The Sculptor Who Became Queen

, Lily was a f

had a

secret that h

the floor near her workstation, I could see her placi

de my own head, I heard a voic

final spark he'd light his own legacy

, broom

ked a

s hadn'

perfectl

, that the stress of the situa

ing of a terrible and

hts, the ones she locked aw

orm behind the castle walls, and it

e heart of

s no den

consistency of the clay for a del

marble came from and how to rea

was Lily who would coax him out, not with flattery, but with a quiet, s

from watching Lily's silent work than fr

community w

for what she w

, answering her cheerful gree

ent when she

ldish rebellion, bu

d this invasion felt like

master, but Lil

nfatuation, didn't se

draping his arm over her shoulders, l

we were trying to concentrate, her

a constant source of irritation

side the mountain

they'd say. "Lost his mind ov

those days and my he

lines around her eyes and the permanent stoop in he

ong, were scarred and

er life into thi

put aside, year after year, always f

enius, and now he was erasing he

e and Serena had a small celebration wit

ur common quarters, the si

ndow and saw Lily, a

sn't c

er own, untouched block of marble,

er echoing from the house, and her silent, lonely

stice settled in my gut, and