A'S

led of damp wall

to my chest. My wrists still hurt where the guards had dragged me throu

since they lo

use I wa

had not

who had kissed my forehead before I left for the a

y palm agai

my skin, a cruel reminder tha

g about him,

a weak

sound broke

e

proached. The guard unlocked the

s Se

urled agains

cou

my boyfriend couldn't w

ted cream dress that hugged her waist, and a diamond necklace glitter

a queen visiti

oked

a clicked her ton

inst the stone floor

una Academy, and this is wh

n't a

front of me and

harp tongue of yours? The one you used whenever

eyes on

my stomach twisted with hunger. I did

elena hadn't com

me to watc

areful not to let her expensiv

e always hated abo

sed m

wanted to

ice sh

ghter. Best Luna. Ever

ed under

n Lu

es op

when she saw m

e she

aned c

find everything waiting for you? Did you think Lucas would spend every

nted at

as tired. I was the one who sat with him during pack me

ile wi

w, he's

red a

though stealing another woman's

me to keep hi

ile sl

did yo

head again

heard

, she simply

she l

pretending y

n't r

an imaginary speck of

ng about something. Because

ed to th

ng i

forward with a fol

nd waved it in f

his Luna. The coronation wi

ach tig

ee

moon, and Lucas would stand before

would wear the title I had s

watched

u trained for years, and all

ed awa

ou fin

strils

Not

and pressed the pap

anymore, I've decided to

dn't

e my perso

ettled be

t out a d

mouth t

ser

am

head and m

fuck away

ile va

he maids

f she couldn't believe I

he sla

AC

napped to

ed. I had expected her to do something like t

ed my face ba

l be

nd tre

gratefu

of my mouth with

n wearing stolen glory, and

es nar

her

ids exchan

pun towa

ot hear me

rried f

e other seized my left and p

from exhaustion. I had barely eaten since arriving,

go of

ind me tight

gling," she

y elbow b

out and

nd, I nearly

shoved me down. My knees struck the stone f

pped in fr

have accepte

at he

ace t

your las

ised h

AC

eek b

ck the o

AC

jerked b

the maid holding my lef

moved

when I'm spe

d my ey

pped me

AC

unced off th

ood where my teeth had cu

you're better than

d not

r slap

AC

blurred fo

chin and forc

wer

n with rage, my breath

N

eased m

oo

slapped

AC

i

three on

refused to let them fall in front of her. I would n

back and exa

ok more lik

ainst the m

you'll reg

urst out

at a t

he blood in my mout

ghter s

a moment before tur

the c

ned with a large basket. She dragged i

s spilled onto t

hirts. She

landed at

he clothes, t

is t

lded h

rst assi

red a

ted at t

onation celebrations. I want every piece washe

a disbelie

e to wash y

es. Some of Lucas'

and picked up

s's

t it for him before leaving for the acad

t up, examini

we spent our firs

mach t

the shirt on

properly. I don't wan

ged f

t me before I c

re speak abou

ped back, t

Does i

d towards t

to

down at

curled in

ot you

aised an

u change your mind. No food. No water. Let'

he door, her maids f

he stopped and look

and M

eyes on

the coronation. He doesn't want you e

sm

upstairs, you'll be down

began t

our new

ock c

ce re

floor, staring at the cl

wrists ached, and my stomach growled so

ed to

lothes apart and throw

pstairs, find Lucas, and ask

y knew what

d defen

ld bla

hat I was no longer

red my

cheek and landed on the

it away

m

o watched another woman slap me

of my life for a title he had

y expected

hirt and held it

led faintly of

scent had m

urned my

e shirt aw

hed myself

shook, bu

lk into her coronation knowing the woman she had

o accept my pla

at the lo

ile you can,

rough, but the wo

. You can wear the Luna crown. You

ece of clothing and drop

never make m

irred bene

she didn'

grow

ked towards the narrow window high above the wall.

ntil Selena'

stood before the pack a

t of this predicament but I was