FROM SLAVE TO LUNA

re

des, fighting every urge to spit at his feet. His golden eye

imes," he repeats, his voice as cold as the winter

tter than to provoke him, but the silence stretches too long, a

something reckless, the door

storms in with wild dark hair bouncing over her shoulders. Then, she stops dead in her

big brother?" She crosses her arms, tapping a finger

s sharply. "Get

pet," she says, stepping forw

her hands to me for a handshake. Unlike him, her features are sof

a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

face. "Her name is Serena and

the girl a break." Then, she leans in and whispers, "Y

stands, sending

uncil meeting," she announces, flipping her curls

s out an exhausted sigh before turning his gl

I finish arranging the books in the library with Sylvaine Sinclair. My body

t voice calls fr

curls cascading down her shoulders and unlike a particular Sinclair, s

he says, motioning

eely without anyone looking for a misstep. I just wis

s playfully. "Don't que

heads in her presence. Eventually, we stop in front of a grand set of double doors. She pushes them

he says, walking toward her wardr

r. "You have m

they all just agree with whatever

. I stand awkwardly, unsure why she's asking me of all people. But

ning in a deep blue dre

ering, my voice careful

n, then nods approvingly.

h fabrics and jewelry, and for the first time in

r expression softens. "You know, I d

se. "W

she says, staring at herself in the mirror. "My mother barely speaks

can I say? I know loneliness too

e with a small, genuine smi

uld use some company

time, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I've fou

mber. The doors are cracked open, and as I step in, my

gs on places I recognize, the sam

rt on the attack that destroyed my home. I gasp

t, stamped with the roya

an's desk, my fingers shaking. I need something, anything,

rchment with rough markings, what looks like a battle map. The scent of

otsteps which m

supposed to be a

, his cold eyes staring straight into mine before he t

yes always seem to want to slice through me.

doing?" His v