favor th

ther pleas

herself. Kara's companions were mischief-makers, ever

doors and entered, bearing a tray of honeyed

r faded

e ladies reclined on their cushioned seats, their silk gowns pooling like liquid opulence. Their eyes

idly tracing the rim of her goblet. "How

on the tra

eatures like that, one might mistake her for someone of statio

ng a wistful air. "A face like hers oug

egan pouring the wine, her m

awling over her skin like unseen

to remedy the matt

hall we do that? Mar her l

lace and turned, eager to leav

doors gr

ir sh

es c

ss had

ge in power. The sharp click of Kara's heels against

, cool and assessing, b

going o

languid, yet Lena knew better. B

anged glances, their gr

hing, Kara. Merely your servant, Lena.

mach knott

"Is that so?" Her gaze turned to Le

rds felt useless, trapped som

wer

cked you, Kara. Said you were nothing. That as long as she rem

truck lik

it, to protest, but she knew better. Speaking now

an agonizing moment b

yourself pret

I ne

hand, and the

s curled in something that might have resembled a smile, bu

orld

s seized L

her chest. She struggled,

r head as if amused. "Six strok

breath

ying her even as her mind screamed for cont

first stro

. Her hands curled into fists. Don't s

r. The third, crueler.

er mouth. She had bitten the inside

nched a strangled so

si

ai

gh the air like a whip. T

the word prettier echoing in her

rward and plucked a kn

"I know exactly what to d

voice broke, raw with terr

ough the room, soft,

ore. But now? To save your pretty little face?" She turned the knife in her gri

er fingers. "

N

d Lena against th

deliberate s

h

rs slam

oug

e brutality, sharp as

ards s

r smirk flickering into

t slightly, her vision swimming, but she felt it, an unmist

eta," someo

s the girls bo

hard, keeping h

," she cooed, resting a gentle hand on Kara's shoulder. "Your wedding to the A

e reminder, her posture

e flickered

rmth v

ned my day!" Kara snapped. "How dar

r eyes, brac

are of her," she said smoothly, her tone laced with cunning de

the fabric of her dress, gripping tight as the

what it meant to

do." She turned on her heel, striding away without a backward glance. Her fr

, si

w. Measured. D

gaze down, b

The Beta crouched, one finge

red with someth

Good thing your face is still untouched

e curved her lips

r to meet A