The Sculptor Who Became Queen

Master Thomas was something pure, a connect

eries: the reclusive genius sculptor, hidden away on his mountain, a

tistic dedication, a relationship forged in clay

erything to

old, dusty studio, a place that s

re the clay, her hands always a

tools until the

ces, the supplies, the h

wn art, and any chance of a lif

believing she was the steady founda

not just as our senior but as the

sday, the mon

lled us all to t

us hands starting to tremble, b

, and next to him was a

me was

jewelry, her perfume a chemical ass

y creature completely out of place amon

oy that felt hollow to us. "I want you to meet Serena. She has brought

ds hang in the air before

agreed to bec

heavy, thick with disbelief

ned to loo

as replacing, the on

cade of devotion meant nothing, that she could be so easily swapped for

ke an insult, a cheap excuse that

thy and outrage

ght-knit group, and

iliation as if

r the tears, the outburst,

and with her, to pr

e old master for his bl

y did n

erfectly still, her

the garish woman beside him, and offe

en and calm, without a single t

ed, a statue of stoicism am

trol that it was more unsettling