Page 6 of Her Royal Rebellion

Luckily Charlie was the only one who knew how I felt. She was annoyingly perceptive and had picked up on the way I lingered every time I saw him. Could anyone blame me? He was tall, dark, and so very handsome. His muscles could barely be contained by his suit and his jaw would have inspired the great sculptures of old. It was more than that though. He didn’t treat me like a delicate flower or just an object to protect.

“Miss.” He opened the door, and I stepped into my sitting room. The door shut, leaving me alone with my frantic thoughts. I walked to the windows overlooking the walled garden and sat on the bench, resting my head against the cool glass.

Shane was great at his job, and friendlier than most but he always kept his distance. It took months for him to stop addressing me as Her Royal Highness every time he saw me. He backed down to Princess Isla, which I nixed. Ma’am followed, and it took every fiber of my being to refrain from using my combat training to take him down. We settled on Miss, which wasn’t my favorite. I’d prefer Isla, but he refused saying his mother would have his head if she knew. Heaven forbid he call me by my name like a normal person.

Logan really saw me. He was the only guard who bothered talking to me. It wasn’t a rule that the guards and security had to ignore us, but most did. Maybe they thought it would keep them out of trouble, but it was dehumanizing. I loathed it. When I was younger and tried to engage them in conversation, I would get one-word responses before being dismissed entirely. I knew they were trained to show respect, but they could at least say hello or crack a smile when I did.

Logan was the best listener. He let me go off on tangents only giving sage advice or feedback if I asked.

And the way he smiled at me. Just the thought made my heart race.

Maybe it was a childish fantasy, but I hoped that one day after he retired from service, there was a chance for us. That he would come back to the palace and sweep me off my feet. He’d declare his feelings, and I’d tell him how I’d always felt for him, and we’d start our own lives. Sure, I would still have responsibilities here, but I could take a step back. We could move to my house on the coast.

I leaned back and shook my head. I couldn’t let myself think that way. Logan would never see me that way. He referred to me as a friend, one he was fortunate to have.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door and Carolyn let herself in. Her eyes found mine and a frown appeared. “Is everything alright? You missed the call.”

I tried to gather the strength to sit up straight, but I couldn’t find enough reason to care. “No, it’s not. I’m sorry I should have let you know I wasn’t coming.”

She moved across the room and sat next to me. “It’s not a problem. I was able to get the information we needed and set the date for the meeting in Berlin.”

I nodded and looked back out the window.

“Isla? What happened?” Her voice held so much concern, it nearly broke me.

“My parents are bringing in suitors for me. They’re making me marry one of them.”

She let out a tiny gasp. It wasn’t proper for her to question the actions or decisions of the king and queen, but her slip made me feel better. I wasn’t the only one thinking this was all mad.

“Why?”

I turned back to her. “That’s the worst part. They didn’t really give me a solid answer. It was like they were hiding something.”

She didn’t react this time. Her eyes dropped as she picked off nonexistent lint from her skirt. “I’m not sure what to say. It doesn’t seem fair, but he’s your king.”

“First, he’s my dad,” I huffed, and she gave me a disappointed look. “Fine. I know that’s not the case, but I wish it was. Why can Cian marry whomever he wants? Serena’s the future queen, and they didn’t care that she’s not Lochish or titled. Why does it matter for me?”

She reached out and took my hand in hers. “I’m not sure, Isla. I wish I had an answer or solution for you, but the only thing I know for sure is how much your parents love and adore you. I have to believe that they’re doing what they think is best for you.”

“I’m not a child. They need to accept that they taught me well and trust me. I don’t want to be forced to marry someone I don’t love.”

She nodded. “You might find someone you like very much. You could grow to love one of the suitors.”

Sure, that was a possibility, but it seemed unlikely. Mum and Dad didn’t even have an arranged marriage. They’d known each other practically their whole lives. They got to meet and fall in love naturally. Why wouldn’t they extend me the same privilege?

“I just don’t understand why. Dad went off about my duty, and since I’m so far down the line, I can marry and leave Lochland. Are they trying to get rid of me?”

“Of course not. They love you. I’m sure they just want you to be happy.” Her reassurance did nothing for me.

“It’s not like I’m an old maid! Cian and Aiden haven’t married, so why do I need to?” I rubbed at my collarbone as my throat tightened.

She was quiet before a tiny smile appeared. “You can always play along and simply dismiss each man that comes. As long as your parents see that you’re making an effort they might not push things.”

“But what if they do? What if I send them all away and Dad demands I marry the next one that arrives?”

Oh no. I was spiraling into a real panic. I wanted to run, but where? How? I was a princess, so it wasn’t like I could check into a hotel unnoticed. Not without a team to help pull it off.

“Isla, why don’t I take the rest of your meetings for the day? Anything that requires your presence, I’ll reschedule.”