Book 19: Queenly Duties

Naomi

Life has, as usual, moved on despite my brain’s decision to linger on the events of the past several weeks. The palace in Moonrise, my home since birth, feels, smells, and sounds the same as it always has, but for whatever reason, it feels almost foreign now. 

My room is a wash of dark crimsons and grays as I thumb through a stack of novels I usually keep hidden in a shoebox under my bed. Normally, I’d gravitate toward a bodice-ripping, utterly juicy romance about two people who, under normal circumstances, would never cross paths, but today, every choice falls flat and is utterly tasteless. 

For the past two weeks, I feel like I’ve been floating aimlessly through space and time without a place to land. 

My bedroom door opens, and familiar, determined footsteps break the silence.