Chapter 16

• After leaving her mother's room, Dahlia gently closed the door behind her to allow her mother to get the restful sleep she deserved, without being disturbed by any of Dahlia's noisy or frantic activities. Dahlia slipped into a pair of casual blue jeans and a black turtleneck to discreetly hide the bandage on her neck.
• Her leg was still painful and throbbed with each step if she moved too quickly, forcing her to adopt a slower, steady pace. Five minutes after Dahlia called her friend Hessa, Hessa drove up to her street, honking energetically until Dahlia came out to meet her with the enthusiastic greeting fit for the princess Hessa saw herself as.
• "I thought you said ten minutes!" Dahlia exclaimed, tossing her bags into Hessa's car and managing to get herself in with some effort.