leaner than Corbin, his eyes sharper, holding a quiet intelligence th

said, his voice flat. "No matter

y lord. As with the others. A

to a horrifying secret. The curse wasn't a curse at

le eye. "This one is different." He paused. "Don't be so quick to a

made of. "Start with humiliation. Let's

o cushion the bumps of the poorly maintained road. Celeste was already gone, following her instru

e of the castle. It stopped beside a small, dilapidated side entrance, bare

an in a severe grey dress. Her name was Bertha, the Ma

announced, her voice as brittle as old

tood tall and proud, carved with snarling beasts and the Hawthorn

s gathered, their whispers and stifled laughter like the buzzi

ated, her expre

t hear me? Get out of the carriage," she

ce was quiet, yet it cut through the murmurs lik

in mid-air, stunned by the she

ge. The blood-red of her wedding gown was a slash

he side gate. Instead, s

angerously calm, "that the Princess Regent

eck. "It is the custom

With a sudden, sharp movement, she reach

it was formidable. Her eyes, dark and piercing,

e dusty ground and ground i

iating an authority that had nothing to do with titles. "Now," sh

, her arrogant facade cr

isingly frail, and she went down in a heap

d. No bride had ever acted this way. Th

second glance. She walked directly

head held high. Her voice rang out, clear an

master his bri

letting the

en this gate, I will