Cindra’s POV
Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t need to see. I knew the palace well enough by now to get back to my room from anywhere. The frantic pounding of my heart echoed in my ears as I ran down the hallway, ignoring anyone and everyone who would otherwise scold me or make it worse.
The taste of heated liquor, spicy and burning, lingered on my tongue. That forbidden kiss had confirmed my sleeping fantasies and robbed me of what little hope I had left.
The loneliness and despair that I had been holding off for so long, ignoring as I hoped for just one day of freedom, came down with the rest of the avalanche. Helio’s words echoed through my head. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I threw my door open and slammed it shut, collapsing in a heap just a few steps inside. The raw ache i
