Hilde had to count to three before she could form her thoughts into coherent words.
'You know what I can't believe?' she asked rhetorically. 'I can't believe you think it's okay to only be telling me this NOW. I know I'll need your precious 'clearance' to know about everything else, but why are you leaving out even the information I have a right to?'
While this hidden conversation was going on, Hilde and her sister had turned a second corner and were now in sight of the wing's exit.
Unobtrusively, two of the Queen's Royal Guards rejoined her. They stationed themselves on her either side, a step behind. Since Hilde was walking around three steps farther back, this meant the Guards were in front of her, shielding the Queen’s back.
Hilde must have missed the lesson about how Guards can f
