MALIA’S POV The cold hit me before I even realized I was awake. A sharp gasp tore from my throat as freezing water soaked through my nightgown, sending a shock through my entire body. My eyes snapped open, blinking rapidly as I tried to make sense of the figure standing beside my bed. “Wake up,” Grace spat. I pushed myself upright, my breathing uneven as water dripped from my hair and down my face. For a moment, I only stared at her, waiting for the softness I used to see in her expression. It never came. “You have been summoned to the courtyard.” The words were simple, but the way she said them made my stomach tighten. Before I could ask why, she turned away. The door slammed shut behind her. I remained frozen for a few seconds, staring at the wooden door as the sound echoed through the room. After last night, there was only one reason the elders would summon me like this. They had already decided my fate. I slowly stepped off the bed, my wet nightgown clinging uncomfor
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