Chapter Nine – The Announcement
Maelis' POV
The morning after the training session, my cheek was still tender.
I touched the spot where Cassandra had slapped me, wincing at the slight swelling. It wasn't visible unless someone looked closely, but I could feel it every time I moved my jaw.
Cassandra had already left for breakfast without me.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the empty doorway, trying to figure out how I was going to survive the next few months. She had made her position clear. I was nothing. I would always be nothing. And if I stepped out of line again, she would destroy everything I had built here. The worst part was that I believed her, because Cassandra had never made an empty threat in her life. I walked into the dining hall late, hoping to slip in unnoticed. It didn't work.
"Over here."
