“Marry him, then.” She nodded, like it was decided. Like it was somehow that easy.

I hated disappointing her. I wished I could let her believe what she wanted.

“I’m sorry, Elva. But Prince Nicholas and I won’t ever be a couple. No matter what.”

She looked up at me with large, vulnerable eyes. “Not ever?”

I shook my head.

“But why?”

Because I broke his heart? Because he thought I had betrayed him? Because he’d returned the gift I’d

made him? Because he was a prince, and I was just a wolf–less waitress?

There were so many reasons. All of which felt like too much information for my small daughter.

“We’re just not meant to be,” I said.

Elva had a grasp of fairy tales and happily ever after. Even if she couldn’t understand everything, she

might be able to handle this much.

She must have, because her questions stopped. But then she started to cry.

“But I like him, Mommy,” she said, wiping at her eyes. “If you married him, then he would be my Dad.”

I hated more than anything to disappoint her, but what could I do? I couldn’t lie to her about this, not to

then have to reveal the truth like it was all some cruel joke.

Soon, I would be eliminated from the competition. I’d had a good showing tonight, but that didn’t mean !

stay. Everyone knew I’d be the first to

be forced to leave. From then on,

they went back to being reclusive. In that case, we wouldn’t even see

any hope of maintaining this lifestyle, including

as a

sorry,” I said, and pulled Elva Into my

her arms around my neck

to soothe her. “We’ll be

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fell asleep in my arms,

the maids would have left us for the night, but the

for me to finish

the bed, and Elva sleeping within it, I motioned the maid closer to the door. We

said: “I don’t need anything more

apparent betrayal of my maids, who surely knew bout the Queen’s rules for glove–length and had

you the wrong gloves,” the

blinked at

for you. I don’t know where those came from, or

traveled fast in the servants‘ corridors. It likely wouldn’t take long until the entire palace

don’t know why the other

“I

think so,” I

“No”

had purposefully meant to sabotage me. But

the first one to go home. Why make things even worse

quiet maid glanced around, like an eavesdropper might be listening

ran

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