(Lina)
The last two weeks had been a blur. Between meetings with the royal court, trying to find my footing in my new role, and balancing everything else, I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water.
But through it all, Kieran had been by my side. His calm presence and his support were everything I hadn't known I needed.
I sat at my desk, reading over the latest report, when a soft knock sounded at my door. "Come in," I said, setting the paper down.
Captain Gerard stepped inside, looking as professional as always, but there was a hint of something different in his expression. "Princess, I wanted to speak with you about tonight."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"
"Not at all," he said quickly. "But given your new responsibilities and your growing influence, we've decided to increase security. For your safety."
I frowned. "It's just dinner. Do we need extra guards for that?"