6

~Kiva

I hobble into the dining room, exhausted from a day of training with Ark.

"Why is there another plate?" I ask, slumping into my seat.

Father looks up from the book he’s studying. "We have a guest tonight, Kiva. He is freshening up."

I blink. That’s what I get for showing up late to dinner.

Although it’s not my fault. Ark is relentless at training.

"Please don't tell me it's another suiter,” I groan. The only time he doesn’t tell me to prepare for a guest is when he’s trying to set up an engagement.

He knows I’ll berate him otherwise.

"You just have to meet him. You know how I feel about this, that it's completely your choice,” he assures me.

It’s my choice, as long as he’s a Prince and it’s on a specific timeline.

I groan frantically, slumping back in my seat. "But it's expected of me to marry a Prince."

"It's preferred,” father says carefully.

Father’s problem is that he has expectations of me that he tries to hide behind transparent excuses. I have to marry a Prince. That’s it.

"They are all as boring as cardboard, and painfully arrogant,” I grumble.

Father sighs, taking a long drink. "Just meet him. His name is Caspian, and he shall be in here shortly."

"Also, I wanted to speak to you about Ark,” I tell him.

I can’t work with him. I just can’t. He’s going to drive me insane, and frankly, I don’t trust him. I want a stable guard who doesn’t hate me and hasn’t killed someone before.

"What about him?"

"I want him gone, swapped out with someone else," I demand.

It's not often I tell my father I don't want something, so he should know how serious I am. He knows how special Andri was to me.

So me fighting against my personal guard is a sign of a bad one.

"It's not ideal to bring someone else as highly skilled as he is right now," father tells me dismissively. He's concerned that someone will get behind our walls that shouldn't be, which although is a valid concern, isn't going to help me with Ark right now.

I open my mouth to speak but he holds his hand up in warning, nodding behind me at someone walking in the door.

As soon as I glance briefly over my shoulder, I'm turning around, glaring at my father.

"You've brought Caspian into the manor..." I mutter flatly.

I haven't met Caspian before, thanks to a few perfect coincidences, but his name has been brought up by my father plenty of times before. He's a Prince, from a nearby Kingdom, and the subject of us getting married has been talked about plenty between my father and his parents.

Naturally, neither of us have been consulted on the matter.

And now that I have come to realise my mate is out there, someone, evil or not, makes me even less likely to want to delve into a marriage with him.

"Caspian is from a respected family, and is highly trusted. Do not worry, Kiva," father insists lowly, before standing up.

Looking back around, I see Ark follow Caspian through the dining hall's threshold. He has an impassive expression painted across his face, now tasked with protecting a whole other royal.

"Ark is-"

Father cuts me off, his booming voice filling the room. "Caspian, how excellent to see you! I hope you and your mother are well."

"They are doing great. Thank you, Sir," I hear him say. I don't turn, staying ridged in my seat, mortified that my father is going to set me up with someone right in front of my new personal guard. How romantic...

Especially since Ark told me not to take a lover.

"Come sit down," father insists, motioning to the seating placement opposite my side of the table. "This is my daughter, Kiva."

Caspian rounds the table, back uncomfortably straight, a tight smile on his face. He's handsome, in a pristine, Prince-like way. All the ones I've come to meet have the same predictable, straight-edged feel about them.

Something that may be good in a husband who would rule beside me, and yet, it sparks no excitement within me.

"You look lovely tonight," he bites out, his nerves written all across his face.

I give him a bland smile. "Likewise."

"I heard about what happened to you last week. That must have been so frightening," he says in one breath, as if he was anticipating saying that to me.

Looking at father, I hope he can see the ire in my eyes, but he's more interested at staring Caspian down. Any Prince will do for me, he's decided.

"It was terrifying. But I'm training-"

Farther clears his throat, cutting me off.

Swallowing my pride, I start serving myself from the plates of steaming food in front of me. Apparently Princesses aren't allowed to defend themselves, to be anything other than useless.

