Page 2 of Undertow
I smirked, glad that would be handled. I quickly told him what happened and what I’d done.
“Good, smart,” he praised.
“Thank you, because the pilot wasn’t going to even listen to me,” I snitched further, glad when the man winced, probablyguessing who I was talking to. “I want that handled as well because only anidiotwould get on a plane and fly after her parents died in a crash.”
“I understand you’re scared now, but you weren’t part of the crash,” the aide said with annoyance.
I blinked at him. “I’m not—you’re a bloody fool. Silence. Seriously, you…” I let out a slow breath. “Benson, how did my parents’ plane go down? Was it an assassination? Do we know? Could any of ourother planeshave been messed with and this is an attempt to wipe out the main royal family in one day?”
I couldn’t help but add “idiot” under my breath when the aide seemed like he hadn’t thought about that yet.
Seriously, and he was treating me like I was dumb?
“There is no indication of that,” Benson told me firmly. “They reported bad weather and probably should have landed or circled back. It was… It is what it is.”
“What?” I pushed, my throat tightening.
“I can’t speak to more than what I overheard, and it’s not something we should discuss over the phone or when I’m being watched. Just get here fast. Let me speak to the pilots. I’m furious you don’t even have real escorts.”
I snorted as I glanced at the aide. I now understood there was more going on, and it was completely intentional.
Unfortunately, I was right.
The pilots were better after they talked to Benson and I didn’t hide my disgust at that. We were landing at the castle’s private airstrip way too fast. I realized after making a call to the dean apologizing for rushing off and not even speaking to him first that I had zoned out.
Partially because the dean had already been informed and apologized to onmy behalf.
And no one had that authority. Also, that the private security my parents hired to protect me in that country incoordination with the school no longer had a contract with the royal family. I had choice words about a security company allowing someone outside our family to terminate the contract. Great security.
So clearly, there were several things I needed to handle and fast when I stepped off the plane instead ofgrievinglike I should be.
Awesome. Seriously awesome.
I put on my strongest, thickest, and deepest emotional and mental armor as the doors were opened. I shot the aide a look of death as he tried to move first like he was all that mattered.
And that was when I realized the games I didn’t know were being played had begun. There was no one waiting to receive me, not even guards.
Not. One. Person.
That didn’t happen even at the rare times I came home to visit, much less when I was now in charge.
So someone is already vying for the power they think they should have instead of a woman they will say is too young.
I snorted as my dragon did. Well, I was good at eating people.
The aide kept in step with me which was stupid as well. “You have a meeting with—”
I turned to give him my full attention. “Again, I have no idea who you are and you are not the boss of me. I told you to be quiet and you have now disregarded my ordersagain.”
“Yes, but you need to know this information, Your Highness,” he argued. “You need to be at this—”
I sighed and glanced around, finding a guard I recognized. “Could you please take this disrespectful fool to the dungeon to cool his heels and inform Benson that I need to speak with him immediately. Why wasn’t he here to meet me?”
The guard hurried over and grabbed the arm of the now-outraged aide. “Princess, he was ordered into a meeting and…”
More he couldn’t say. That left me with one question. “Where?”
“The throne room, Your Highness.”
