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“Will do,” he agreed. “But that wasn’t why I called.”

“Go ahead, General.”

“After the intruders escaped, a girl stumbled in from the desert. She claims to be Princess Delucia. Can you confirm?”

Alex’s heart raced realising that she was about to be discovered, but her feet were frozen to the floor. Maybe they wouldn’t torture her if she told them it was all just a joke? Maybe they’d accept her excuse that she was one of those kids ‘looking for a thrill’?

For some reason, she doubted that.

The general walked around the room until he was standing next to Alex, and the hologram turned to follow his progress. When the Warden’s eyes came to rest on Alex, she wasn’t surewho was more shocked. She only just managed to bite her tongue to hold back her gasp of astonishment.

“Good afternoon, Warden Jeera,” Alex said, trying to keep her tone calm despite the incredulous look the Warden was giving her. The malfunctioning sound hadn’t allowed her to identify Jeera from her voice, but with them both now staring directly at each other, there was no denying their familiarity. “Can you please confirm that I’m the princess so these men won’t throw me in a cell and torture me for information?”

Alex added the last part in the hope that Jeera would understand the dangerous situation she would face if the Warden refused to play along.

Jeera’s expression continued to show surprise, but she managed to pull herself together enough to speak. “Where have you been, Princess?” she said, to Alex’s immense relief. “Your parents have been worried sick.”

Alex could see that the men in the room were shocked by the Warden’s confirmation of her fake identity.

“My travelling companions and I were ambushed,” Alex said, continuing the subterfuge. “I was abducted but managed to escape. Have the others made it back safely?”

The Warden’s lips quirked slightly, almost as if she was impressed with Alex’s deceit even though she had no idea why it was necessary.

“They arrived just this morning,” Jeera said. “But we’re all anxious to have you back home at the palace. General Drock?”

He stepped forward. “Yes, Warden?”

“Please provide the princess with the means to return home immediately,” Jeera ordered.

She sounded so authoritative that Alex wondered about the chain of command between the Wardens and the military. She would have to remember to ask someone one day—preferably when she wasn’t in the middle of the firing line.

“I’ll personally lead the princess to our linking Bubbledoor,” the general said.

“Thank you, General,” Jeera said. “Princess, I’ll await you in the receiving room.”

The look in Jeera’s eyes told Alex that she’d better have a good explanation ready.

Once the Warden disconnected the holograph communication, the room was left silent. After a tense moment, the general cleared his throat.

“I’d like to apologise for my behaviour, Your Highness,” General Drock said. “We were on red alert after discovering intruders in our compound, so I was naturally suspicious of your arrival. While that’s no excuse, I hope you can forgive my lack of respect.”

Alex’s demeanour softened at his words. He had every right to be suspicious, especially as shewasn’twho she claimed to be. “Consider it forgotten, General. I’d expect no less from a fine, upstanding military commander such as yourself. Your precautions were necessary, but perhaps you might refrain from using so many expletives in the future.”

She smiled with her last sentence to tell him she wasn’t as offended as she sounded. He chuckled lightly in response, and the gesture transformed his entire face from an unyielding general to an almost friendly father figure.

“Bad habit, I’m afraid, Princess.”

“We all have them,” she allowed. “But it’s something for you to work on, at least when I’m around.”

He chuckled again, before straightening up and turning to the others in the room.

“Major Tyson, you’ll accompany us to the Bubbledoor,” the general said. “Signa, your services are no longer required.”

“General, I believe this is a mistake,” Signa argued. “I don’t like that I can’t read her.”

“Enough, Signa,” Drock said. “You heard Warden Jeera confirm her identity. The matter’s closed. You’re dismissed.”

Signa glared at Alex one last time before he stormed out of the room.