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She shrugged. “It’s all a matter of how you look at it. I came to Cortez with a concern that, to anyone else, might have seemed unfounded. I had no proof of what von Habsburg was thinking or planning. What I had was a feeling.”
“He could’ve said.”
“Perhaps with you, he could’ve. But with most, he could not. It’s what he’s accustomed to. He protects me, if you will.”
“And you do the same for him.”
She squeezed my hand. “That’s right. Not everyone is accepting of our methodologies.”
I laughed and looked over my shoulder; Teagon was laughing too. “I just said something quite similar.”
“Forgive him, Kensington.”
I felt ashamed of myself for both my reaction and my treatment of him.
“And try to forgive yourself too.”
“This will take some getting used to—having someone who can so easily read my thoughts.”
She raised a brow. “I believe you know how to stop it from happening. Don’t you?”
“Wow. Seriously?”
“It was very effective, my dear.”
Two days later, as I lay awake until the early morning hours, worried about Cortez, wondering if he was safe, I continued to berate myself for my foolish and, yes, childish behavior.
“I hope you’re keeping him safe,” I said out loud in the empty room. Only silence echoed back to me.
I got out of bed, put on my joggers, and went out in the hallway, intending to get some exercise. Casper was outside my door.
“Good Lord, have you been there all night?”
She nodded.
“Is that necessary?”
“When the boss is away? Absolutely.”
“I’m off on a run.”
She motioned for me to go ahead, and stayed a maximum of ten paces behind me. I suppose it might’ve been nice for me to strike up a conversation with her, but I wasn’t in the mood. The only person I wanted to talk to was Cortez. I had only myself to blame for not being able to.
The palace grounds, much like those of my great-aunt, the Queen’s, offered fantastic trails to run. Like there, I knew security was always close by, and not just Casper. No harm would come to me while on this property, nor would I cause that of another. The security team was protecting the royal family from me as much as me from anyone else.
I was nearing the edge of the compound when I heard people s
houting behind me. I stopped to look, but Casper stood in my way.
“Keep going,” she barked.
“But—”
“Kensington, keep moving!” This time, she shouted.
I picked up my pace as did she. We were almost back to Cortez’s parents’ residence when Teagon met us.
“Get her inside,” Casper told her before taking off in the direction from which we came.
