The entire morning was filled with preparations for the wedding—servants bathed me and did my hair and pushed clothes at me. I simply did as they wished in a fog of sadness from which I couldn’t seem to escape. I’d never considered that a person’s spirit could be broken, less even that anyone would want to do such a thing. I suddenly saw Max—the Regent, in an entirely new light. The light was harsh and tainted with despair. In a short time this man would be my husband, and I would be under his eye and thumb. What chance did I have?At some point in the night I’d even considered running. But I had a feeling he would have prepared for that, and the next day I heard the servants talking to each other as they worked on me. They mentioned a guard had been set at the top of the stairs in the tower where Callista and I resided. Short of growing wings and flying out the window, I would have had to get by the guard in order to leave. Callista was right—he wouldn’t allow any disobedience.
