บท 29: Chapter 29

"In the hallway," Ahmla cut in, his voice level but thunderous. "That guard wasn't watching us that night, he was watching you. Why did you hide?"

Shanna looked away, unable to take the weight of his gaze. "Because if I hadn't, he would have known we were colluding."

Ahmla sighed.

Kallaar looked horrified. "The 'nonsense and subterfuge' wasn't you. I mean, not the way you obviously think. Why didn't you simply ask?"

"Kali," Ahmla said, and Shanna swallowed as all indications of subservient bodyguard and commanding prince fell away. The dynamic flipped between one breath and the next, and somewhere in the middle she'd lost her own ability to breathe. "Of course, she didn't ask. We deceived her for years, and she'd only known us as we really are for a couple of days. That we'd consider her a burden rather than an honor made the most sense."