ter

ltered weakly through the curt

breakfast

ught the hesitation, the pity

the night before. My skin, pale and lifeless. My lips drained of color. The bo

ound my throat, but I swallowed them d

with whispers. I caught the

d her to the guest room.

lept in his chamber. The

e serving the mistre

and cruel, scattered

ped in silk the color of blood. She smiled lazily, like the throne was hers. Dan

g," I managed

or me to sit. The chair at the far end of the table, distant from

eaming eggs and glazed ham before Elizabeth. Fresh fruit in crystal b

ugh, turning her gaze toward me. "Why don

. Daniel lowered his newspap

e said. "It is

eggs onto her plate, cut fruit into neat slices. The humiliation burned, every motion a reminder

" she purred. "You nearly dropped the

s tried to look away, but I saw thei

et the last d

nough?" I a

nt. "For now. Though I hear you are not eating much yourself. P

around the spoon. T

at last giving me his atte

pare me. That he would call back some sh

not look at her like that," he told me flatly. "Sh

rness at the back of my throat.

s cracked

lled, low and taunting

pounded. Something inside me, r

me in the guest room like a stranger. You let them all whisper. And now you sit here, letting he

s hands tightened over the tray he held. Ev

s jaw set. Slowly, delibera

gh," h

re that had stirred in me since the pills began their slow torment bu

zabeth's smirk returned, thin and sharp, as

cracked across my face, hot and stinging. My head sn

d this time. One dropp

pressed to my burning cheek, blood coating m

your place. If you cannot acc

her arm through his. Her

ly, resting her head against his

, leaving me standing at the end of the ta

lingered on my lips. My gaze swept over the servants. Th

k. They would repeat it al

front of them. The m

y, my hand tremblin

head to the wood. The toxin churned inside me, making my skin cra

. They wanted me weak,

lood, and with

as not