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“Just call me servant. Come now. We can’t be late.”

“Yes, it’d be a disaster.” I actually roll my eyes. I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t leave this place soon. Living at home without my parents and their stupid rules and even stupider royal rules sounds like a dream.

“It would be a disaster.” The servant’s eyes grow even wider. “Your father would have my head.” She makes a slicing motion in front of her neck.

I cover my mouth. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

She shakes her head.

“My dad would never kill anyone.”

She moves closer and lowers her voice. “No, your majesty. He’s worse.”

My mouth falls open. Sure, he’s being a jerk, but he’s no killer.

“Come on. Unless you want to see my head rolling.”

“Okay.” I hurry toward the forest. “And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you said that about him.”

“I’m not worried—he wants everyone to know it.”

“What?”

“That way he has strict obedience.”

Do I even know my parents? Or is my dad just projecting that image so that the people don’t revolt? Maybe he fears an uprising because of the change of power. That has to be it. Although, I can’t help but wonder how much they’ve been hiding from me.

The servant pushes aside some plants. I hate thinking of her like just a servant—she needs a name. “If you don’t tell me your name, I’m going to call you Sally.”

“As you wish.”

“I wish you’d just tell me your name.”

“Sally is acceptable.”

How can these people live like this? If they knew what life was like on the surface, they’d be as eager to leave as I am.

“Hurry, your majesty.” She makes that slicing motion in front of her neck again.

I make my way into the woods and let her lead the way. Before long, the plants spread out and we come to several paths.

Sally races to the middle one. “This one leads to the academy.”

I follow her, and before long, goose bumps form along my arms and the hairs on my neck stand on end. “Is someone watching us?”

“Possibly.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Could be fish. There are some nasties living in these woods. Downright dreadful ones.”

My skin prickles all the more. “That doesn’t worry you?”

“I have a weapon.”

Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better. I move closer to her, though. “Why didn’t my father give me a weapon?”

“You won’t be allowed one in the school, m’lady. Not outside of your weapons class.”