The urge to roll my eyes has never been quite so strong.
Bane glances back at me, his assessment unflinching. “What an unexpected pleasure to have you here, Princess.” It’s clear from his tone he sees nothing remotely pleasurable about my presence in his domain.
“I apologize for interrupting your training session. I promise this won’t take long.”
“I’ve already been briefed on your desire for a personal guard detail.” His expression, if possible, grows even more stony. “With all due respect…”
My eyebrows lift. In my experience, people who put the phrasewith all do respectat the beginning of a sentence are the ones who respect you the least.
“It’s a ridiculous measure, Your Highness.”
“Oh?” I ask. A spark of something — it might be rage — flickers to life inside me.
“I assure you, this unit functions seamlessly,” Bane says in a voice that has cowed far greater men than me. “Creating a so-calledPrincess Guardis not in your best interest. It will only serve to divide and weaken the very system we have put in place to protect you. And frankly, I refuse to allocate any of my already-strained budget to fund additional salaries for this farce.”
“Except it won’t take any of your budget, seeing as the soldiers are already on payroll,” I point out, speaking through clenched teeth. “Their salaries will remain the same; all that will change is, instead of rotating duties every day, I’d like a small contingent of guards to remain exclusively by my side in a more permanent assignment. A designated unit that reports only to me, knows my schedule intimately, and can foresee any threats before they materialize.”
“As I said before, that’s ridiculous. You are fully protected with things as they stand now.”
Crossing my arms slowly over my chest, I tilt my head to one side. “Really? I’mfullyprotected?”
He nods stiffly.
“How can you say that, after the events which have transpired these past two months — right under your nose, no less!” I shake my head, incredulous. He’s either willfully ignorant or plain delusional. “How can you pretend I’m safe when everyone in this room knows someone out there is damned determined to wipe the Lancasters off the face of the planet?! And, as far as I can see, so far they’re doing a pretty thorough job of it!”
His teeth grind together so hard, I think they might snap. “Princess, I assure you were are taking every measure to keep you safe—”
“Evidently, our definitions ofsafeare vastly different, Bane. King Leopold and Queen Abigail died in that fire, along with five members of the palace staff. Prince Henry is lying in a hospital bed, possibly never to wake. My father —your king— was poisoned at his own coronation.” I lean forward, eyes never shifting from his. “So despite what you may tell me, despite what you may tell your men, despite what you may tellyourself… I think we all know that something needs to change. Because I’m not ready to add my name to that ever-growing list of Lancaster casualties. Iwillprotect myself. Even if I have to step on your toes to do it.”
He’s damn near vibrating with leashed violence. I’m certain, if I weren’t the princess, he’d have decked me by now for misconduct. I’ve never been so grateful for my royal title.
“Listen here, little girl,” Bane hisses hotly. “I have held this position for over twelve years. I have been in service to the crown for longer than you have been on this earth. I have seen rulers come and rulers go, trained more soldiers than you can conceive. My grip on this castle is iron-clad. Nothing happens with my men without my consent. And I am telling you plainly: I do not support this measure of yours. I willneversupport it.”
I hold my breath for five endless seconds, knowing I need the time to make my voice steady. “You seem to be under the mistaken belief that I am asking for your permission.”
He bristles visibly, his hands curling into fists. “Your audacity is astounding! I’d heard you were insolent, but this is unbelievable…”
“Let me guess — our beloved Queen Consort has been singing my praises again?”
His glower darkens, but he doesn’t take the Octavia-flavored bait. “Don’t you realize how insulting it is to stroll in here, suggesting that we — the most elite guard in this country — are unequipped to protect their princess? Are you really so crass as to trample on years of protocol?”
“Areyoureally so blind as to continue to follow said protocol when it is no longer effective?” I shake my head. “This issue is about far more than your wounded pride. The fact is, your version ofprotectionand mine don’t seem to align. At all. You think keeping me in the dark, taking away my access to vital information, will somehow save me. But I am not some child who can close her eyes and pretend the monsters in the night don’t exist. I am not a baby to be swaddled away from harsh realities or locked up in a tower until I’m old enough to be of use.” My voice quivers with intent, and I swallow hard to compose myself. “There’s a difference between shielding someone and suffocating them. I need guards who tell me the truth, even when it’s terrifying.Especiallywhen it’s terrifying. I need a unit that values transparency as well as safety. And the only thing transparent about you, Bane, is your disdain at being questioned by this so-calledlittle girl.”
His eyes flash, and I know I’ve struck a nerve. “You do not possess the authority to simply stroll in here and upend a hundred years of protocol—”
“Oh, but I do.” I smile and point at my head, as if an invisible tiara rests there. “Princess, remember?”
“This— this is—” He’s practically spluttering. “This is not how things are done! I will not stand for it!”
I smile sweetly. “You’re free to sit, if you’d like.”
One of the guards in the front row snorts out a laugh, then quickly covers it with a coughing fit. When Bane hears the sound, his anger turns apoplectic. He whips around to face the battalion, practically frothing at the mouth.
“Make no mistake — any soldier who joins this charade of aPrincess Guardforfeits his place in this unit, effective immediately. Your career will be over. Your pension will be stripped, along with any military merits. You will be walking away from everything you’ve spent your life training for.”
His warning hangs heavily in the air for a long moment. While I doubt Bane actually possesses the authority to enforce such a punishment, it’s clear the words hold significant weight with his soldiers. After all, he is their leader. And he is not one for idle threats or baseless ultimatums. Choosing my side over their commanding officer’s is tantamount to treason in his eyes.
Any lingering amusement in the arena air dissipates. When I turn to look at the soldiers, their faces are a long parade of smooth brows and set jaws, like mannequins lined up for battle. Some I recognize from their previous posts — shadowing my morning walk to the stables, hovering in the hallways outside my suite, monitoring the perimeter of the castle grounds. Most I’ve never seen before.Nonelook remotely open to what I’m about to say.