somehow, but I didn’t know how to fix it. Or
why I would even care to try. I was glad to be dismissed, grateful
to leave behind the unexpected pang of concern for a prince I’d
long ago convinced myself was as corrupt as his father.
The door swung open without a sound — the hinges were
well oiled. But voices lifted in anger greeted me. Deron, Rylan,
and Jude stood in front of the doorway, their stances tense. Facing
them were three of the king’s guard and Iker.
“Captain, I require a word with you and Prince Damian,” Iker
was saying. His greasy hair looked even shinier than normal and
his robes were stained and wrinkled, as though he’d slept in them.
I couldn’t imagine how he’d managed to garner such favor from
the king as to become his chief advisor.
“The prince is indisposed and needs some time to collect him-
self.” Deron glanced at me as I walked over to where they stood.
Iker’s lips pursed. “The king is concerned for his son’s well-
being and I have come to make sure proper measures are put into
place to ensure his safety.”
“I assure you that we have things well under control and that
the prince will be more closely guarded than —”
“That is not enough.” Iker cut Deron off. “By order of King
Hector, one of you will personally stay here at night, guarding the
55
prince’s door at all hours. He must have someone by his side at all
times. We can take no chances with the life of the heir to the throne.”
Deron was silent for a moment; a muscle stood out on his
jaw. Finally, he barely inclined his head. “It will be as the king
wishes. Alex is the best man we have. I will assign him to guard the
prince’s door.”
I stared at Deron for a moment too long. “You wish me to
sleep here ?”
“What is the meaning of this?” Prince Damian’s voice made
me jump.
Iker bowed to the prince, then smiled — a smile as oily as his
hair. “Your father is concerned for your safety. We are putting
greater measures of protection in place to ensure your continued
well-being.”
“By making me a prisoner to my own guard?”
I stepped aside as Prince Damian strode up to Iker. Damian’s
expression was sardonic, his voice insolent. But tension hung
around him like a palpable shroud.
“Not a prisoner —
imagine the thought.” Iker tittered.
“Always, you’ve had such a lively imagination. No, you may con-
tinue your life as you see fit, but Captain D’agnen or members of
his guard will always be with you to make sure no one can get
close enough to threaten you ever again.”
“I see.” The insolence was gone from Prince Damian’s voice,
replaced instead by a coldness that made me shiver.
“Captain D’agnen has assigned Alex to sleep here, in the outer
chamber, to protect your door from intruders.”
“ Alex is going to be sleeping right here — outside my door?”
There was a strange hint of bemusement in Prince Damian’s voice.
56
He glanced at me with his eyebrows lifted. For some odd reason, I
had to fight to keep from blushing. Men on the prince’s guard did
not blush.
“As the captain pointed out” — Iker looked back at me with a
mysterious glint in his eyes — “your men are good, but Alex is the
best. Surprisingly.”
My mouth felt dry, but I forced myself to lower my head in
acknowledgment of his somewhat backhanded compliment.
Iker turned back to Prince Damian. “This ensures the king’s
peace of mind for his son’s safety.”
“As my safety is the king’s greatest concern.” Prince Damian’s
voice was biting.
“Indeed, Your Highness,” Iker said. “You are his heir.”
“You will have to thank him for his concern on my behalf.”
Prince Damian turned on his heel, heading back into his room,
until he paused. “I wish to lie down and rest, maybe even use
my chamber pot. Does Captain D’agnen or Alex need to come
hold my hand? Make sure no one sneezes near me while I
why I would even care to try. I was glad to be dismissed, grateful
to leave behind the unexpected pang of concern for a prince I’d
long ago convinced myself was as corrupt as his father.
The door swung open without a sound — the hinges were
well oiled. But voices lifted in anger greeted me. Deron, Rylan,
and Jude stood in front of the doorway, their stances tense. Facing
them were three of the king’s guard and Iker.
“Captain, I require a word with you and Prince Damian,” Iker
was saying. His greasy hair looked even shinier than normal and
his robes were stained and wrinkled, as though he’d slept in them.
I couldn’t imagine how he’d managed to garner such favor from
the king as to become his chief advisor.
“The prince is indisposed and needs some time to collect him-
self.” Deron glanced at me as I walked over to where they stood.
Iker’s lips pursed. “The king is concerned for his son’s well-
being and I have come to make sure proper measures are put into
place to ensure his safety.”
“I assure you that we have things well under control and that
the prince will be more closely guarded than —”
“That is not enough.” Iker cut Deron off. “By order of King
Hector, one of you will personally stay here at night, guarding the
55
prince’s door at all hours. He must have someone by his side at all
times. We can take no chances with the life of the heir to the throne.”
Deron was silent for a moment; a muscle stood out on his
jaw. Finally, he barely inclined his head. “It will be as the king
wishes. Alex is the best man we have. I will assign him to guard the
prince’s door.”
I stared at Deron for a moment too long. “You wish me to
sleep here ?”
“What is the meaning of this?” Prince Damian’s voice made
me jump.
Iker bowed to the prince, then smiled — a smile as oily as his
hair. “Your father is concerned for your safety. We are putting
greater measures of protection in place to ensure your continued
well-being.”
“By making me a prisoner to my own guard?”
I stepped aside as Prince Damian strode up to Iker. Damian’s
expression was sardonic, his voice insolent. But tension hung
around him like a palpable shroud.
“Not a prisoner —
imagine the thought.” Iker tittered.
“Always, you’ve had such a lively imagination. No, you may con-
tinue your life as you see fit, but Captain D’agnen or members of
his guard will always be with you to make sure no one can get
close enough to threaten you ever again.”
“I see.” The insolence was gone from Prince Damian’s voice,
replaced instead by a coldness that made me shiver.
“Captain D’agnen has assigned Alex to sleep here, in the outer
chamber, to protect your door from intruders.”
“ Alex is going to be sleeping right here — outside my door?”
There was a strange hint of bemusement in Prince Damian’s voice.
56
He glanced at me with his eyebrows lifted. For some odd reason, I
had to fight to keep from blushing. Men on the prince’s guard did
not blush.
“As the captain pointed out” — Iker looked back at me with a
mysterious glint in his eyes — “your men are good, but Alex is the
best. Surprisingly.”
My mouth felt dry, but I forced myself to lower my head in
acknowledgment of his somewhat backhanded compliment.
Iker turned back to Prince Damian. “This ensures the king’s
peace of mind for his son’s safety.”
“As my safety is the king’s greatest concern.” Prince Damian’s
voice was biting.
“Indeed, Your Highness,” Iker said. “You are his heir.”
“You will have to thank him for his concern on my behalf.”
Prince Damian turned on his heel, heading back into his room,
until he paused. “I wish to lie down and rest, maybe even use
my chamber pot. Does Captain D’agnen or Alex need to come
hold my hand? Make sure no one sneezes near me while I
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