Kingdom Come Read Online Free Page A

could do that.
    She paused in the hallway, glancing both ways. She caught a glimpse of an armored back vanishing around the corner at the end of the long hall. Muttering under her breath, she jogged as best she could in the uncomfortable shoes, heels making an uneven clicking on the floor as she went.
    She breathed a sigh of relief when she rounded the corner and the prince’s party seemed to be having a discussion amongst themselves. She sucked in a lungful of air and let it out slowly, before she raised her head and walked toward them with what she hoped was a dignified air.
    The guard closest to the back of the group, glanced over his shoulder at her and immediately elbowed the one next to him. The second guard, the tallest woman Abby had ever seen, cocked her head to the side and stared at her. The Amazonian redhead eventually cleared her throat, attracting the attention of the rest.
    “Your Majesty, you have someone seeking an audience.” Her voice was deep and raspy, as if she had smoked a few packs of cigarettes before the meeting today.
    Abby barely suppressed a smile at the ridiculous thought. The other woman seemed to see her amusement, because she gave her a faint smile in return.
    “Sir?” Abby called, peering between the guards to locate the prince at the center of the group. The guards shifted aside and suddenly he stood less than a yard from her.
    “Miss Ashley.” His eyes did not meet hers, instead moving over her face and eventually fastening on a spot just above her head.
    She frowned. He never looked at her when they spoke. It was a small thing, but it nagged at her. She arranged her face into a neutral expression.
    “The president would like to meet with you next week.”
    The guards shifted, drawing her gaze. She noticed the redhead was not the only woman. There were several. A strongly built blonde and a lean, dark-skinned woman. All of them in armor identical to the men. The guards watched the two of them with a strange expression. She was not sure how to take the combination of satisfaction and watchfulness.
    “I have no interest in meeting with him,” the prince finally answered, drawing her gaze back to him.
    His eyes met hers for a fraction of a second, just long enough for her to see the unique aquamarine color again. The splash of color beneath his dark brows, almost took her breath away. She found herself nodding, before she could stop herself.
    “Yes . I noticed you don’t get on too well.”
    His lips twisted into a wry smile. “What gave you that impression, Miss Ashley?”
    Her stomach did not flutter when he said her name. She cleared her throat. “The barely concealed hostility mostly.”
    His eyebrows shot up at her bluntness. The surprise quickly faded into amusement. “You have a very disarming way of speaking your mind, Miss Ashley.”
    “Yeah, it gets me in trouble.” She glanced over her shoulder to check that the hallway was still empty behind her. “So, how about that meeting, Your Majesty?”
    His faint scowl made his thoughts clear. She hurried to cut him off before he could turn her down.
    “I could take your party on a tour of the grounds, afterwards? Or the city. Whichever one.” When he continued to stare at her silently, she racked her brain for something else to offer. “Lunch?”
    He cocked his head to the side, at least considering her proposal. After a moment, he nodded once. “Agreed.”
    She started to smile, when she heard quick footsteps approaching from down the hall. She glanced over her shoulder. Agent Jackson managed to look dignified as he stalked down the hall toward them. His face was arranged in a mask of neutral politeness, but his eyes were cold when they landed on her.
    When he was within speaking distance, he gave the prince a tight smile. “Your Majesty.” He ducked his head in a quick bow and stepped up beside her. “You have work to finish,” he told her without making eye contact.
    In trouble, again. She mentally sighed and