Lucille
My eyes opened to the dim glow of the nightlight radiating from the bathroom. For a moment, I sat straight, wondering if I'd heard something, and stared into the corners of the bedchamber. The shadows lurked unmoving, nothing but darkness covering the fringe of the room. The tall windows were covered with heavy drapes.
Blinking in the dark, I found my eyes scratchy and my temples throbbing from the tears I'd mostly held at bay. When I first moved to Molave, I was taught the history of the palace. I'd learned the names of duchesses and princesses who had slept in this same suite. I knew their names, dates of birth, and dates of death. I'd studied their portraits, and yet I'd never known about them, their thoughts, hopes, and dreams. I didn't know if they were content or melancholy
