The Princess and the Guard (Book 1)

Two

Odette shoved Juliette away. Juliette, surprised, lost her balance and stumbled back into the wall.

Noah was quick to catch her.

"Don't. Touch. Her," Odette ordered, her voice even.

Noah dipped into a curt bow, his hands locking behind him. "Your Majesty."

Juliette straightened, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress. She could feel warmth flood her cheeks, but she stood straighter.

Odette was alone, and dressed in an elegant, deep blue dress that swished around her feet as she moved. Her hair hung down her back in glossy, rich brown curls that bounced with every step. Her face, naturally beautiful, was masked in disapproval, and her grey eyes glittered with irritation.

Her gaze was pinned on Juliette. "I thought I had ordered you to your room for the rest of the week. Are you really that forgetful?" she asked, her head dropping back in frustration.

Juliette clenched her teeth, resisting the urge to glance at Noah. Odette didn't seem bothered by a guard out of uniform, and she didn't want to draw any attention to him. Instead, she focused on stamping down the rise of fear that always flooded her brain when Odette was nearby. "I was," she replied carefully. As much as she hated the idea of giving Odette the impression she was submissive, she knew standing her ground would get her nowhere. There were other ways to be strong, a lesson she had learned by the time she was eight.

Besides, in all likelihood, Odette would make Noah pin her down while she inflicted her punishment. She'd done it before. Not with Noah, thank the skies, but with whichever guard was with her at the time.

"I thought since you were gone for the day you wouldn't mind if I went for a walk and got in a little exercise."

Odette sneered, the corner of her mouth tilting in disgust. Her eyes darkened, and she inspected her fingernails. "You must enjoy being punished."

Juliette's heart skittered. Dread settled in her stomach. One would have thought she wouldn't be so afraid of Odette's lashings by now, as often as they happened, and in a way she wasn't. She could deal with pain. Bruises healed. Lashes mended. Scars faded.

It was what Odette might do in front of Noah that made her fingers turn to ice.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. It was my fault," Noah said, his voice even. Calm. Serene. He didn't move in front of Juliette; didn't give any indication he was trying to protect her.

"Juliette should have more sense than to run around the palace with a guard. A guard out of uniform, no less," Odette hissed, her eyes narrowing to slits, her gaze slithering to Noah.

Noah's face remained expressionless, and thankfully Odette's attention shifted right back to Juliette without lingering on Noah.

"No, it was my fault," Juliette said, taking a step forward. "I'm sorry. I was feeling antsy and wanted to take a walk. Somehow, I ended up in the guards' wing. Ryder was off-duty, and I ran into him. He wanted to make sure I got back to my room safely."

Odette blinked. Slowly. Like a snake, waiting to devour her prey.

Juliette lightly cleared her throat, risking a subject change. "How was your trip to Russia? I haven't heard anything from you since you left."

Odette waved a hand in Noah's direction. A dismissal. He bowed again, then turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Juliette breathed a sigh of relief for him, her heart racing madly in her chest.

"You must think I'm an idiot," Odette sneered with an eyebrow raise, "to think you just 'bumped' into that guard."

Juliette's mind sorted through all the different things she could say, the roles she could play. The meek, afraid princess cowering in the shadow of the queen. The stupid, air-headed girl who was so naïve she couldn't be blamed for another mistake. The awestruck baby sister gazing up at her wise, all-knowing older sister.