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“This castle is protected. Your personal belongings will be safe. If you wish, I will also ask them to be moved here as well.”

What was happening? Maris didn’t want her stuff to be touched or moved. She had her room, and although the idea of being close to the princess was extremely appealing, she still needed her space! “You have no right. I need privacy!”

“I am minutes away from being your queen.” Valda raised her chin high and squared her shoulders. “I have every right over the decisions that happen in my castle. Either you accept the accommodations, or you accept the accommodations.”

Valda was hiding something. Why did she want her close? What was the use? She could manage around the castle just fine. Tartarus! She made it to the servant’s quarters! Maris bit her lower lip, trying to keep her anger at bay. “Why the urgency?”

“Urgency? There is no urgency. My mother’s last order for you was to stay near me. To help me. It would be a shame for you not to do as she asked.”

Valda’s stoic features scared Maris. The way she stood as if staring down at her, reading her every move, so confident and commanding, made her knees buckle. How could she be angry and turned on at the same time?

“I need my sword…” Valda said before extending her large hand.

Maris’s shoulders slumped. She turned to the bureau and found the Heaven Sword exactly where Valda had last left it when her mother brought it. She walked the box back to Valda. To let her know she was near, Maris grabbed Valda’s extended hand.

“Put it on,” Valda ordered.

Maris sighed. She looked down at Valda’s leather belt and slowly undid it. Intentionally slow, Maris strapped the scabbard to Valda’s right side before buckling her up again. Her hand lingered around her waist before looking up at Valda’s blank features.

“Thank you,” Valda said before sitting back down. “What are you wearing?”

Maris frowned at the sudden question. “My uniform…”

“That won’t do.” Valda patted her thick thighs before turning to where the closet was. “In the far left of the closet, you will find a black dress.” She smirked. “I wore it a long time ago. Once.”

Maris gazed at the closet and then at Valda. “What about it?”

“You are accompanying me to my mother’s burial.”

Maris froze. “Wait. What?”

“You are accompanying me to my mother’s burial,” Valda repeated nonchalantly.

“I thought you were going with Sir Kayden.”

“You thought.”

“Why—”

“Because I am giving you an order,” Valda answered, opened her eyes and scratched her temple in exasperation. “I am starting to get slightly annoyed at your constant asking and questioning. I’ve never had this kind of problem with any other servant in this castle. Not even my most insubordinate soldier has ever dared to question me.”

“I don’t think I should be at the burial. I am not royalty, and I will be in the way.”

“Maris…”

Maris swallowed hard and stared at Valda. She shivered at the way she had whispered her name. The soon-to-be queen sounded tired and angry.

“You won’t be in the way. You’ll be in front of me, helping me. Whoever dares to do something to you, or even whisper one ill word against you, will suffer the consequences.”

Maris knew Valda spoke the truth, but something in the back of her mind screamed at her to stay hidden, to not go out, to remain as unnoticed as possible. She was scared, and she needed Valda to know that. Taking a deep breath, she made a quick decision to open up more. Valda needed to trust her, and the only way to do that was to speak the truth.

“I am terrified of being out there.”

Valda cocked her head. “Out there?”

“Around people.”

“Why?”