To my father's credit, Caspian does look like the kind of man to find that unattractive.

"I have a perfectly adequate personal guard. I feel safe enough," I reiterate, dragging my gaze up to Ark.

He does not look impressed. His gaze has darkened, as he stares me down. Were he not amongst royals, I'm convinced he may have said something. Thankfully, he's too smart to make that mistake.

"You are welcome at any time at my family home. You would be safe there," Caspian assures me, taking a bite from his stew.

"Thank you, Caspian. I may just take you up on that."

If he wants to be useful to me he could...

My thought draws off, and then lands on one dangerously tempting idea. Not to spite my father, even though he probably deserves it, but to spite my irritating personal guard, who has insisted I don't take a lover.

How could he get around the orders of the King himself?

I wait patiently until we have all eaten our dinners, conjuring up a plan that cannot possibly go wrong in my head. And all the while, Caspian keeps us bland, polite conversation to impress my father.

"Dessert, Caspian?" Father asks, obviously unsatisfied with where the conversation has gotten us.

Caspian gets to his feet. "I might just use the bathroom, first."

"Go right ahead."

I watch as Caspian steps from the room, his cool blue eyes only glancing at me for a second. It’s hard to get a read on whether he likes me or not, but I’m betting on him at least being attracted to me so my plan can play out.

Holding Ark’s gaze, I lean over. "Father..."

"He's a perfectly fine gentleman Kiva, you can't reject them all,” he mutters irritably, already suspecting my usual reaction.

"Actually, I was going to say I really like him,” I tell him pleasantly.

Sure, he’s reasonably bearable and he could look worse. And frankly, he probably would be a good husband, especially for a Princess.

One who doesn’t have a mate, however.

Father’s eyes widen. "Really?"

"Yes. And since I like him so much, wouldn't it be good if I...Well, you know,” I say uncomfortably. It is not ideal to be having this conversation with my father, but as I glance up at Ark, seeing a new kind of anger simmering in his eyes, I know it’s worth it.

Father frowns. "I don't think I understand."

"Took him to my bed. I know it's soon, but I really like him,” I mumble, stumbling over my words.

All I need is Ark to hear my fathers permission being granted.

"Whatever you decide to do with him tonight is not my business, and I will not forbid you from doing anything. You are a grown woman, after all,” father mutters, folding his arms over his chest.

I grin. "Perfect."

Getting to my feet, I practically skip out the door, right past Ark and his stiff form. He’s very composed, currently on duty, but I doubt that will remain.

I feel him follow me as I wander toward the staircase.

He grabs my arm, pulling me toward him. I stumble over my feet, unable to smother the smug smile on my face. Not once have I got one up on him, but now that is going to change.

"Absolutely not,” he seethes in my ear.

My attempts to wrestle from him are thwarted by his strength. "You heard my father. I'm a grown woman."

"You don't know this man."

At this point, the line is blurred between Ark actually caring about what may happen to me if I do this, and not wanting to sully my training.

"This matter isn't for you to decide,” I grit out, finally tugging my arm from his grip. He’s ruthless, causing me to rub my skin where his gloved hand had pressed tightly against my skin.

He stalks at me as I back toward the staircase, eyes cold. "I'm training you. I forbid you."

"My father's orders trump yours, I'm afraid,” I remind him gleefully.

"I'm not going to stand outside your door and listen to you fuck some Prince all night,” he growls.

He looks genuinely angry, in a calm, eerie way. When I look at him in this state, I’m not left questioning how he could have come to kill someone. It’s in his eyes, in his demeanour.

I wave my hand. "Then don't. You're dismissed."

"You cannot dismiss me. It is my job to protect you at all times.”

"I don't need protection. Not tonight." I’ll have a Prince in my room.

Something shifts in him, as he takes another step at me. "Kiva..."

My smile is pure seduction as I slowly back away. "You could always join us."

And with that, I turn up the stairs, knowing he is going to follow.