SECRET OF THE ASHES AND CROWN

n silence. But they alw

L

s felt like ch

ith stillness. Her mother's voice echoed from hours before: "You are to meet Pr

ted to

th her pillow-carved from moonwood, small enough to s

black ribbon, and the memor

a

in her chest. Something

he w

beneath t

body. But you made me

is. I just know I can't

d by the old city wall. At m

st

E

er mattress until the castle night-bird-an old servant named Grit

d. "Can you deliver s

ks and sighed. "You're your mother's daught

A

s were stran

cobblestone. He saw her-El-with her hood down and a cro

knocked on th

iled through the slats. He opened

o

d to the post, tied

art dr

lowly, like it

in. No titl

st

twice. Then

ursed.

O

bbed soot off his face and changed into his cleanest tuni

l said, chest ti

inted out. "I saw her. That was the Crown P

l f

re obvious-the voice, the way she carried herself, th

dn't lie," he said quietly

L

irst, wearing a different cl

stone skipping across a

he

a

nd among noble-bred trees. But he looked at her

e," she

ote," h

ilence. Ful

t-just a little. Fi

a," h

blin

e," he added. "You

her for half

e saw h

usted. N

...

e," she said. "I jus

t enough anymor

OR

again.

s in basket

ks where the s

es beneath s

hings they couldn't

died in the last border raid. About how his moth

eams. About being dressed like a doll. About being sold

ever k

stood t

y burne

CE WALLS

onged to Lady Vasha

Counted her steps. Sa

a letter o

he Q

ael's hands in hers and a wor

, her mother was read

that

commoner in the royal orc

t be s

hadows, the

love mak

are easy