Xander explained, and I wondered why it was Xander offering this lesson and not Max or one of the royal guards. Surely they had more firsthand experience. Yet they seemed satisfied to let Xander take the lead in this instance.“She’s cunning, deceptively so. Don’t allow her feeble appearance to fool you into believing otherwise. And she’s brutal, don’t ever forget that.” He paced, and I had difficulty following him with my eyes. He was making me dizzy. “I’d feel better if we all went with you. I’d rather you not be alone with her.”“What if she doesn’t agree to meet with us?” Max questioned Xander.Xander dismissed the notion with a wave. “Of course she’ll want to meet with Charlie. She’s been planning this for years.”Max was as uninformed as I was, it seemed. He shook his head. “How would you know what she plans?”“I know more than you realize. More than anyone else, probably.” He laughed derisively, yet no one challenged his statements. Still, I was baffled by how this revolutionary had such intimate knowledge of our country’s ruler.He stopped pacing and stood before me.
