Nicholas didn’t say a word. He simply turned and left.

“Bye, Nick–lass!” Elva called, before happily returning to her waffles.

Deflated, I corrected my chair and flopped down onto it. None of the girls spoke to me during the rest of

breakfast.

Susie might have, but she was still too embarrassed from her own comment. Her gaze never lifted to

mine.

The longer I sat there in silence, with the girls chattering amongst themselves, the more suffocated I

began to feel in the palace.

The girls‘ conversations had more or less returned to the same topics as before, as if I had not spoken

up at all. I hated being surrounded by so much vanity and selfishness. It made me worry that I was

becoming that way too.

By the time Elva and I had finished breakfast and were on our way back to our room, I felt like I might

vibrate straight out of my skin. I was uncomfortable and unhappy.

The looming threat of my punishment weighed on my mind too.

Mark was still waiting outside of our room, talking to the new guards. I stopped in front of him and tried

to gather my thoughts.

“Something wrong, Piper?” he asked.

“Not wrong, exactly. But I do have a question.”

He nodded, encouraging me.

7f1 wanted to go somewhere during my off–time, would I be allowed? Somewhere off the palace

grounds. With Elva, of course.”

Of course! Elva chimed in

be able to arrange something.” Mark said. “But where would you want to go?

omewhere I could center myself, and maybe do some good? I don’t know. Maybe I’m overthinking

ything I rubbed my forehead.

looked at me curquely, like i was a puzzle yet to be completed.

“Somewhere like an orphanage, perhaps?” I suggested. “I could help serve lunch later, and Elva could play with the kids.”

Elva gasped. “Yay! Let’s go there! I want to play!”

Mark’s eyes went a little wide. Had I surprised him? Maybe he spent too much time in the palace too, if he was thinking the worst of everyone like I was.

know a place. It should be okay, but…” He looked

“But?” I prompted.

at me. “Never mind. I’ll take you myself.

minutes.”

and this

soon as we arrived at the orphanage, Elva went running to

other kids.

to the head caretaker, an older woman who was

times in

she said. “So many generous

words took a moment to

seems even here, I cannot escape from

open entryway where Nicholas was standing. He stared at me expressionlessly

before his gaze slid to

me you were coming here!”

narrowed

Mark as well. He hadn’t mentioned

nervous under my stare, too. “He comes here sometimes to help, but

or I wouldn’t have

out of the palace for a while. She asked if there

help out. Of course, I would bring

A coincidence? I asked.

his heart

turned back to Nicholas, but

smiled. “Prince Nicholas is truly a good

hard shell he wears. It’s

he hated me too, but I

both here is a blessing. Sometimes the kids are

handle.”

word.

before happily

I corrected my chair and flopped down onto it. None

breakfast.

she was still too embarrassed from her

mine.

with the girls chattering amongst themselves, the more

feel in the

the same

at all. I hated being surrounded by so much vanity and selfishness. It made me worry that I

becoming that way too.

Elva and I had finished breakfast and were on our

my skin. I

looming threat of my punishment weighed on my

of our room, talking to the new guards. I stopped

to gather my thoughts.

Piper?” he

wrong, exactly. But I

He nodded, encouraging me.

during my off–time,

Elva,

Elva chimed

Mark said. “But where would you want to go?

center myself, and maybe do some

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