Chapter Nineteen: A hybrid in hiding

Baila

Sara escorted me back to my room after we watched the disqualified women leave the castle. I spent my time replaying my mother’s words in my head over and over again. The high king had yet to send out a bounty for my head and I did not know why.

Maybe, he had executed Simone and Ashley in my stead and decided that they were enough retribution. If so, then their blood was on my hands. Still, even if he was not searching for me, news of the high prince’s dead should have reached Northwood by now unless the king had not announced it to his own people.

But why wouldn’t he? Had the prince survived?

He couldn’t have. I could see his dead eyes staring back at me that day. I had snapped his neck clean.

A soft rapt came at my door, pulling me from the grim spiral of my thoughts. I startled, instinctively glancing at the window where the faint glow of twilight had long faded. The darkness outside was thick, heavy, and it dawned on me how much time had slipped away.