The liquid hit the bottom of the glass with a sharp, heavy slosh.
It was dawn, but sleep was a distant, impossible concept. Every time she dared to close her eyes, her mind instantly served up the same image on a silver platter, Princess Iryna's sharp eyes, that infuriatingly composed smile, and the absurd, world-shaking proposal she had laid out so casually during their walk in the palace gardens.
Marielle raised the glass and threw the shot back in one fluid motion.
Gulp
The harsh, burning heat slid down her throat like liquid fire, blooming heavy in her chest. Marielle let out a long, ragged exhale, slamming the glass onto her wooden nightstand with a solid thud.
"Gods above..." she muttered under her breath, pressing the back of her wrist against her mouth as her eyes watered slightly. "How am I even losing sleep over this? It's completely ridiculous."
