When I was nine, the boy I’d grown up with sold me to a traveling carnival.
He said that if I, his family’s recognized daughter, disappeared, then my half-sister wouldn’t have to live in my shadow.
He returned to Riverbend Pack soaked to the bone, telling my father I’d chased a paper boat during the Summer Riverside Festival and fallen into the rapids.
After that, my sister took my place as Father’s only acknowledged daughter and became his fiancée.
As for me, I was stripped of my name, branded with a number, and trafficked through an illegal labor network for thirteen years.
Then I saved the Alpha King from an ambush on the northern border. I followed him back to the capital and became a royal medical investigator.
The new list of administrative candidates from the Royal Academy arrived at the Castle.
I saw his name on the list, and I drew a line straight through it.
“Adrian Cole trafficked a nine-year-old girl.”
“I don’t care how outstanding his grades are. A man like that has no place serving the Crown.”
The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 14 Elliot ordered the Royal Justice Office to proceed with prosecution. Adrian was taken into custody by the Guard on the spot. Both his Royal Academy standing and his candidacy for royal appointment were frozen. Isla was also placed under monitored residence, pending charges of
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 13 She had investigated for four years. And for four years, she had buried the truth. Last year, when Nora returned to a town near Riverbend, Isla immediately had an agent try to buy the house she was renting at a grossly inflated price, hoping
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 12 Adrian hadn’t just remembered. He had a contingency plan for every possible leak. The second letter was Isla’s reply to the carnival’s former owner. After learning that Nora Blake was still alive, Isla had an intermediary offer her five hundred thousand dollars to move
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 11 The violin was a gift for Isla. Right after the river festival, she was suddenly showing off an expensive new instrument. She told everyone Adrian had sold his late mother’s locket to buy it for her. Isla jerked her head up. “I didn’t know
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 10 Then, Adrian confessed. “I did it. I handed Evelyn over to the Starlight Carnival.” Every eye in the room snapped to him. His eyes were red, but he fought to keep his voice steady. “I was only thirteen. I didn’t understand what those transfer
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 09 Someone asked me why I still remembered Adrian. Because the people who bought me could change my name, but they couldn’t make me forget the first person who put a price on me. When I was twelve, I escaped. The local Pack security saw
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 08 After hearing my answer, she covered her face and wept. “Evelyn. It really is you.” The Royal Justice Office also matched an old scar on my left index finger to Riverbend Medical Center’s records from thirteen years ago. There was no longer any doubt.
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 07 “Your mother made those.” “Only she would hide the last stitch inside the stem.” He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. “Evelyn, I looked for you.” “I swear I did.” “Until Adrian brought back her shoe,” I finished for him. Daniel
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 06 Daniel stumbled away from his seat and came to stand before me. He stared at my face, his voice trembling. “Are you… are you really Evelyn?” I had Maeve bring over an old cloth bag. Inside were no jewels or heirlooms. Only the insoles
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The Girl He Sold Returned As The King’s Mate Chapter 05 The moment Adrian realized his mistake, he scrambled to recover. “I was just… thinking of the Evelyn who went missing. It was a slip of the tongue.” “Naomi is close to her age, and she knows that sentence. Of course I was startled.” I
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