Page 107 of The Stolen Princess
“I’m sure,” she said.
“Did your captors let you go?”
She lifted her chin. “I escaped.”
His eyebrows went up in surprise. “Really? So should we expect some retaliation?”
“You should, for your response to them.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
Myka’s voice rose. “I’m talking about the letter full of lies that you sent.”
“Was it full of lies? Or was it the truth?”
Myka’s fatherhadtold her where the weapons were, but she hadn’t known that at the time.
“I want you out of Tolsten House tonight. Gone from my life.”
Stoddard gave a nervous smile, looking around. “Perhaps, we should talk about this inside.” He glanced behind her at Rommel and Joett, and his eyes widened. “Is that Rommel?”
Myka turned her head over her shoulder. “Yeah, it is, and he’s coming with me.” She walked toward the door, stopping right in front of Stoddard. He was only a few inches taller than her. “Is my father still alive?”
His gray eyes seemed to gloat. “No.”
She swallowed and moved past him, heading for the living room. Stoddard, Rommel, and Joett followed after her. A servant closed the door behind them.
Stoddard raised a brow. “Rommel, I'm very interested to see what brings you to Tolsten House after all these years.”
“I’m here to support Myka,” Rommel said, moving to the side of the room.
“How interesting,” he said, his gray eyes darkening. “I didn’t know that you and Myka were such good friends.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Rommel said.
Joett stood silent next to him, holding onto her husband’s arm.
Myka folded her arms across her chest, facing the commander. The man standing in front of her was no match for Albion’s commander. Drake looked the part. He was tall, broad, fearless, confident, nothing like Stoddard.
“I’m releasing you from your duties as commander of the army,” she said.
“I’m afraid you can’t do that.” His expression was smug, and his eyes filled with something like delight.
Was he enjoying this moment?
“Why not? If my father is dead, then I’m in charge until the election,” she said.
Stoddard calmly walked farther into the room, tracing his bony finger on top of an ornate wood table. “Technically, the High Rulers are in charge. Not you.”
Myka moved toward the door. “Then let’s get the High Rulers here immediately to vote on it.”
He stepped in front of her. The delight in his eyes faded into something cold. “Not so fast. First, you need to tell me where the weapons are.”
Myka threw her shoulders back. She hated Stoddard. Her cute little hatred toward Drake was nothing compared to what she felt for this man. He had lied about her character, shown no remorse that she had been kidnapped, and didn’t care in the slightest that her father was dead.
Her angry eyes tore into him. “If I did know, you would be thelastperson I would disclose the location to. You lying, selfish creep!”
Stoddard’s eyes bulged. “What does Adler’s perfect little Princess Mykaleen think she’s going to do with Daddy’s weapons?”
