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Stark bowed his head. "With respect, Princess, the Prince has ordered two elite in quarters with you minimum, and I need to keep the captain of your guard up to date."
"Share it with all or get out, Commander. My head feels like I've been head-butting a Crystalstar wall, so I do not have the patience for rudeness tonight." Returning my attention to my meal, I ignored them.
With a grimace, Stark moved to sit on the lounge. Hartwin went to the wall comms unit and hit a call button. "Request the medic's attendance on the Princess immediately." When he turned to join his father on the sofa, I could see the smirk on his face.
"That was unnecessary."
"You are unwell. It is my responsibility to make sure that you are given the best care possible, Princess."
"Is there any point arguing with you, Elite Hartwin?"
He grinned. "You would only be wasting energy, Princess." Both Jervaise and Stark smirked to their chests.
Acknowledged the truth of his comment, I sighed. "Apparently, that's always been the case."
The smile disappeared off Hartwin's face faster than I could blink, and Stark glared at me like I'd just urinated on his shoe. As the only person in the room who missed the undercurrent of my comment, Jervaise broke into a chuckle.
Stark's dark eyes focused on me. "Princess Zira, is it only your headache that ails you tonight? You seem quite aggressive of late."
So, he didn't know. "Commander Stark, you have always been kind worded and gentle towards me, but I remember a directive you gave me two years ago, one which proved to me that the future I sought was ruined partly by your interference—"
"Princess!" Hartwin stood, astounded I would be so brazen. He'd taken the entire blame, but I knew his father's words falling from his mouth when I heard them even then.
"As such, you can consider yourself a victim of your own directive."
Standing, Stark put a restraining hand on his son's shoulder. "What will you, Princess?"
Rising out of my chair, I met his gaze. "The inner quarters are my sanctuary. You aren't welcome here unless it is in the company of your Prince."
Stark's eyes flared. "You do not have that authority."
For once, his arrogance at meeting my eyes was his downfall. Holding his gaze, I created the psionic link that would give me power over him. He may control his own desires, but I'd fed his son's once. Throwing all that passion and desire his son and I felt for each other into his head, I then followed it up by giving him my grief for losing Hart and my hatred for where we stood now.
Legs crumpling beneath him, Stark landed hard on his knees before me as I moved towards him. When Jervaise made a grab for me to try and restrain me, I automatically threw out a ball of air to knock him away. Hartwin was yelling, at me, at someone else, but that was all background noise for the pain I was filtering to the kneeling Commander.
"I am your Princess. I will one day be your queen." Standing over him, I couldn't help but smile when a tear formed a rivulet down his tanned cheek. "Don't you dare think you are my equal. Now, get out of my inner sanctum before the Prince needs to have this room repaired as well."
With my point made, I broke the Psionic link. The Commander crumpled. Spinning on my heel, I discovered Luther and half the elite guard in the room behind me. "Taking your anger out on the wrong people again, Zira?" His eyes focused carefully on my lips.
"If you truly thought that, you would have tried to stop me."
"From what I heard, you were exerting your authority after it was challenged?" Luther looked past me. "Commander, are you unharmed?"
"I am, my Prince."
"Elite Jervaise?"
"Just winded… literally, Prince Saboa."
Luther nodded, returning his gaze to my lips. "Elite Hartwin, you called the Medics?"
"Yes, my Prince. The Princess was not feeling well."
Softening his glare just slightly, Luther brushed my cheek tenderly. "What is wrong?"
"Besides you knocking me unconscious?" Luther merely cocked a brow. Sighing, I softened my voice. "I had a bad headache when I woke."
"Had a headache?"
