~Jennie’s~

“I’m not scared of him anymore.”

I whisper that to myself as my sandals press into the morning grass. The courtyard is quiet, just how I like it. Blue is in my arms, humming some nonsense tune only he understands, and I’m just breathing. Just being. The sky is soft grey, and the fountain nearby sounds like a heartbeat that doesn’t rush me anymore.

I walk slower. And I feel it deep inside my bones now; I’m not just surviving in this place anymore. I belong here. Not because of the Cuss name or the gold plates or the guards posted by the gates. But because I’ve earned it....