Page 53 of Royal Guard

With them in Lakovia, Kristina should be safe in the US for now. If I could keep her off the grid, maybe she could wait this whole thing out. I just had to take her somewhere we could disappear. Someplace with plenty of tourists, where no one would look twice at a woman with a British accent.New Orleans!We’d rent a cheap room somewhere and just vanish.

I handed out the coffee and marched through to the living room to tell Kristina. “Grab your stuff,” I told her. “We’re going to—”

“I’m going home,” she said.

I blinked. “What?”

“Back to Lakovia.”

I could feel my face falling. “Lakovia is the most dangerous place in the world for you right now! The assassins are there, waiting for you!” I stepped closer. “I know you want to be with your dad, but there’s nothing you can do right now. You’ll be safe in the US and—”

“You don’t understand,” she said, standing. “My father’s incapacitated. I’m next in line. Garrett...I’m now Queen!”

My jaw dropped. I’d been so busy thinking about her as a person and how upset and scared she must be, I’d never thought about that part. “But they’ll kill you!”

“My people need me. Our country can’t be without a ruler, not if Garmania’s about to invade.”

She looked up at me andGod,the fear on her face. This whole thing was taking her back to what happened to her during the war, to being left alone in that black, bare stone cell. And yet that imperious jaw was set firmly. She was doing this for her people, even though she was terrified. Even though she was years from being ready to rule. Even though it would probably mean her death. That fluttering in my chest, that swell of loyalty: I’ve never in my life respected someone so much. It only took me a split second to make my decision.

“If you’re going,” I told her, “I’m coming with you.”

She looked at me, incredulous. “Garrett, you can’t!”

“I’m not letting you go back there unprotected.”

“I’ll have my royal guards.”

“They couldn’t protect the King.”

Emerik, Jakov and Caroline had drifted in, drawn by our raised voices. Kristina looked embarrassed and lowered her voice. “Garrett... Lakovia is a different world. You know how traditional we are. There are barely any foreigners. You wouldn’t fit in.”

“I don’t give a damn.”

“You wouldn’t be allowed. The only people allowed to protect the Queen are the royal guards and—”

“Then make me one.”

She froze and stared at me.

“Make me a royal guard,” I repeated.

She held my gaze for another second and then lowered her eyes to the floor. “Give us the room, please,” she said, then waited while they left. When they’d gone, she took my hand. “Garrett... I’m the Queen, now.” Her voice was shaking. “Even if there was a way we could be together before, we can’t be now. The people, the media... they’re deeply distrustful of outsiders. If you come with me,we can’t be together.”

I knew she was right. Knew this would be even harder than before because I’d have had her and lost her. Hell, I’d be right next to her, all the time, but unable to hold her, touch her, kiss her. It would be torture.

But not being able to protect her... that would be even worse. I looked her right in the eye. “I understand,” I said, “Your Majesty.”

Her eyes were filling with tears. Her throat moved, but she couldn’t speak, not without losing it completely. She just nodded.

“Tell me what I have to do,” I said.

She bit her lip. “Kneel,” she managed.

I went down on one knee before her, like I’d seen them do in the movies.

“Repeat after me,” she croaked, barely holding back the tears. “I swear allegiance to my Queen.”

I looked her right in the eye. “I swear allegiance to my Queen.”

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