AYLETH

She made it back to the castle, through the gardens and past the guards. She even got to the balcony—but before she could crawl over the railing she heard frantic voices inside.

"Lady Trayn! She isn't here! The Queen will—"

Ayleth froze, her heart thumping in ears.

"Calm yourself, woman," Trayn snapped and Ayleth closed her eyes, wincing as her boot scraped on the railing when she crawled over, though the women inside didn't seem to hear it. "It may not be the… emergency that it appears. The Princess has a great deal of attention right now. She may simply have—"

"I already called for Lord Nearheart."

"Falek?" Trayn gasped. "Oh dear, he will—"

"I will what?" The dark, disapproving voice of her Knight Defender growled through the room and Ayleth scrambled towards the door.

"I only meant, sir, that you might be more concerned than would be strictly necessary for—"

Ayleth yanked the balcony doors open and they all turned—her maid with a hand clutched to her chest, Trayn with a strange light in her eyes, and Falek… Falek glowering at her like he was ready to strangle her himself.

"I'm here. You don't need to worry. I'm here, and I'm fine. I went to my horse in the night, and fell asleep, that's all," she said, stalking in with her chin high, as if she wasn't at all worried. Falek's eyes followed her like an eagle on a mouse, but she ignored him, focusing her attentions on her maid. "I have slept and only need to freshen up. Could you call for a bath please?"

"Yes, of course, Your Highness."

"Thank you. And thank you, Trayn," she said, putting a hand to her First Lady's shoulder. "You were right not to panic. I'm sorry that I worried everyone, but it really was quite harmless."

Trayn curtseyed, but as she bowed her head, her eyes cut to Falek, then back to Ayleth with a pointed look. Ayleth gave a single nod.

"I'm sorry you were called, Falek," she said, turning to her Knight, who crossed his arms over his very broad chest and stared down at her. "There truly was no risk, I merely got tired and rested and… lost track."

"And where, exactly, did you lose track, Ayleth?" he said in a guttural growl. Ayleth blinked. He never referred to her by her first name in front of others! It was a mark of how disturbed he was that he hadn't realized he'd done it.

"I told you, in the stable," she said sweetly. "I know you've warned me not to ride at night, so I visited my mare and… as I said—"

"Lost track," he finished for her.

She nodded.

Falek removed his piercing stare from her to walk to the doors she'd entered through, then stopped. Ayleth's heart sank. Without turning he said through his teeth, "Would you ladies please leave me with the Princess for a moment?"

"Sir, you're in her bedchamber—" Trayn began, but Falek snapped his head around, his eyes alight with a fire Ayleth had only seen the night she was almost abducted, and he'd saved her by fighting no less than four men for the privilege. "I have been party to her chambers since she was eight years old—you will both leave. Now!" he snarled.

Trayn dropped another curtsey, though she technically outranked Falek, cut a look at Ayleth that said she'd tried, and then scurried from the room on the heels of the maid.

Ayleth took a deep breath and approached the man. But as soon as the door clicked behind the women, he whirled on Ayleth.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Please, Falek, I know it wasn't wise to fall asleep, but—"

"Fall asleep? You think that's what concerns me? What burns a fire in my gullet like… Ayleth, you left your chambers alone, at night and… what? Climbed the trellis? How did you evade the guards in the garden? And then the walk to the stable… at least half a mile—again, alone. This Palace crawls with the rulers, and political minds behind every one of our enemies and you… you think I worry that you fell asleep? You were unguarded, unmonitored, and apparently, capable of avoiding even the guards we did have in place!"

She gave him a flat look. "The guards are pathetic, Falek—so focused on someone approaching from outside they don't even look towards the castle. They march the same shifts around the garden at the same times. They are easy to avoid—if you know their routines."

"How long have you known this without telling me? How long have you been doing this?" he barked.

She put her fists to her hips, though inside she was beginning to quaver. Falek was a good heart. He cared about her and his anger was born of that, she knew. But the reason he'd agreed to train her was specifically because her near-abduction had proved that no matter what security they had in place, there was always a chance someone would get through. "Either I am strong enough and capable enough to defend myself, or I am not. Which is it, Falek?" she asked quietly.

He strode up to her—even more intimidating that Etan in a temper—and loomed over her. "The question is not whether you are capable—even the strongest men I know should be guarded because it is better never to have your capability tested!" he hissed. "Do you understand, Ayleth, what would happen to those around you if you were taken? Or worse, killed? Do you understand what your father would do to those of us who are charged with your welfare?"

Ayleth blinked. She… she hadn't ever thought about that. "I… I'm sorry."

"Sorry means nothing if you are hurt, Ayleth," he said, anger and fear mingling in his voice. His hands twitched toward her like he would shake her if he could. "You cannot—cannot!—give your enemies such an opportunity again. Ever! Do you understand me?"

"But—"

"NEVER!" he roared and Ayleth flinched.