I felt sick watching my friends being whipped like slaves. I was certain they had come all this way just to see me.

“Hey! Stop whipping them! Can’t you see they are women?” I yelled, running toward them.

“My Queen, please leave this place immediately. This does not concern you,” the head guard said authoritatively. His tone nearly frightened me, but I had to be bold if I wanted to save my friends from that torture.

“If you whip them again, you will have to whip me too!” I shouted.

Everyone froze in shock.

Rosamund and Seren stared at me as if asking what I was doing, but I ignored...