Free Legacy by Cayla Kluver

and your attempt to trick me into providing you with confidential information has been amusing.” To my mortification, he put his other hand under my chin, raising my deep brown eyes to his own. “But you’ll find it difficult to match my wits.”
    I jerked my hand away from his, stung by his words, horrified and embarrassed that I had been caught. Spurred by the threat of tears, I turned around, not wanting him to know that he had hurt me. Taking several deep breaths, I walked bleary-eyed toward a stone bench that stood beneath the branches of a white birch tree. When I reached it, I sat down in as dignified a fashion as I could, gazing away from him and wishing that London would return and rescue me. After a moment, Steldor walked over to sit beside me, but I could not bring myself to acknowledge him.
    â€œNow, now,” he said in a patronizing tone, and I felt like a recalcitrant child. “There’s no reason to be this upset that your little ploy didn’t work.”
    When I refused to respond, his voice softened, and he sounded as though he were offering me a treat.
    â€œI know my father and the King would be unwilling to talk about military affairs with you, but I see no harm in satisfying your curiosity. After all, there is no use to which you could put the information.” He began to play with the hair that tumbled down my back. “All you have to do is ask.”
    My breath caught in my throat at the humiliating position in which he was placing me, but I swallowed my pride and looked at him, seeing no other way to garner what I wanted to know.
    â€œI would appreciate the details of the investigation into the Cokyrian prisoner’s escape.”
    â€œVery well,” he said, far too pleased with himself. Herelaxed in an affected manner, resting his upper arms on the back of the bench and continuing to play with my dark brown tresses.
    â€œWe have reached no conclusions at this point, but I do know my father has redirected the investigation toward finding a traitor. The two dungeon guards who came on duty at midnight have confessed that they fell asleep during their shift. Neither man has ever shown neglect in his duties before, leading my father to suspect treachery. He thinks the guards were drugged.
    â€œA meal was brought to the men about three hours after they reported for duty, and they nodded off right after they ate. Both say they woke with the rising of the sun, shortly before Kade came to retrieve the prisoner. That gives us the time frame of the escape.”
    â€œDoes your father suspect anyone in particular?” I probed, my embarrassment forgotten.
    â€œNo, but the traitor would have to have known the orders that were issued by Kade to the dungeon guards. They vary day to day, and only those on duty at that time and the Elite Guards know the schedule for changing posts. If the traitor knew the orders, he could have drugged the food.”
    â€œSo our traitor would have to be someone in the Elite Guard?” I forced the sentence from my tightening throat. The very suggestion was alarming, for these men were the royal family’s most trusted guards.
    â€œIn theory. Hence the doubling up of all the bodyguards. The drugging also seems plausible because there were no signs of a forced breakout. The keys could easily have been used and returned while the guards were unconscious.”
    â€œThat’s frightening,” I murmured, and a chill swept through me despite the warmth of the day.
    â€œAh, never fear, Princess,” Steldor said with a self-assured chuckle, putting his arm around my shoulder and drawing me near. “I’ll protect you.”
    â€œI’m sure you will,” I forced myself to say, slipping from beneath his arm to come to my feet. London’s lack of trust in Steldor was beginning to nag at me.
    â€œLet’s walk a bit more, shall we?” I invited.
    I spent most of the afternoon with the captain’s