Chapter 256. Then I Saw Her Face

*Maddy*

The kitchen is in a state of chaos. I sit in the middle of it, tucked on a barstool at the edge of the marble island in the room’s center. The air is a mix of sugary and savory while the chef and their crew hurry to put together a meal fit for the king… and his parents, who just showed up.

Isaac hadn’t even introduced me formally to his mother. Ella had come running down the hallway looking frantic, followed by King Maddox. In a flash of blonde curls, Hannah had practically apparated beside me and swooped me away through a servants’ door just as the voices of the royal family started to rise.

Now, I sit in the kitchen where cooking sounds–the banging of pots and pans, the hissing of boiling water–overwhelm any fights taking place in the castle proper.

The chef places another plate in front of me, removing the old one. I give her a quick smile that doesn’t reach my eyes as I start picking at chicken salad and crackers.

Who am I kidding right now?