Victoria Ashwood had never seen Lina Riley like this before. It was the same familiar face, yet the cautious meekness that once dwelled in those eyes had utterly vanished.
The other woman's previous humility had made Victoria forget that Lina was a fearsome female general who could set her enemies on edge.
She instinctively called out in a soft voice, "Lina…"
In her past life, she expected Lina to approach clumsily yet tenderly to comfort her. But to her disappointment, Lina's eyes now held only disgust.
Lina withdrew her weapon and said coldly, "Princess, please mind your manners."
That cool, detached tone jolted Victoria back to the present reality. A sudden bitterness rose within her at having to start all over again.
Sensing the tension, Autumn Clarke—mindful of the princess's status—hurried forward to smooth things over. "Your Highness, you've had a fright."
Victoria shook her head. "I'm fine. But what exactly is going on here?"
