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Chapter 1

Valeria

“If you want to survive, you’ll learn to obey hi advice to his daughter in preparation for her wedding day

I stared outside, feeling dazed and distant, watching the snowflakes dissolve on the carriageas I pressed h the steam where my breath condensed on the beveled pane

The snoas falling harder now, and the sound of the horses’ hooves was growing allow Valley

The light in the carriage was on that cusp of shifting from the stark blue of winter afternoon to the sinister shadows of frigid dusk I wished I could throw the carriage door open and run, but I kneouldn’t—I was in a dove gray silk ball gown, and horribly tight buttoned shoesiht protectMy fate was sealed and the carriage rumbled on

I had been dreading this day forloss of my freedom, the end of my own life

My drea happily, raising children Mapping the stars in the sky Traveling to far off exotic lands on the search for all sorts of adventure All of that was gone

The end of everything had arrived And I felt as cold inside as the air outside

“Valeria,” e floor to get my attention “You hear ”

I sucked in a freezing breath and turned to face my father His cheeks were ruddy with tooGod, the ga

What a ruinIf it hadn’t been for all his losses, I wouldn’t be in this position at all

“I will never forgive you for this,” I hissed