He Sold Me Into Slavery I Returned As Queen Chapter 26
On the way back to the palace, Lucian held my hand the entire time.
After a long while, he asked, “Do you still hate him?”
I knew he meant Alaric.
I thought about it.
“I did, once.”
“And now?”
“I don’t have the strength for it anymore.”
Some family bonds were severed fifteen years ago. No apology and no old lantern could ever mend them.
After we returned to the palace, I had Tessa bring a brazier.
That torn page from the slave registration had always been kept at the bottom of the wooden box.
It still read:
*Name: Fog. Female. Eight years old.*
*Value: fifteen gold coins.*
I had looked at it over and over.
That page reminded me that Cedric had once covered my mouth. That Rosalie had chosen silence. That the Ironwood Pack had stopped looking for me.
Now, I threw it into the fire.
The paper curled, then was swallowed by flame.
When the name *Fog* burned away, I suddenly felt as if the brand on my wrist hurt a little less.
Lucian stood beside me.
“What do you want to do now?”
I looked into the flames.
“I want to establish a school for female healers outside the palace.”
“To shelter homeless and enslaved she-wolves, and teach them to read, identify herbs, and treat injuries.”
“I also want an independent name registry. No matter where they come from, they should have the right to keep their own names.”
“And I ask the court to launch a full investigation into the slave black market. It shouldn’t matter which pack the victims come from, or whether they can take wolf form or not. The crime should be punished just the same.”
Lucian said, “I’ll sign the royal decree.”
I smiled.