There was a mixture of relief & horror at Marken's explanation of the night before. She was happy that the two of them hadn't done anything I ruin her reputation as the crown prince's fiancée, but at the same time, she was reeling over having told him of her scars. What had he thought of them? Did Marken think she was hideous now?

"My scars..." Ella mumbled quietly, "They weren't... too unsightly, were they?"