#Chapter 58 – Returning Different

Lila The palace looked the same, but it didn’t feel the same. I stepped through the east entrance just after dawn, my boots silent on the polished stone. The hall was empty, save for a pair of guards posted at the end of the corridor. One of them blinked in surprise when he saw me but said nothing, only offered a slight nod of acknowledgment before turning his gaze forward again. I didn’t want attention. And I definitely didn’t want ceremony. I just wanted to disappear back into my place before anyone noticed I’d ever left. But of course, nothing here was that simple. Or easy. By the time I reached my room, three women had already peeked around corners, their eyes trailing me as if they could state the gossip right out of me. The whispers started before I even touched the doorknob. My fingers trembled just slightly. I forced myself to push through the door and lock it behind me. The room felt… smaller than I remembered. My scent still clung faintly to the pillows, bu