She leaned back and sighed, her feet tucked underneath her ragged linen skirt. The hearthstones felt cool against her back.

Ella turned her gaze to the glittering glass cabinet across the room. The one she dusted daily. The one she was only allowed to touch when Sissy was in the room, scowling at her like an impatient cat.

“Don’t you dare touch my slippers, you idiot.”

Ella closed her eyes and reached down to touch her feet, rubbing the aching muscles, her hands blackening with soot. No shoes for a cinder maid. No silvery slippers, dusted with tiny jewels, ribbons laced around the edges, soft leather to soothe the sole…

A crash. She opened her eyes and stared, instinctively getting to her feet and pressing down her skirt with the palms of her hands. Across the room, the cabinet lay cracked and shattered, having fallen forward onto the floor with apparent great force. The front door of the house was cracked open and Ella swore she could hear laughter floating in on the wind.

“Put on the shoes…”