<b>Macey </b>
If I had to describe thest few months in one word, it would be <i>crazy</i><b>. </b>The crazy you see in stories, where magic swirls and monsters roar and somehow, against all odds, everything turns out okay. Only this wasn’t a story, it was my life. One day, I’d been… well<b>, </b>just me. Alone. The next, I had a whole family, and not just any family, the <i>best </i>family. Brothers who carried me on their shoulders, uncles who spoiled me rotten, and Envy, who always looked at me like I was the most precious jewel in the whole world. They loved me. <i>Me</i>. And for the first time, I wasn’t scared someone would take it all away. Right now, though, I was far too busy to think about all that. Because at this exact moment, I was a princess.
My gown was made from one of Envy’s nkets I’d wrapped around myself, secured with a sparkly ribbon I’d found.
“Sir Elliot!” I cried, spinning in a circle, the nket billowing out like it was made of silk. “You must save me!<b>” </b>
Elliot, my best friend and <i>knight </i><i>in </i><i>shining </i><i>armour</i><i>, </i>brandished a wooden spoon he’d stolen from the kitchen, pretending it was a sword. His eyes sparkled with determination. “Don’t worry, Princess Macey! I’ll defeat him!”
“The viin is already here!” Elias groaned, slumping dramatically against the couch like it had betrayed him by existing. He’d been forced into the role, and oh, he was <i>not </i>happy about it. He crossed his arms, ring at me with a frown that made me giggle. “Why am I <i>always </i>the viin?”
“Because you have the best viin face,” I informed him, twirling so my nket swooshed around my feet. “And because you’re very scary. See? I’m trembling!” I shook my hands in the air, pretending to shiver, then promptly broke into a fit of giggles.
Elliot lunged forward, spoon raised high. “Back, evil sorcerer! You will never take the princess!<b>” </b>
Elias caught the spoon with two fingers, unimpressed. “This is ridiculous.”
“No, <i>this </i>is fun,” <b>I </b>corrected him, darting forward to tap his shoulder with my tiara like it was a magical wand. “You’re supposed to fall over dramatically so Elliot can win.”
Elias gave me the look. The one that said he was only putting up with this because I’d asked him to. Then, with a groan so loud it could’ve rattled the windows, he threw himself backward onto the rug. “Fine. The hero wins. Again.”
I pped my hands together, bouncing on my toes, “Hooray! My knight has saved me!” I darted over to Elliot, pressing my tiara against his head. “You’re promoted to… King Elliot the Brave.”
His chest puffed out so proudly I thought he might float away. Elias, from the floor, muttered, “Unbelievable.”
I couldn’t stop smiling. I’d neverughed this much before. Never felt this light. Every day sinceing here had been filled with something new, something magical, something that made me feel like maybe I’d stumbled into one of the fairy tales I used to whisper to myself at night when I was scared and alone. Only this wasn’t pretend. This was real<b>. </b>And I was happy. Really, truly happy.
<b>13:31 </b>Wed, Sep <b>24 </b>
:
Envy wasughing so hard she had tears in her eyes, her hand covering her mouth as Elliot jabbed his “sword” in the air onest time and Elias groaned like he’d been mortally wounded. She shook her head at us, still smiling.
“Alright, alright,” she said, her voice warm like sunshine. “Anybody hungry?”
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“Yes<b>!</b><b>” </b>I bounced up so fast my nket–dress slipped off one shoulder. “I’m always hungry.” My tummy gave a little growl just to prove my point. “What do we have? Please say it’s something sweet. Please say cupcakes.”
Elliot perked up, too, rubbing his belly. “Cupcakes sound good.”
Elias, still sprawled on the rug, muttered, “Food does sound better than being the viin.”
I stuck out my tongue at him, then ran to Envy’s side, slipping my hand into hers. Her fingers curled gently around mine, and I felt safe, like always.
“Come on then, Princess<b>,</b>” she said, tugging me toward the hall. “Let’s see what the kitchen has for us today.”
The pack house was buzzing as we walked. I didn’t think much of it at first, it was always busy, people moving about, voices echoing through the big rooms. But today it felt… different. Like everyone was whispering secrets. My
curiosity twitched, but mostly, my mind was stuck on frosting.
“I hope they’re the kind with sprinkles,” I said very seriously, skipping to keep up with Envy’s long strides. “Pink ones. Or purple. Or maybe the chocte ones with the little stars<b>.</b>”
Envy’s lips quirked, like she was trying not to smile too wide. “We’ll see what we can find.”
The closer we got to the dining hall<b>, </b>the stranger it felt. The doors were closed, which almost never happened. Usually, they were thrown open, the smell of food spilling out to tempt you inside.
“Why are they shut?” I asked, tilting my head.
Envy just squeezed my hand. “You’ll see.”
The doors swung open, and before I could even blink, a wall of voices shouted,
<b>“</b><b>SURPRISE</b>!<b>” </b>
I froze. My heart did a funny little flip, like it wanted to fly right out of my chest. The room wasn’t the dining hall anymore. It was… a castle. <i>My </i>castle. Pink and purple balloons floated everywhere, tied to chairs, stacked in big bunches by the walls. Sparkly ribbons hung down like streams <b>of </b>sunlight, and fairy lights twinkled across the ceiling like little stars had decided toe inside just for me. A giant banner stretched across the far wall, my name glittering in big letters: WELCOME HOME, PRINCESS MACEY
I pped my hands over my mouth, squealing into my fingers.
“Is this…” My voice squeaked, so I tried again. “Is this for me?”
13:31 Wed, <b>Sep </b><b>24 </b>
“Of course it’s for you!” Xavier called, beaming from ear to ear, standing by the cake table as if he were very proud
of himself.
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And oh, the cake! My eyes almost popped right out of my head. Three wholeyers<b>, </b>taller than my arms could reach, covered in purple and white with shiny pearls around the edges. On top was a crown made of sugar<b>, </b>sparkling under
the lights<b>. </b>
I ran forward a few steps. “It’s <b>so </b>pretty!”
Beside the cake, trays overflowed with cookies shaped I that fizzed with little bubbles.
And then I saw the throne. Tucked in the corner, glowing like magic itself, was the most beautiful chair in the whole world. White with gold vines curling up its legs, a pink cushion in the middle, and a soft, furry rug underneath. My very own princess throne. I think I stopped breathing for a second.
“Do you like it?” Haiden asked, arms folded, but his eyes looked all soft.
“Like it?” I spun in a circle, my nket–dress fanning out around me, giggles bubbling out of my chest. “I LOVE IT!”
Everyoneughed, but not in a mean way. In a happy way. In a way that made my cheeks hurt from smiling so big.
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