I sucked in a harsh breath between my teeth and couldn’t even hide my reaction to that. This was bordering on treason, not just vying for power. Someone besides a member of the royal family was holding meetings in the throne room?
“Get a trusted detail on me now and let’s start the fun,” I told him.
He did one better and handed off the aide to someone and grabbed a few more guards he seemed to know well as we went.
“No one is to enter here,” someone snapped as I opened the door to the throne room.
“I couldn’t agree more,” I said evenly. “So it wasshockingto hear that people have and a meeting was called here when only a member of the royal family can do so, and as I’m the only remaining main member—”
“It didn’t seem the time to stand on such rigid lines when something so tragic has happened,” Elira, a ward of the royal family, interrupted me.
I raised an eyebrow. “That wasn’t your call to make. I know you like to refer to yourself as the adopted daughter of the king and queen, but you arenot. You were never—”
“Your sister—” one of the elders interjected.
“I justsaidshe isn’t my sister, and this insanity of people interrupting me willcease,” I said firmly, my tone ice-cold as I met his gaze. “I understand we have all suffered a great loss, but if I can keepmy headwhen it affects me most, there is no excuse for people to act like they were raised in a barn and forgot every rule they lived by under my parents.”
He opened his mouth, but I obviously dismissed him by focusing on Benson… And did my best to ignore how handsome he was. Part of me was always disappointed he was still ridiculously handsome when I saw him.
But it also seemed like it would be a crime against the gods’ best work if he ever lost his looks. His strong jaw and plump lips that made women jealous. His piercing light blue eyes that were the perfect shade against the amethyst streaks in his hair that void dragons had.
Even how he wore his hair short and no-nonsense, perfectly sticking up like he didn’t care.
“I am the only one to give you and the soon-to-be Queen’s Guard orders going forward. I don’t know who tried to install themselves as regent in a matter of hours, but it’s expressly against our laws.” I swallowed a snort when several people went tense.
Did they think I wouldn’t know that?
Oh, some people were in for a rude awakening.
“But maybe there was a reason Mother and Father wanted you to learn the law and the handling of the laws so well?”
Probably. My dragon was right. Maybe there was more to all the schooling they sent me off to besides trying to hide how different I was.
Maybe.
“Lock the throne room and station guards here with strict orders that anyone else who tries to hold a meeting here against my parents’ explicit rules and wishes is committing treason hours after theirdeaths,and I will enforce the punishment without hesitation in their honor even if they’re gone,” I ordered Benson.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he accepted, relief thick in his eyes.
I met the elder’s pissed-off gaze. “I will forgive you this one time after your years of loyal service, assuming you didn’t want things to fall into chaos while I was out of the country, but I’m here now. You are no longer needed to try and step outside of your role. I know mine.”
He dipped his head to me. “Thank you for understanding my intentions, Your Highness. I simply wished to handle as much as possible while you had a chance to accept your new reality and grieve.”
“Grief and most emotions are a luxury royals aren’t allowed, Elder,” I said, echoing what my father had told me and others many times. “I know my duty and will do it.” I focused on Benson again. “I want a meeting with you and all the castle managers. Protocols need to be put into place, and I want an update on the investigation into the crash.”
“That’s not needed, Princess,” a different elder said quietly, something extra in his voice. “We’ve heard the recordings from the pilots that the weather was bad, but the king commanded they fly on still because he could not risk disappointing you after your fight.”
Benson swore under his breath, and it took all I had to not crack my armor.
I slowly looked at the elder with his death in my eyes. “I don’t know what point you just tried to score there, but it was marked in a way you won’t like. This was not the company in which you shouldeverhave repeated privileged information you had about the king’s words. Ever.”
“Sagan, he just meant that—” Elira started to say.
I locked in on her. “I am Princess Sagan or Your Highness to you. You will stop this, Elira, or be banished from the castle. And yes, I can do that.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I know you don’t think of me as a sister, but I loved your parents and hoped this could bring us closer to—”
“Lots of people loved my parents,” I interrupted her. “Millions.”
