Ivy POV

It was early in the morning when I slipped out without the King waking; I had shut off his alarm when I woke before deciding to help Clarice in the kitchens; I looked over at Peter, the stable hand boy, as he came in. He stopped by the counter and leaned on it. Peter was only young, with a mop of curly hair. He kept shoving his fringe out of his eyes.

“Clarice, is Gannon or Dustin around? I need help to move the barrels from the shed into the barn.” Peter asked.

“Barrels?” Clarice asked questionably, and Peter sighed.

“Yeah, the empty wine barrels. Jamie wants me to cut them in half so he can make garden beds out of them, but I need to cut them and paint them for him,” he said with a huff, clearly not enjoying being given extra chores by the gardener.

“Do it in the shed,” Clarice tells him with a shrug.

“Can’t, there is not enough room; it’s full with the furniture from the east wing,” he whined.

you will have to go look for them. I do not know where

me do anything to help besides peel potatoes, saying I shouldn’t even be helping. However, with Abbie gone, I was constantly bored and still hadn’t forgiven the King for marking me or healing me while I slept. I also hated that he used the calling on

King will pitch a fit if he finds you in the stables working,” Clarice

I tell her, and

mind if you get hurt,” Clarice said, grabbing my

b****y King if needed,” I growled before grabbing Peter’s arm

my Queen? I don’t want to get in trouble” Peter said nervously as he worried his lip between his

sick of watching people work and not letting me help,” I tell him, dragging him through the castle. I knew the King was asleep

I watched as Peter cut the wine barrels with a chainsaw.

to see the gardener so he could let him know that we were just waiting for the paint to dry when I heard a loud squawking distance, which caused me to look toward the pier that extended over the lake. The only thing I saw moving was something flapping, so l suspected it was a bird. Stepping cautiously onto the wooden dock I crept to the end, wary of the deep blackened water. Upon reaching the end, I saw a Swan flapping his wings frantically

In a kneeling position, I held onto the wooden pier as I tried to grab the swan by its long neck, so I could pull it closer. The bird seemed to be caught in some netting or something. When the creature shrieked and flapped

angle overbalanced me, and I screamed, tumbling into the blackened water. While I kicked and flailed, trying to reach the surface and reach

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