The Stomachless Princess

a's

ed the back of my thro

apped behind the swelling that I could feel

sidearm from its shoulder holster and slammed the butt of the weapon against t

e Boss in he

My eyes locked

, my throat already constricting "-did

her spine. Chin lifte

have time for

ll of a liar who had never needed to learn how to

tchen had security cameras. I

ice from my trembling hand

boot down. The screen spiderwebbed with a sound like cr

ne. No protection. No Family resou

ing hall, his Soldiers falling into formation

watch h

otton being shoved down my windpipe, inch b

from my c

orced bathroom. I collapsed to my knees in front of the toilet and gag

door-the cli

. Low. Casual. Sh

ead against the cold porce

it into the rice water." A pause. "She needs

he woman she calle

rs were cured of worse in the cellar. Lock her in.

murmured

deadbolt sliding into place on t

ic

locked

traitors in the underground cells. Isolat

hite porcelain-bright red, visceral, ste

n was

Swollen. Each one a burning island of agony. I cl

e heavy wood. The impacts were weak, pathetic sound

ng now. A wheeze. A whisper. "Call th

the door. Terrifyingl

ak must suffer to become strong. You will

ls clic

. Faint

n my vision like ink spreading through water. My lungs screa

ed against the hard, unforgiving surface. The weight

k int

jolted

ss the tile. Through the haze, I saw Nonna Rosa standing in the doorway-frail,

tal rod. It clange

n she s

t the broken body of her granddaughter, lying in a

ds that had braided my hair when I was five, that had taught me to ho

ed down her

where my mother had abandoned me.

, Vittoria! May hell take