Cinders [Completed]

I'm standing in the gateway to the larger ballroom, almost too far away for my weak eyes to see the three figures that glide onto the stage. The King and Queen walk side by side until they come to their thrones, the Prince walking about five feet behind and moving towards the smaller throne to the King's left. The King and Queen sit down on their thrones in unison.

The Prince doesn't. Even I can see the way his shoulders are bristling, a sort of confused wonder dawning on his face.

And I would swear he is looking directly at me.

////

Lee Collins wants to help her sister, Lucy. She has a vision of a future away from their dad, where Lucy could be healthy and they would have some chance of happiness. When Lee's only friend helps her sneak into the royal ball on the minuscule chance that an attending doctor would be willing to help, Lee ends up fleeing the party early, chased by none other than her mate.

Lee finds herself locked in from all sides, desperate to escape the suffocating implications of a mate but frantic to fight for a future for her sister that she still believes possible. Working in the Royal Palace to save escape money is a terrible idea when you have a controlling father, but it's an even worse idea when the mate that you're avoiding is the Prince.

//Marked Mature just in case for violence. general trigger warning. Some chapters may be triggering for abuse and anxiety//