Page 36 of Praldia

"You are surrounded by two thousand guards—"

"They aren't in this room. This isn't my room. And I know that you have a traitor somewhere in your employ. So, how can I trust anyone but you?"

"The Elite would not betray me, Zira."

"This isn't about their loyalty, Luther. I'm well aware of what they forsake in the name of loyalty to you." I'd lost the man I loved to him. Luther's sudden glare told me he understood just what I was thinking. "The elite are not infallible! Did the last attack not prove that? Metas and Quigs make me a handicap to your Elite."

Luther's jaw was set like stone. "This is your home now. You need to learn to be here alone and to know you are safe in this room, if nowhere else in the entire palats."

Frustrated he wasn't hearing me, I pointed to the door. "Unless you plan to lock me in this room, I am going out there to get something to eat." When I tried to push past him, I got nowhere. Cyrans could be like stone walls when they are unyielding, and Luther wasn't giving way.

"You are going back to bed to sleep. Your eyes are beautifully liquid, so you are not in dire need of sustenance."

Damn his night vision. "Unless you are coming back to bed, neither am I. I'm not the only one who needs sleep, Luther. How can you make the right decision with little to no sleep?"

Luther laughed. "Cyrans can go days without sleep and food and still function rationally, Zira."

Beyond annoyed, I wasn't listening to any more of this. Turning, I lifted my robe, planting one foot on the platform for the bed, the next on the mattress, crossing towards the door using my natural speed.

"Zira!"

I was just reaching for the door handle when something heavy bowled into me from the side. Crashing to the floor, I got my hands between Luther's body and my own. As the breath rushed from my lungs, the symbol for sonic waves flash-burned on my spine and pushed out a sonic repulsion from my hands.

Luther hit the roof with a loud splintering resounding through the room. Rolling across the floor, I got out of the way before his body crashed back to the Crystalstar floor with a loud thud and crackle as roof rock fell around him. The bedroom door flew open just as Luther and I were making our feet.

When he rushed me, I made a leap for the bed. Luther adjusted direction, so I dived, tumbling across the bed as his weight hit with a huff behind me. Making my feet on the platform, I was just about to step to the floor when his hand ensnared my ankle and jerked backward. With a screech, I fell. Arms caught me halfway to the floor, pulling me up and turning me to face Hartwin. Thirteen other Elite stood wide-eyed behind him.

"I've heard the Avalonian women will play hard to get, but is this not taking it a bit far?" Jervaise cocked a brow as he picked up a handful of crumbled roof rock in his hand.

Still standing frozen in Hartwin's grip, my breathing strained, which had nothing to do with the physical exertion and everything to do with my body being pressed to Hartwin's.

Arriving beside me, Luther took my forearm in his tight grip, nodding to Hartwin to step back and join the others. "What the blackness was that!" he yelled, pointing to the cracked ceiling and floor.

Smiling smugly, I refused to answer. Glowering, Luther grabbed my jaw, forcing my eyes up so he could look into them. Scowling, Luther released me with a push towards the bed, causing me to sprawl across the mattress. "Someone get the Princess some food; she has used up her energy again."

Pivoting on his feet, Luther stormed towards the door, the elite opening a path for him. "The princess does not leave this room. A guard will be posted in the room with her and two in the sitting area." Luther stopped in front of Jervaise. "Get that cleaned up and find out if we can get it repaired without replacing the entire ceiling and floor." Looking back at me, Luther glared at me. "You will obey me, Zira. I am your prince, your guardian, and your companion. If I tell you to do something, you will do it!"

"I will obey you as my prince in the throne room, but in our quarters, we are equals. If I choose to get something to eat and stay up later than you feel is appropriate, I will do so. Do not doubt for a second that for that simple freedom, I will fight you every night if I have to."

"Do not threaten me, Zira. You could have got badly hurt tonight."

Smiling menacingly, I simpered. "I'm not the one with blood on their face."

Swiping at the slow drizzle from his head wound, Luther assessed the green blood on his fingers. When he stepped towards me, Hartwin blocked his path, whispering something in his ear. Glaring at me, Luther nodded once, and Hartwin let him go.

Stopping no more than a meter from where I sat on the bed, legs still sprawled from where Luther unceremoniously shoved me, Luther glowered at me. "You want to act like an impetuous child, then I will treat you like one. Open that pretty mouth of yours one more time tonight, and I will put you over my knee, bare your ass to this room, and spank you like a child. Furthermore, I will insist our guards watch just to further your humiliation." Bending down close to my face, Luther glared, waiting for me to defy him.

When I simply returned his glare, Luther continued. "Now, you will eat, and then you will sleep, in this bed, alone. Do you have anything to say about that?"

While I did, I also didn't doubt his promise to humiliate and spank me. As such, I returned his glare but didn't respond. On my spine, the symbol for snow flash-burned. My ability to reduce the kinetic energy of atoms flared to life, and the room became freezing cold. Everyone's breath came out in a heavy fog, and several of the Elite looked at each other with surprise and concern.

Laughing, Luther stood straight. "Your opinion on the matter is noted, Princess. Good night." Without another word, he left the room, his guard following him out.

My Elite stayed looking to Hartwin for direction, but Hartwin was watching me. "He has gone, Princess. You can knock that out now."

Flicking my angry eyes to him, I glared as I righted myself. Registering the look I gave him, Hartwin dropped his shoulders with a heavy sigh that fogged. Angry, I went to stand by the window, wrapping my arms tight around me in the frigid temperature of the room. Fuming, I stood watching the city lights for a full minute before anyone moved behind me.

Moving into the wardrobe, Hartwin reappeared with a blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders. Taking it silently, I snuggled it tight around me. Then, with another sigh, Hartwin spoke to the others. "Very well, Jervaise, I know your shift is over, but the Prince gave you an order. Get to it." Jervaise left the room.

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