Smiling, she nodded. “I was just thinking about some things. Sorry. Apparently, I got so lost in thought that I stopped walking.”

He started away, then hesitated. After a few heartbeats, he turned back to face her. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

His question piqued her curiosity. “Not at all.”

“I, um, I don’t know if you remember me or not, but I was the guard who carried you up to the mistress’s room when you hurt your ankle.”

Her face heated up at the reminder. How could she ever forget something like that? “I remember.”

Regret and shame filled his eyes. “Given what’s being said about everything the governor’s done to you in the news, I wanted to apologize if I’ve hurt you or caused you to be hurt in any way. If there’s ever anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”

Her smile melted into a scowl. “I don’t understand.”

He stepped closer so that he could whisper to her in a low tone. “If you need help escaping, Mistress, I—”

“Oh good grief, not you, too.”

Now it was his turn to frown. “How do you mean?”

She would laugh if it wasn’t so ridiculous. “Captain, I’m not a prisoner or a slave or anything else that’s bad.” She held her hands up to show him her skin. “Do you see any bruises on me?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Do I look abused in any way?”

“No, but—”

“There are no buts.” She patted him lightly on his arm, grateful and offended by his concern. “How long have you been a guard for the governor?”

“About four years.”

“Four years,” she repeated, thinking about how many things had changed in her life in such a short period of time. In some ways it seemed like an eternity and in others, like a blink.

“Do you know, Captain, that I’ve known the current governor far longer than that? In fact, he was a member of the Resistance before he took the throne.”

His jaw went slack. “What?”

“It’s true. I swear it.”

“I don’t understand. If he was one of the Resistance, then why did they take him prisoner?”

Her stomach knotted at that question. “They didn’t realize who he was. And neither did I. Not until it was too late. Because he was the prince, whenever he fought with us he didn’t dare show his face. Yet he was there by our sides. Battle after battle. He fought for all of us against his uncle. Many times. Both here in the palace and out on the streets. I can’t tell you how much money and blood he’s spent and shed in defense of his people.”

He shook his head in denial. “I don’t believe it. When he came to power, he slaughtered so many who were innocent.”

“Innocent?” she asked in disbelief. “You said you’d been here for four years. Were you not aware of what was done to him under his uncle’s reign?”