is! I understood you w
who was doing her best wounded
nutes ago. So unless I've developed sleepwalking superpowers, I don't
IN
EM WA
CHARACTE
her father in public. She's a Daddy's girl w
Cry prettily and
ou give me tip
jaw clenched. "
ely weather
twitched. "Bring i
g two sobbing girls whose wails immedia
ct moment, flinging herself at Duke
t in the novel? I couldn't remember.
please save us!
your orders!" the other waile
a. The loyal minions who'd done Beatrice's dirty work. Spilled
were being fed
n the hall l
c's voice could have frozen h
Samantha reached towa
ng you asked!" Si
at Maryann, still clin
I s
for a
urved up. A
, replaced by tre
ye tw
u cleve
out of me. Co
like he was about to have an ane
just-" I gestured at the whole ridiculous scene, "-peak comedy.
u lost yo
rned on my heel.
Wh
head maid, hurried after me.
ard him. Sti
g, heels click
pt playing the villain. Kept tormenting Ma
't have to foll
lf to another continent, open a bookshop. Live my b
Sienna's voice cracked b
lton, you stop this inst
pped crying. Just sta
her step tow
al. A life that
more
shed behind my eye
IN
TICAL OUT OF CHARA
DEVIATING FROM C
AVE THE SCENE EQU
MMEDIATELY O
across my vision
ld." I took
PLOT CORRECTION VIA
WILL
RNING: TU
hit like
ugh my skull. Every nerve endi
okay, th
s fal
. Marble rushed u
Y CRU
nd me, but they sound
went fuzzy.
ng I saw was
te
fe
all, satis
managed to pierce
onnivin
rything w
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