Page 87 of Ties of Dust

She strode forward, a confused Cassius following as she passed through the Torrenese checkpoint and approached the border guards on the Dernan side.

“What’s your business?” one asked gruffly. “The border is closed to regular traffic until further notice.”

“Yes, but I’m not regular traffic,” Flora said matter-of-factly.

“Why is the border closed?” Cassius asked, frowning.

The guard looked him over, in all his disheveled finery. “Who are you, and what’s your business?”

“He’s with me.” Flora’s voice was commanding, something in her tone Cassius hadn’t heard before.

“Is he now?” The guard leaned on his spear, unimpressed. “And you are?”

“You really don’t recognize me?” She tilted her head to the side. “I recognize you. I can’t remember your name, but I’m sure you used to work at the castle. Did you offend Endrin to get yourself banished out here?”

The guard stilled, his eyes widening as they roved over her face.

“Endrin?” The other guard repeated the name—which meant nothing to Cassius—cautiously. “How would you know the head of the royal guard?”

“I used to be the bane of his existence,” Flora explained. “I’m guessing he hasn’t missed me.”

“Princess Floriana?”

The astonishment with which the first guard said the words was nothing to what Cassius felt.

“Princess?” he repeated, the ground reeling beneath his exhausted feet as he stared at Flora.

“Yes, it’s true,” she told him. “At least, I was born Her Royal Highness Princess Floriana Marigold Berthe of the royal house of Dernan. But it could be argued that I renounced my title when I ran away five years ago. That was my intention, anyway.”

“I…you…you can’t be,” Cassius said dumbly.

“Oh, but I am.” Her eyes twinkled. “And let it be a lesson to you not to lord it over seemingly humble strangers.”

Cassius felt his lips twitch, unable to resist the mirth in her eyes.

“Our orders are to take you to the capital immediately if ever you reappeared, Your Highness,” the guard said, glaring at Cassius as he stepped forward. “Their Majesties are anxious for your return.”

“If you say so,” Flora replied ruefully. “We’re ready to go.”

“We?” The guard eyed Cassius again. “Who is this man?”

“He’s my bodyguard,” Flora said blithely.

Cassius choked, hardly able to comprehend what was happening. Flora was in her element, at her most outrageous and her most irresistible.

“He hasn’t done a very good job.”

The second guard’s interjection sobered Cassius at once. The man’s eyes were lingering on Flora’s bruises, and he must have noted the stiff way she moved.

“He has, actually,” Flora said quickly. “It’s only thanks to his efforts that I’m alive.”

Cassius said nothing because there was nothing he could say. But when Flora glanced at him, he held her eyes, and he could tell that she saw the ghost of his agony in his gaze. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to forgive himselffor what had happened to Flora because of their tether. How long would it take before he no longer saw her pale, seemingly lifeless face before him every time he closed his eyes?

“Well.” The guard sounded reluctant to be responsible for any decisions regarding the returned princess. “We’ll arrange transport to the capital at once, Your Highness. In the meantime, come into the guardhouse.”

Cassius followed Flora into the building, his mind spinning. The guard ushered them past half a dozen of his off-duty fellows and into an empty study.

“You’re not Siqualian,” Cassius said as soon as they were alone.

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