Finally, she pushed herself away from the wall, straightening her robes and composing her expression. The guards stationed at either end of the corridor watched her with careful neutrality, but she could feel their eyes tracking her movements as she walked back toward her chambers.
Let them watch. Let them report to her father if they wished. By the time he realized what she was truly planning, it would be too late.
The walk back felt interminably long. Every step echoed in the quiet hallways, and every servant she passed seemed to study her with veiled curiosity.
News of her confrontation with her brothers had spread quickly through the household, as had the flogging she'd ordered.
They looked at her differently now, with a mixture of wariness and newfound respect.
Good. Let them see her as someone not to be trifled with.
