“Come,” Colbert said to the man in gray. “I’ll get you out of here without anyone seeing you.”

Once Reid and Dexter were alone, Dexter went over to the window, staring outside. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“For what?”

“For not stopping the war.”

She stood beside him. “It’s not your fault.” It was Eldon’s. Placing her hand on Dexter’s shoulder, she added, “And we don’t know there’s going to be a war. We still can prevent one.”

He looked down at her. “I hate to ask this, but do you think the Knights can help?”

She’d been avoiding sending the Knights an update. “Possibly.”

“Can you ask? Let them know what’s going on to see if they’ll provide any support?”

She could do that. But whose side would the Knights take? They had to know Melenia soldiers were here. So why hadn’t they done something already? “I’ll send them a message right now.”

Chapter Twenty

After visiting the bookstore, where Reid managed to slip a note to the Knights into the knitting book, she returned to the palace, Gytha on her heels the entire way. “Why must you walk behind me?”

“I can see better here.”

When Reid craned to see over her shoulder, Gytha smirked, clearly enjoying her position as tormentor. “Can you at least walk beside me?” Then Reid wouldn’t feel like an incompetent fool who had to be watched all the time.

“I think here is better.” Gytha chuckled. “Ah, Lady Reid, you are far too easy to tease.”

With her hands on her hips, Reid whirled on Gytha. “How would you feel if Dexter had someone following you around like a dog all day?”

“Did you just call me a dog?” Gytha asked, raising one eyebrow.

“No.” Had Gytha missed the entire point Reid had tried to make?

The warrior woman patted Reid’s shoulder. “If Prince Dexter assigned a guard to me, I’d be livid.”

Exactly, so the woman knew how Reid felt.

“Which is why I am enjoying this so much.”

Reid scowled before resuming her trek to the palace. The first wave of guests was due to arrive, and she needed to be there to greet them.

Two days later, they received word there’d been an attack on the royal convoy. Feigning shock, Dexter immediately sent a unit of soldiers to investigate and escort the convoy safely to the City of Radella. Given the size of the group, he expected them to arrive in seven days.