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Prologue - Kimberly

Age six

Sometimes, stories end the moment they start

Nana used to tell me that when I spent summers with her in Newcastle At least back then, I could stay away from Mummy and how she looked at me

As if she hated me

Now, I have no Nana There’s no one to take me away from here or tell me stories that transport me to other worlds

Worlds with princes and knights Worlds filled with so ic, I dream of them

I trot down the house’s stairs until I’ht hue all over the garden and the fence

The sound of Mu follows me until I close the door behind hbours

Not even me

I flop down on the step and lick on the pistachio gelato stick Dad bought elato tastes the saelato is the best It’s green and sweet and delicious

If I weren’t so upset, I would’ve gone to her house and played with her Barbie dolls, but I don’t want to go anywhere

Except for…

My gaze strays ahead to the huge , like those castles frohts and princes live I want to go there, knock on the door, and ask him to come out

My knight

We agreed on that last week – that froht I even blessed him with a bamboo stick as the queen does

Silver doesn’t care when I’ht He always tickles les