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.

should be okay, but…”

“But?” I prompted.

his head, then smiled at me. “Never mind.

minutes.”

cheered, and this time I joined

arrived at the orphanage, Elva went running to the playground to meet and

other kids.

me to the head caretaker, an older woman who

hand many times in a row.

to have another helping hand,” she said.

a moment to

here, I cannot escape

the open entryway where Nicholas was standing.

gaze slid

tell me you were

narrowed marginally,

Mark as well. He hadn’t mentioned that Nicholas might be

under my stare, too. “He comes here sometimes to help, but I swear I didn’t

be here today, or I wouldn’t have

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

out. Of course,

A coincidence? I asked.

crossed his heart with his

back to Nicholas, but he was

smiled. “Prince Nicholas is truly a good man.”

shell he wears.

I didn’t

blessing. Sometimes the kids are more than these

handle.”

didn’t say a word. He

Elva called, before happily returning

my chair and flopped down onto it. None

breakfast.

she was still too embarrassed

mine.

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

to feel in

to the same topics as before, as if I had

all. I hated being surrounded by so much vanity and selfishness. It made

becoming that way too.

were on our way back to

straight out of my skin. I was uncomfortable and

punishment weighed

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

to gather my thoughts.

Piper?” he

exactly. But I do

He nodded, encouraging me.

my off–time, would I be allowed?

With Elva,

course! Elva

arrange something.” Mark said. “But where would you want

and maybe do some good? I don’t know. Maybe I’m

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