r

nking about what th

ld have died t

what did my mother have to d

my fingers. My mother had worn it around my neck before she disappeared. I was too young to

omised to

neve

ng that her disappearance might have been connec

terrupted

in," I

out of his travel clothes, but his expression was still

e you f

ws something about

de the table an

and your f

I were a ghost. Then he ran out of the room, and you told me my mother was

silent fo

as destroyed. The official repor

lieve I'm o

nd that pendant are con

not an

dmitted. "

, growing angri

uestions. I won't sit here while people w

ned, but he didn'

r you to see the

od

row mo

not

restricted archive, and I need to k

ded m

conve

narrowed

hiding someth

this palace is hidi

t, neither

moved towa

s tomorrow. Until then, don't lea

ped fo

ring me to st

o kidnap you on the road. Whoever sen

ve me a

ed back

ha

in, I don't intend to lie on the floor

is expression. It was

someone bring you a dagger and

now how to h

ning how to use it against someon

red a

most

mo

closing the do

red before turning back to the bed. M

symbol had

ly drop

t remained. It spread across the silver surfa

eath

is hap

I pressed a hand against it, stumbling bac

heard a

side th

e my

r has r

fr

's t

swer

inst my palm. The red lines disappeared, leaving t

ounded at

umped out

e called. "The king has request

at the

, I couldn't let anyone else

ce beneath my dress

ood outside wit

e foll

into the

tioned near the staircase. Both looked

ior made my

y staring at

id hes

ard stories,

stor

swal

out the Blo

stion her further,

e corridor, u

oodmoo

t the voice

ple in this palace a

who I was, why ha

rd the dining hall, my m

ael was already seated a

d the royal phy

d up as

yes met mine, hi

ropped to

," he whispere

ped wa

you just