“Well, if you change your mind.” The words were punctuated with a half-smile and a shrug as Raine turned back toward the TV. With her back to the new arrival, the expression on her face was slightly pained, and she squeezed her hands together in her lap. Caspian hadn’t mentioned there had been someone else. By the look on his face, she could already tell things weren’t over between them though. It was a lot to process, and she was lost in her thoughts when the other woman spoke again, making her jump and immediately close her eyes as she silently chided herself for the lapse in composure. She might have been caught off guard, but she was still a princess. A lady of dignity. Now was the time to act like one.

With a deep breath, she rose from the couch and turned around to face Iris fully, smoothing down the front of her dress. She smiled thinly again and dipped her head in greeting, “I’m Raine Auclair, princess of the Suphate kingdom. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Iris.”

—.—

[color=#b97703]“You told me she was dead.”[/color]

As soon as the door had swung closed behind him, Caspian had rounded on Jacob with venom in his eyes. His hand was still on the knob with a white-knuckled grip, and every ounce of betrayal cut through his features. [color=#b97703]“I thought you were on my side. Why did you lie to me? Why did you [i]send her away[/i]?”[/color]

The guard winced, his gaze fixed down somewhere below the prince’s eye-level. “I [i]am[/i] on your side, your majesty,” he said quietly. “That’s why I told you she was gone.” He lifted his gaze, his jaw set with pointed resolution. They were here now, so there was no point in beating around the bush anymore. “To be perfectly candid, you need to let her go, Caspian,” he asserted firmly. “I understand that you love her, but you’re the king now. Ruling this country means making difficult decisions, not allowing your feelings to undermine the leader you have the potential to be.

“Iris is a commoner. If that wasn’t already enough to disqualify her from your courtship, she has a known history in this city as a wanted criminal. The people aren’t going to forget that overnight,” he went on, folding his arms across his chest. “No matter how much you care for her, that reputation is going to haunt her for the rest of her days if she stays in the capital, and our allies will always look at you with suspicion for choosing to forgive her of her crimes, welcoming her into society with open arms and even [i]wedding her[/i] into the royal line. It’s political suicide, and honestly? I knew that if [i]you[/i] knew she was alive, you would still pour every part of yourself into hunting her down to the negligence of your real duties. [i]That[/i] is why I lied.”

Cas clenched his teeth. [color=#b97703]“So you still think I’m just some irresponsible kid.”[/color]

“If you step back out there and choose Iris over Raine, you’ll prove it to me,” Jacob confirmed bluntly.

The king took a sharp step toward the older man, his fists clenched at his sides, but stopped himself with a growl, turning his glower angrily to the floor. Everything in him wanted to punch the guy in the face. He was outraged, insulted, and betrayed. Jacob claimed to understand, but he didn’t. He didn’t get it at all. And obviously, he couldn’t. [color=#b97703]“The only reason you still have your job right now is her,”[/color] he hissed, lifting his scowl to the guard again. [color=#b97703]“You can keep working for me because I promised her I wouldn’t fire you, but as far as our personal relationship goes, we’re done.”[/color]

Opening the door behind him, he inclined his head in gesture for Jacob to exit. [color=#b97703]“Get out. I need some time to be alone.”[/color]

The guard pressed his lips together, but after a moment of hesitation, he bowed. “Your majesty,” he spoke softly, his voice terse and formal once again as he rose and walked out of the room without looking back.