Dionne
"Where's my daughter?"
"She's in the common room with Beth and the other children." Violet studied my face with concern. "Are you sure you're alright? You look really shaken up."
"I'm fine." Another lie. They were coming easier now, sliding off my tongue like poison. "I just need to splash some water on my face. Clear my head."
Violet nodded slowly, clearly not believing me but not pushing either. "Okay. I'll be here if you need to talk."
I fled to the washroom, grateful to be alone. The face staring back at me from the cracked mirror looked haunted. My eyes were red and swollen, my skin pale, my hair escaping from its bun in wild curls around my face.
I splashed cold water on my cheeks, but it did nothing to calm the panic thundering through my veins. What was I going to do? I could try to run, take Nora and disappear into the night. But we'd tried that before, and look where it had gotten us. Captured, nearly sold, and now trapped in the Mad King's fortress.
