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A shiver runs down my spine. IronHaven is my father’s kingdom.

Not mine.

Not Rami’s.

For once, I thought my brother was going to stand up to her, but I was sadly mistaken. He is her puppet through and through, and watching the way she controls his every move is becoming more unsettling every day.

There was a time when Rami and I were as thick as thieves. There was no greater bond than the one we shared as children, but as my grandmother’s influence grew, Rami became a person I loathed. Even now, watching how easily she controls him, I can’t help but think how it would break my mother’s heart if she could see us now.

Our mother passed away from an illness that plagued our lands, taking many women and children in its wake. The queen dowager took the opportunity to step in and fill her absence with my brother, molding him into my grandfather’s image. Which is everything my father and mother firmly stood against.

I hate her and the coward she’s turned my brother into.

We sit in silence for the rest of the meal, then Greyson escorts Cyra and me back to my bed chambers where I wallow in my hatred and self-pity for the rest of the evening.

Chapter

Four

Robyn

Cyra draws the curtains back, and the light hits me, waking me from my slumber. I’ve always hated my room being in the east wing of the castle. Every morning, the sun shines brightlythrough my windows. My mother used to tell me to be grateful that I get to start each day with the beauty of the sun. She wasn’t wrong, but after the nightmare supper we had, I just wanted to wallow in a dark room for a little while longer.

“Rise and shine, My Lady. Your royal guard is already waiting for you. They insisted I wake you early this morning,” Cyra greets me with a cheerful mood, busying herself around the room and preparing my belongings for the day.

Stretching out wide, I roll off the bed to get ready. “Must be every girl’s dream to have four handsome men waiting around for them.” My mouth quirks with humor. “It’s a shame that all those good looks go to waste on a royal guard.”

Cyra’s brows furrow as she scowls in my direction, but I ignore it. She’s a rule follower. Everything in her world is black and white, whereas I live in many shades of gray. Nothing is ever what it seems, and rules are made to be broken.

I take a seat at the vanity where Cyra begins transforming the mess on my head into a beautiful braid that will work great in keeping my hair out of my face while we’re out riding.

“A knight in the royal guard takes their vows very seriously, as should you, My Lady. You shouldn’t joke or tempt them to stray from their ways,” Cyra huffs, clearly annoyed by my gesture.

“You’re assuming that my mere presence entices them to break their vows? Or that I’ve somehow coaxed four of the greatest knights our kingdom has ever seen into betraying IronHaven?” I raise an eyebrow at her. If only it were that easy. “Do you really think so little of me, Cyra? That I’m capable of such things?” I am curious to know why my lady-in-waiting holds me in such low regard for the laws of our realm.

I feel her hands tense up as she stops to think over her implication.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Princess,” Cyra says softly, shying away from me. “It’s only that—” she pauses as if she’s suddenly afraid to speak her mind.

“Well, go on. Tell me why you would think these vile things about me. That I would be capable of betraying IronHaven for my own personal gain,” I demand, spinning around in my chair, waiting for her response.

Cyra lifts her eyes from the ground to meet mine. “It’s just that, I’ve seen the way they look at you—how they watch you when they think no one can see them. They adore you, My Lady. I’m sorry if I got it wrong but that much I know is true.”

I scoff loudly. They adore me? Ha. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. They tolerate me at best. Toy with my peaked interests, sure. I’m the one with thoughts of defiling them, not the other way around.

“Cyra, I don’t know what you think you’ve seen, but it was not adoration. I’m their princess, and they have sworn to protect me; it’s their duty. Holding me in high regard is in a knight’s job description.” I roll my eyes, thinking how absurd she is to even think this way. “I annoy them on a good day. They put up with me that is all. You are clearly reading them wrong. Tristan mocks me. Dominic finds it amusing to boss me around. Callum puts up with me, and Greyson—well it’s hard to find the words for the amount of loathing Greyson has for me. I appreciate your concern, but you’re wrong.” I tell her, frustrated by the conversation.

Cyra shrugs her shoulders, trying to hide her smirk as I turn back around so she can finish my hair. “I know what I’ve seen, but if that’s what you need to tell yourself, then by all means, go right ahead, Princess.”

I roll my eyes, not bothering to respond, and decide to finish getting ready in silence. Why bother trying to convince herotherwise when she clearly has her mind made up about the situation.

My words were the truth, but just because I left out the rising sexual tension between us doesn’t make it any less true. Besides, what does she know anyway?

I swing the doors open and stomp out of my chambers. This day is already shit.

My guard follows me through the castle as we head toward the stables for my morning lesson. On our way out, we pass an open door where I see my brother sitting behind a desk in my father’s study with my grandmother huddled closely at his side. The queen dowager leans over my brother’s shoulder to read something in front of them, but I can’t get a good look from the hall.

Against my better judgment, I change direction and head into the office where my grandmother and brother are held up. My guards wait in the hall as I enter the room.

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