104 A New Plan

ELIA

She'd tried to go to the room and just sit. To just accept that the day hadn't been what she'd hoped it would be and that sucked, but it wasn't the end of the world. But the words of that man—a wolf, she was pretty sure—kept echoing in her head.

A Queen that cannot be bested by a ten-year-old… who doesn't create a social shit-show every time she opens her mouth… who could offer something to the strength of the people… A Queen that cannot be bested by a ten-year-old… who doesn't create a social shit-show every time she opens her mouth… who could offer something to the strength of the people…

Elia screwed her face up hard and breathed through her teeth. She wouldn't cry because a bully had been throwing darts. She wouldn't.

But Reth's face—the way he'd winced… that, Elia realized, was what hurt so badly.