Khadijah Khatib

There’s no need for that,” Oak says.

The troll grins. “And yet we will do it.”

Fine, if that’s what he wants. “Suren, whose garb has been deemed inadequate by an obnoxious prince, despite the fact I’ve seen people go naked to revels.”

Rather than be insulted, Oak laughs delightedly

I do what she tells me but bare my teeth at her. She bares her teeth in return. They are blunt, blackened along the gums

Good. He will leave, and then I will be able to wrangle my hair alone.

But instead he steps behind me and takes the comb from my hands. “Let me do that,”

Good. He will leave, and then I will be able to wrangle my hair alone.

But instead he steps behind me and takes the comb from my hands. “Let me do that,”

“It’s the color of primroses.”

“Do you ever think about what it would be like to be a queen again?” he whispers against my cheek as we practice the steps

Just because a pawn is better treated doesn’t make it safer on the board

“Whom have you fallen in love with?” I ask.

“Well, there was you,” the prince says. “When we were children.”

“Me?” I ask incredulously.

“You didn’t know?”

“Oh yes. Though you were a year my senior, and it was hopeless, I absolutely mooned over you. When you were gone from Court, I refused any food but tea and toast for a month.”