Jannelle
The summons came at dawn, delivered by one of Princess Sophia's personal maids. A simple note written on cream-colored parchment with gold edges: The Rose Garden. Alone. One hour.
I stared at the elegant handwriting, my stomach churning with dread. Princess Sophia never summoned servants directly, and she certainly never requested private meetings in the rose garden. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good.
I made my way through the castle corridors, my footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The bruises on my wrist had darkened overnight, the chain-like marks Adrian's fingers had left behind now deep purple against my pale skin. I'd wrapped them with a strip of cloth, but the ache remained, a constant reminder of yesterday's cruelty.
The rose garden was beautiful in the morning light, dewdrops clinging to the red petals like tiny diamonds. But the beauty felt ominous somehow, as if I were walking into a trap disguised as paradise.
