The Princess and the Guard (Book 1)

Four

"Juliette?"

Juliette, sitting at her desk with her tablet propped in front of her, turned around. Odette was standing there, one hand on her hip.

"I'm almost finished," replied Juliette, already turning away.

"Then take a break."

The tone in Odette's voice gave Juliette pause. She wasn't irritated, but there was a tenseness about her that wasn't usually there.

"I need you to come with me. It's time for your doctor's appointment."

Juliette's eyebrows shot up. "My what?"

Odette arched an eyebrow. "Have you gone deaf now, too?"

"No, but I thought maybe you'd started speaking in tongues," Juliette muttered under her breath.

Odette waved a hand in Juliette's direction. "Hurry up, I don't have all day."

"Why am I going to the doctors?"

"Because some people need medicine to function." Odette shot her a smug smile. "You would be one of the 'some people.'"

Juliette knew Odette was goading her, trying to provoke a response. Despite years of hatred that had festered in Odette's heart, Juliette still longed for her sister's approval. Odette's words still stung. They pierced her heart, shooting barbed stingers through her ribs, pricking the tender flesh.

"I don't know what that means, but I'm not seeing a doctor for no reason."

"Oh, we're back to the defiance again. Fantastic." Odette nodded once, glancing over her shoulder as two guards walked in.

Juliette shot up, frozen to the spot. The two guards grabbed her arms, unbothered at her attempts to break free. "Let me go! What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Taking you to the doctors, as I said. Since you're determined to disobey orders, I've had to resort to getting help, and Mother isn't here anymore to protect you." Odette smiled as Juliette was led through the door and dragged through the corridors.

Juliette struggled, determined to make the guards' job as difficult as possible. She remembered, not too long ago, when the guards had been ordered to protect Juliette from Odette. Their mother had seen the hatred festering, the abuse starting, and stood as a barrier.

It had been two and a half years since Odette and Juliette's mother died. Two and a half years—thirty months, one-hundred-and-thirty weeks, nine-hundred-and-eighty-four days—of living with Odette, and her newfound freedom to hit, and beat, and scream at Juliette whenever she felt like it.

"I don't know if you're aware, but House Canyons has been working on new technological advances," Odette said, unbothered at Juliette's attempts to break free. "From what I can tell, the software should impress even you, and make your work easier and more efficient."

House Canyons was one of the eleven House's that made up Demetria, and since their primary export was technology, it was Juliette's favorite House.

"I have taken the liberty of ordering you a series of new data tablets," Odette continued. "Which means I don't want any more excuses, because they will let you work more efficiently."

Juliette stopped struggling just for a moment. A new tablet? It had been a while since she'd gotten anything new.

Odette abruptly stopped walking, wheeling on Juliette. "Don't get excited," she snapped, jamming a finger in Juliette's face. Juliette wanted to smack her away so badly, but her arms were still being held. She twisted her wrist, but to no avail. "They're for working. And if you can't work effectively, they will be taken away."