The Snare

I knew I was walking into a trap. That feeling settled deep in my bones as the handmaids laced me into a dress the color of polished emeralds. It was heavy, restricting, and impossibly elegant. Every piece of fabric, every glittering diamond and emerald gem, felt like another weight pressing me down into the role of the True Luna, a role I didn’t deserve and definitely didn’t want.

This isn't clothing, I thought, staring at my reflection. It’s armor for a public execution.

The ...