Page 9 of A Kiss of Flame

‘These are the ones?’ Ylena asked, as if she had been presented with a collection of alley cats.

‘Yes,’ Roland said, the answer as firm and confident as possible.

Ylena rose, moving like the royal princess she was. She inspected each of them, pausing in front of Finn for an unnecessarily long time.

‘If you say so,’ she said at last. ‘I don’t see it myself.’

‘They are the best here.’

‘Even the Ilanthian? Isn’t that a risk?’

Finn was used to this. He had heard worse every day all his life. Even when he was a child back in Ilanthus. He knew better than to react.

Roland didn’t rise to the bait. ‘I have trusted Finnian Ward with my life on more than one occasion. I raised him. He was the one who rescued your niece and great-niece from those who would have taken them back to Sidonia.’

Roland was careful about not identifying who ‘those’ were. Finn’s brother, in other words. Who had almost killed him. Roland didn’t mention that and Finn was grateful. He kept his gaze trained on the wall, his jaw relaxed, his hands loose. He had to. Showing any sort of reaction at times like this just made it worse.

‘And the ill-judged affection between the two of them?’ Ylena went on. So that was what they were calling it? Wonderful. Finn felt the heat rise up his neck and fought against showing the embarrassment. Was this why he was here? To be humiliated by the lady regent?

‘Finnian has a vital role to play as I am sure you are aware.’

Ylena didn’t seem convinced.

‘So long as he realises that it is impossible and cannot continue. She is heir to the throne, even if she won’t accept that as yet. But she’s a headstrong girl and that will have to change. If this is your decision, so be it. But I will be watching as well, Roland. Closely.’

Was it Finn’s imagination or did Roland’s knuckles turn even whiter?

‘And, as I said, these are my best men. Their service has been impeccable, they come from the finest families, and they will do their duty. She will be protected in all things, as we discussed.’

The compliment from their Grandmaster should have filled them with pride. Perhaps it did, for the other two. Finn felt something like a noose tightening around him. He didn’t come from the finest family. Not as far as the Asterothians were concerned. He might have a pedigree, but it wasn’t one the regents’ council would ever accept.

Ylena rolled her eyes and left the study, the heavy door banging closed behind her.

It was Anselm who cleared his throat. ‘May I ask what this entails, Grandmaster?’

The three of them watched Roland expectantly as he cleared any lingering traces of annoyance from his face.

‘You and Olivier are to be charged with the protection and defence of her royal highness, Princess Wren. She will be kept out of danger at all times. You will teach her to fight in her own defence. If so much as a hair on her head is harmed I will have your balls, understand?’

A hair on her head, Finn thought. Funny. But he didn’t dare smile. And he was not included in this. He hadn’t missed that.

The overwhelming silence crushed down on him. Surprisingly it was Olivier who broke it.

‘Only the two of us? What about Ward? Why is he here?’

‘I have a mission for Finnian specifically. You two are dismissed. Select your men, set up a roster, see to her protection. Your families regard this as a great honour, but I see it as a potential disaster. Make sure that I am wrong.’

Finn waited as they left, and wondered why he was being deliberately excluded. Ylena’s reference to their relationship was indication enough of what was going on.

The door closed firmly.

‘Wren isn’t going to like having babysitters all the time.’

Roland gave a dismissive snort and shook his head. ‘No, but the regents’ council demanded it. It was all I could do to insist on having Anselm and Olivier take the lead on that.’

‘I suppose their families were delighted.’ The Earl of Sassone was one of the regents, after all. Having his own son in charge of her security would be something of a coup.

Roland almost smiled. Almost. ‘It certainly helped. Would you have chosen anyone else?’ Finn shook his head. He couldn’t argue that. He would trust them with his life. And with Wren’s. ‘I know where their loyalties lie.’