The Story She Became

y head. My eyes slowly opened to a stream of golden light spilling through velvet curta

I s

ireplace crackled across the room. There were no beeping monitors, no steri

o my book... no-Elen

tray. Her black uniform reminded me of wha

y. I'll inform Lady L

d. Maybe the accident had put me in a coma, and this was just some elab

n't," I st

nwell?" she asked. "Shou

r is it?"

t me, visibl

other," she said, w

dashed to block her path

. My legs didn't ache

," I whispe

n see that," she sa

d to be

it is," I insisted. "Drowning c

s," she replied, gently

racters away from me. I needed time to recollect myse

All that kicking made me tir

en more worri

urbed-and please don't menti

s quietly

. My fingers twitched with the hint of a memory-a sentence, a scene, a name.

en the book's deta

r was over. Summer would be here soon. Outside, I saw a frenzy-servants i

one," a voice whi

g at one of the paintings near the d

," she said without care

ything that sparkled. Her firstborn, a son, was her pride. Her

y the gods had given her. Rebekah's hair was thick and dark. Her eyes were amber and stri

orked. Because Rebekah was cursed. A living reminder of Lisbeth's sin-killing the Count's pre

there," I said, heart

ou," Lisbeth spat. That's how she sur

believe that?"

y in her face. Her breath

lin

ore, didn't she? And it st

dream

d her hand

me," I

at me, eyeb

m dreaming. Slap me. Pinch me

uted for the physician. Then s

teal your purity?" she

h

ally

asn't