Whatever. There was nothing she could do.
Look on the bright side, if they kill her while you’re gone, you won’t be executed for it.
True. But she wasn’t that petty and as she stood flanking the room with the rest of the Guard, she knew at least one of them was a traitor. One of them was plotting her death and that of her mother. Right now. While that person pretended to do her job, she was one step away from attacking.
The hypocrisy of that churned inside her.
But who?
How?
Most of all, when would the betrayer attack?
Her mother’s bedroom would be the most likely place. As per her mother’s request there were no cameras there. Only a panic button. But if her mother couldn’t get to it…
Or if it was deactivated…
A bad feeling went through her. She needed to check the wiring to make sure no one had messed with it. Think what you will of me, I won’t neglect my duties. She would protect her mother no matter what. So long as she was on this ship, she would do her due diligence even while they all laughed at her for it.
She cleared her throat to get her mother’s attention. “May I be excused, My Queen?”
Her mother didn’t even bother answering verbally. She waved at her dismissively. Desideria balled her hands into fists to keep from returning that gesture with an obscene one of her own that would get her into even more trouble.
Without another word, she left the room and headed down the hallway, toward their bed chambers to check her mother’s personal quarters. And after that, she needed to pack to return home.
In shame.
Profanity danced in her thoughts as she imagined what she’d like to do to her mother over this latest humiliation. Honestly, she was sick of it. She wasn’t a child and she was through being treated like one. Too many years of humiliation and condemnation left a raw bitter in her heart. She didn’t deserve this.
Not when she’d been doing her duty.
Desideria had almost reached her mother’s chambers when a door opened behind her. For the tiniest moment her heart skipped a beat as an image of Prince Caillen popped into her head. She could just imagine what he’d look like with his eyes dancing in fury as he stalked toward her with a warrior’s lethal grace to apologize to her mother…
Before she could think better, she turned her head, hoping to catch a glimpse of him again.
It wasn’t Caillen.
Instead a figure in a hooded dark gray cloak moved past her with quick strides. Not thinking anything about it, she started forward only to find her way blocked as the figure stopped and turned as if heading back toward his or her room.
“Excuse me.” She tried to pass the stranger.
The person stepped in front of her, intentionally blocking her way.
A sudden flash of silver caught her attention as a blade came out from under the cloak’s folds to dart toward her throat. Her training kicked in. She caught the attack and head butted her assailant. Another knife came up in the other hand, slashing for her arm.
Desideria dodged and went low to sweep at the legs. But the moment she did, someone came up behind her and caught a garrote around her neck. Gasping, she was jerked back, off her feet, and dragged down the hallway toward her room. She tried to call for help, but the tightness around her throat kept her from making anything more than a hoarse croak.
“We need her dead. Remember, it has to look like she committed suicide in shame.”
Her vision dimmed as she kicked her feet, fighting for her freedom and her life. She would not die. Not like this. Not at the hands of a coward who attacked from behind. Desperately, she clutched at the hands holding on to the garrote, but she couldn’t get a good grip on them. Rage scorched her. She couldn’t stand someone getting the better of her. The fact that they were going to kill her if she didn’t win made it all the worse.
Her vision dimmed.
She was losing this fight…
Suddenly her attacker went flying into the wall beside her. The cord dropped from her throat, allowing her to breathe again. The sudden rush of unencumbered air into her lungs left her light-headed and faint. She wheezed and coughed, trying to get her bearings as she turned over on the floor. But all she saw was a dark blur as it attacked her assailants and threw them every which way.
It wasn’t until he caught the first attacker and rebounded the masked figure into the wall that she realized it was Caillen who’d saved her.
And just as she suspected, he fought like a seasoned soldier, not an aristos.
She’d barely pushed herself to her feet when she saw Pleba and Tyree rushing down the hallway to assist them. Now her attackers would pay and her mother would know she wasn’t stupid for trying to protect her.
But her relief was cut short as they went for Caillen and not her attackers.
Holy gods…