Book 1: Talks with the King

Isla

I am sitting at my table in my room, eating lunch, trying to get what happened the night before out of my head while Poppy talks about life at the castle and hangs up new clothes she’s gotten for me in my closet. I try to pay attention to her, but mostly I am lost in thought as I eat my salad.

At least I have enough to eat while I am here. I don’t know how long I’ll be at the castle, but that’s something.

“Really, though, Mrs. W. was the worst. You know, she wasn’t ever even married? They always call the heads of house staffs missus even if they’ve never been touched by a man. Really, what man would want to touch her? I mean other than to knock the shit out of her like Beta Seth did.” She laughs, and I laugh, too, even though I wasn’t really listening to what she said.

Once her words catch up to me, I stop laughing. I didn’t like it when the Beta had that woman beaten in front of me, even if it was on my behalf.

She continues on, a