Hot tears on her cheeks, Illyra ran through the palace, her feet leaving small, melted pools of ice behind as heat seeped out of them. Hands curled into trembling fists around her dress, keeping the obnoxious, lacy fabric from tripping her up.
How could anyone function in these thick layers?
Illyra ran until her feet stopped burning, until her bosom strained against the tight corset, another fashion device she found all too cumbersome.
Each step felt like an eternity like she couldn’t run fast enough or far enough to escape the pain her family left her with.
When she finally stopped running, she had no idea where she was. Sabriel had given her free reign of the castle, but she hadn’t had much time to explore yet.
Glancing around for anything familiar, Illyra found a hall to her left. There was a beautiful ice archway opening up into a windowless hallway. She took the small staircase into the strange hall, curiosity overshadowing the pain in her heart.