“One of you is going home with the prince,” he declares. From beneath his jacket, he produces a knife. Silence falls heavily over the room. “I don’t care what you have to cut off. One of you will fit into that shoe.”
“Shoe?” I gasp.
Tremaine’s bleary gaze swings to me. “His mystery girl left behind a slipper. He’s assigned the entire guard to scour the country until he finds the girl it fits.” He spits into the fireplace. “Stupid git. A shoe can fit any number of women.”
I dip into my apron pocket where I’ve stashed the tiny crystal slipper. This is perfect. Once I’m queen, I’ll have all the resources I need to ensure my family’s needs are met. They’ve been nothing but horrible to me, but that doesn’t give me leave to abandon them. All I have to do is reach Alex—no, Alistair—and…
My pulse scrambles wildly when Tremaine narrows his eyes at me.
“How did you pass the night, Ellie?”
He advances on me, looming over me. Breath like a distillery hits my face. I gag.
“I didn’t sleep much.” True enough. “I was beaten black and blue.” I display the purple flourishes on my arms. I can feel more sore spots on my back.
“She deserved it for going through my dresses and cutting them up, the spiteful little brat.” Cilla sniffs.
“I was saving mine as keepsakes for my children,” wails Stacia with tears welling in her eyes. “You had no right.”
She gives me a push.
Cilla slaps my cheek.
“Thief.”
“Slut.”
Sharp blows rain down on me, forcing me back a step. Then another. I try to fend them off without striking back.
Anger wells.
“You haveeverything.” I bat away Cilla’s open palm only to be blindsided by Stacia’s small, round fist. For being short and pudgy, she’s surprisingly strong. My head snaps back.
“You have each other,” I continue. “Your father, too. I lost my parents. I had to watch you take over my home. I’ve never had a nice dress. You couldn’t spare one of the dozens you were never going to wear again?”
“They were keepsakes.” Cilla’s horsey features twist into a mask of fury. “You took them without asking.”
“Besides, you don’t need dresses, you have natural good looks. How is that fair?” Stacia says.
Together, the sisters give me a good, hard push. I go sprawling into the enormous firepit. Ashes cloud the air, choking me, stinging my eyes until tears leak down my cheeks. Astonished, I sit there in the soot, trying to comprehend what just happened.
Their cruel laughter is like a spike to my heart.
Why am I trying with these people?
Why do I care?
They hurt me, call me names, force me to serve them, tell me I’m worthless, steal my inheritance, and deny me any chance of escape. It’s not just Tremaine. His daughters are horrible, too.
I smack one palm onto the floor and push up. I’m ready to walk straight back to the castle right now. The Tremaines can learn to cook their own eggs and wash their own damn clothes. Anywhere I could go must be better than this.
I’m halfway to standing, when a boot connects with my thigh and knocks me back down. Cilla thinks my predicament is the height of comedy, judging from her peals of laughter.
“Stay down in the dirt where you belong, girl,” Tremaine snarls.
“Just like her last name.” Cilla claps in delight.
“Cinder Ellie. Look at her, with that red hair, like embers in the ashes. A soot gremlin.” Stacia’s face is red from laughter.
