Absolutely fantastic, Anna! I loved it!
Everyone else has mentioned the reverse revelation, which I loved, and Pam mentioned the 'eventually'. Wonderful stuff!
But I almost laughed out loud at this:
I hate him. I despise him. I want him covered with tar and feathers and hung upside down from a tree to dry.
You have a great handle on the first-person present tense style here. It's sparsely written, yet the emotions and reactions flow through very clearly. And there's nothing here to show that English isn't your first language. Your writing is just getting better and better, Anna.
This and the prequel are going straight on my Kerth list. And I want more from you!
Wendy
