All Chapters of Bound by Crystals and Shadows: Chapter 91 - Chapter 94

My fingers tightened slightly against my lap.“The people of Sylvaris will pay attention to these things,” the older woman continued. “Appearances matter within the capital.”I already hated where this conversation was heading.“The future Queen cannot appear emotionally compromised by a guardian,” the thin man added calmly.Emotionally compromised.The words irritated me more than they should have.“He is not just some guardian,” I said before I could stop myself.The second the words left my mouth, silence settled across the tent.The older woman watched me carefully now.And something inside me stirred sharply with sudden anger.Because this morning I had still been laughing beside Corin on horseback.And now strangers sat calmly across from me deciding how close I was allowed to stand to him.The silence inside the tent stretched for a moment after my words left my mouth.He is not just some guardian.I instantly wished I could pull the sentence back.Not because it was untrue.Bu

“You are not going to tell me what to do,” I said slowly, making sure every word landed exactly where I wanted it to. “I don’t care if I’m a Princess.”The older woman straightened carefully in her chair, though I noticed her eyes flick once more toward the golden energy glowing around my hands.“Princess—”“No,” I snapped before she could continue. “You have done nothing but sit here and speak at me like I’m some object you dragged out of the woods.”The taller man’s jaw tightened slightly.“You would do well to calm yourself.”“And you would do well to stop deciding my entire life for me.”The warmth beneath my skin flared hotter.The crystal lanterns above us flickered violently.“I agreed to come with you,” I continued, my breathing sharper now, “because I wanted answers. About my parent