Page 67 of A Kingdom's Heart
“I have seen your actions during the attack,” he said. “You fought well. You protected my daughter, even when chaos surrounded you. That was an honorable thing to do.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
His eyes stayed on me. Unreadable. Weighed. “I have a new position for you.”
Something in his tone made my stomach tighten.
“We leave for Valebran tomorrow, for my daughter’s marriage,” he continued. “You will accompany us as her personal guard. From this day forward, she will not take a single step without you nearby.”
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
The words sank like stones, one after another.Her personal guard.
The air felt too thin, the ground too steady.
To guard her. To stand at her side. To look at her every day and pretend she hadn’t lied to me. Pretend I didn’t still remember the sound of her laughter, the way her eyes caught the light, the softness of her voice when she said my name.
My heart thudded once, hard and sharp. Then again, slower, heavier.
It wasn’t fair. None of it was.
She had taken the truth and hidden it from me, and still, some traitorous part of me wanted to see her. To make sure she was safe.
I hated that I cared at all.
The king’s tone sharpened. “You will swear by it.”
The room felt smaller suddenly. Every thought in my head screamed to sayno, to walk out before I trapped myself in something I couldn’t handle. But that wasn’t an option. Refusal would mean dishonor, maybe even execution.
I drew in a slow, steady breath, forcing my voice to hold. “I swear by it, Your Majesty.”
“Good,” said the king.
I bowed my head, ready to take my leave, but his voice came again before I could move. “Before you are dismissed, there is one more task.”
I straightened, hands clasped behind my back. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
His tone darkened. “My daughter ran off not long ago. No one knows where she went, and frankly, I haven’t the time to search
for her myself. You will find her and bring her to me. At once.”
For a moment, I felt my entire body go still.
I’d seen her only hours ago. She was unconscious, pale against the mattress and my arms. The memory had followed me since.
When Raven said she would recover, I hadn’t let myself react then, not in front of the others. But the relief that had hit me was sharp, almost painful. I’d pushed it down. I couldn’t let them see it.
And now she was awake. Alive. Running.
A strange, uneven mix of relief and dread settled in my chest. Relief that she could still run at all. Dread that I was the one sent to find her.
Still, there was no refusing the king. Not this order. Not any.
“Do you understand, Sir William?” said the king.
I lowered my eyes, the words heavy in my throat. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
He gave a short nod. “Good. Do not return without her.”
