Anastasia

by Sophie Lark

She might as well have said she was the goddess Isis. Writers were the source of everything he loved best.

“The man who waits for ‘someday’ waits all his life …” She swirled her straw lazily, her nails lacquered red.

“Anything lovely by daylight is even better by night.” “You are,” Husani breathed.

“I love you,” he said. “Only you, and always you.”

looking down into my face, stroking back

“His name is Damien. And we could face you forward or backward in time, an infinite number of times—you’ll still never win. Because you’ll make the same mistake you’ve always made.”

“Maybe. But despite all your grand schemes and your ideology and everything you claim to be, you’ll always put yourself first. That’s why you’ll never be a leader. People only serve you in fear while your kingdom crumbles beneath you.”