Page 65 of Royal Guard

Sebastian had made her feel likeshewas the princess.

I hugged her close. “I’m sorry,” I told her. “I’m sorry all this happened.”

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault,” she managed.

But that didn’t stop the guilt that was welling up inside me. It was me they were trying to kill. All the casualties of this thing: the dead FBI agents, Caroline,Garrett’s dad... I felt responsible. I held Caroline for a long time, until she’d cried herself out.

“Do you want to do something, when all this is over?” she asked, sniffing.

I nodded. “That spa in the mountains, with the hot tubs?”

“I’d really like that.” She hugged me again, then let me go. “You have work to do.”

I nodded reluctantly. “I have to call the Garmanian Prime Minister.”

I saw her hand tighten on the doorknob at the mention of Garmania. “Give the bastard an earful from me.”

When she’d gone, I slumped into a chair and picked up the phone. I stared at the old-fashioned receiver for a moment. I was exhausted, battered and in pain: I was in no shape to be attempting negotiations. But on the way down to the medical facility, Aleksander had shown me a report that left me no choice. I had to try to stop this turning into a war.

I took a deep breath and asked the palace secretaries to put me through.

“Your Majesty.” The Prime Minister’s accent took me straight back to the soldiers in my nightmares. “I’m relieved to hear you’re alright.”

“Thank you,” I said carefully.

“I was concerned to hear about the attempts on your life. And the bombings. A terrible business.”

I crushed the receiver in my hand, furious. I thought of Garrett’s dad, of Caroline.A terrible business?!I knew he was a master politician, knew he’d been playing this game since before I was born. But how could he lie so brazenly? “Mr. PrimeMinister... we know that the group responsible is led by Silvas Lukin, the Garmanian war criminal. We know that his men are Garmanian soldiers from his old squad—”

“Terrorists,” said the Prime Minister calmly. “I assure you we don’t support—”

“They’re using Garmanian weapons!” I snapped, already losing my cool. “The rifle used to shoot my father! The mortar and incendiary rounds used to try to kill me in Texas! All manufactured in Garmania!” I snatched up the report Aleksander had given me. “I’m looking at a report on the bombs placed in our city: the explosives are the same type your army used in the war!”

He faked righteous indignation. “Are you suggesting—”

“Prime Minister, we know what you’re doing. We know what you’re planning!”

“Let me tell you whatweknow,” he said coldly. “We see Lakovia close to falling apart, its people panicked, its leadership failing to protect them. You lash out at our country, accuse us of supporting terrorism in your media. We see Garmanians in your country persecuted, attacked in their homes—”

“We’re already moving to stop that,” I said quickly.

“Meanwhile, our satellites show activity at your airbases. You’re preparing to attack. If you do, we’ll have no choice but to defend ourselves.”

What?! That’show he was going to play it, turn it all around and paintthemas the victim? “Mr. Prime Minister,please,”I begged. “I—” I took a deep breath. “Idon’t want a war.But I’ll do what I have to, to protect my people.”

“As will I, Your Majesty.”

And the line went dead.

I stared at the receiver, panting in frustration, and then hurled the thing across the room. I put my head on the desk and wrapped my arms over it. I just wanted to break down and cry. Whatever I did, war was coming. Millions were going to live or die based on what I did.I’m not ready for this! I’m not a queen!

Garrett’s words came back to me.I believe in you.

I let out a long sigh, then swept my hair back from my face and sat up. I picked the phone up off the floor and called in General Novak and Aleksander. When they arrived, I filled them in on the phone call. Neither of them seemed surprised.

Aleksander sighed. “With this, the attack on the coronation and the evidence that the explosives they’re using are Garmanian... Your Majesty, there’sonly one choice here. We have to attack.”

I shook my head. “There must be some other way.”

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