Morning is a cruel thing. It arrives too soon, too bright, and completely indifferent to the fact that my entire life imploded last night. Every bone in my body wants to stay curled under the covers, pretending none of it happened. But the second I close my eyes, I see my mom stuffing that wad of cash into her purse, her face utterly devoid of shame. My dad turning away like I don’t even exist. Valerie’s smug little smirk as she tore me apart with nothing but the truth.
The rage gets me out of bed.
I dress on autopilot, barely registering what I throw on. The castle feels colder than usual as I make my way to the library, but maybe that’s just me. Maybe it’s the hollow, aching space inside my chest where my parents used to be.
By the time I step into the library, the musty scent of old
