Trace was torn. He followed Sapphira as was his duty as her bodyguard, yet he could do her very little good.
At least he wasn't entirely useless, as he'd learned a short time before. He could defend her, as long as his goal was not to thwart Oakdown's plan to get her married to Denholm.
It seemed a perfectly logical part of the plan to protect her and obey her commands until that time. Necessary, even.
The princess stormed towards the room down the hall where His Majesty was currently meeting with the evil Count. Sapphira shot a near-panicked look at Trace, as if she knew the stakes here.
Did she?
The guards at the door blocked her way uncertainly, and she couldn't push past them. The princess glared and yelled past them instead of trying.
"Father, Father come out here right now!"
Trace waited with bated breath as the door creaked open. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement. Anaisa! What was she doing up here?
