I don't need a babysitter

Damn it.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Fine," I said finally, letting the weight of the moment settle in. "I'll do it."

The queen exhaled audibly in relief, her delicate hand clasping her husband's arm as though a great burden had been lifted. The king gave a decisive nod, his expression one of determined gratitude.

But, of course, not everyone in the room was happy about it.

Xyra's sharp, aristocratic voice sliced through the air like a blade. "Excuse me?"

I glanced at her, already bracing myself. Her eyes, those glacial orbs of disdain, bore into me with enough intensity to make a weaker person crumble. But I wasn't weaker.

"This is ridiculous," she continued, taking a step forward, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "I don't need a babysitter, least of all her."

"Xyra," the king started, his tone calm yet firm, "this is for your safety."

"For my safety?" Xyra repeated incredulously, her voice rising an octave. "Did you forget that I'm one of the most accomplished mages in the kingdom? I can handle myself!"

"Could've fooled me," I muttered under my breath, but apparently not quietly enough.

Her head snapped in my direction, her glare sharpening. "What did you just say?"

I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Nothing, Princess."

"That's right," she said, her tone dripping with venom, "and don't you dare call me that. This entire arrangement is absurd. I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

I crossed my arms, smirking. "Sure, you're capable—until someone throws a knife at you, and suddenly, you're frozen like a deer in headlights."

Her face flushed with anger, a rare crack in her frosty demeanor. "I wasn't frozen because I was scared," she snapped. "It was magic. Someone manipulated the entire crowd!"

"Oh, I know," I said, leaning casually against the nearest pillar. "But it's a good thing I was there to save the day, huh?"

She let out a sound of frustration, like a kettle ready to boil over. "You're insufferable."

"I've been called worse," I said with a shrug.

"This is not happening," she declared, spinning on her heel to face her father. "Father, you can't seriously think this is necessary. I already have guards. And—and Levan! He's my fiancé. Isn't it his job to protect me?"

Ah, there it was. The fiancé card. I bit back a laugh, remembering the way Levan had shoved her toward danger to save himself. If he was her idea of protection, she was in worse shape than I thought.

The king hesitated, clearly not eager to address the obvious. Xyra seized the moment, her tone shifting to one of calculated persuasion. "Father, Levan will be with me at all times. He's a skilled swordsman and a capable mage. I don't need anyone else, especially not—" she gestured toward me with a wave of her hand, "her."

I couldn't help myself. "Levan?" I said, feigning confusion. "You mean the guy who practically threw you into the assassin's lap during the banquet? Real knight in shining armor, that one."

Her head whipped back toward me, her eyes narrowing into slits. "He didn't throw me—"

"Oh, he absolutely did," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "I was there, remember? I caught you before you hit the floor. You're welcome, by the way."

She looked like she was about to combust on the spot. "You—! That is not what happened!"

"Pretty sure it is," I said, grinning.

"Enough!" the king barked, his voice echoing through the chamber. Both Xyra and I fell silent, though I could feel her glare burning into the side of my face.

"Xyra," the king said, his tone brooking no argument, "this is not up for debate. Ren will be your bodyguard, starting tomorrow."

"Father!" she protested, her voice tinged with desperation.

"No," he said firmly. "This is for your own good, and I expect you to accept it with grace."

"Grace?" she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, of course. Let me just roll out the red carpet for my new babysitter."

"Glad we're on the same page," I said, smirking again.

She turned to me, her lips pressed into a thin line. "If you think for one second that I'm going to make this easy for you, you're delusional."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," I said, my tone light. "Honestly, I'd be disappointed if you did."

Her eyes narrowed further, but before she could fire back, the queen stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Xyra's arm. "Darling," she said softly, "I know this isn't what you want, but your father is right. Please, just—just trust us on this."

Xyra looked at her mother, her expression softening ever so slightly. For a moment, I thought she might relent. But then she turned back to me, her icy demeanor snapping back into place.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "But don't think for a second that this means I like you."

I held up my hands again, my grin widening. "Wouldn't dream of it, Princess."

"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

The king cleared his throat, clearly eager to move past the chaos. "Good. That's settled, then. Ren, you're dismissed for now. Report back here first thing tomorrow morning."

I nodded, straightening up. "Understood, Your Majesty."

As I turned to leave, I caught one last look at Xyra. She was still glaring at me, her arms crossed and her posture stiff. But there was something in her eyes—something that wasn't quite anger.

Interesting.

With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a teleportation circle beneath my feet. The runes glowed red, casting flickering shadows across the chamber.

"See you tomorrow, Princess," I said, flashing her a wink just before the spell activated.

Her indignant sputtering was the last thing I heard before the magic whisked me away.

I landed in my living room with a faint pop, the familiar warmth of the hearth greeting me. My parents were seated on the couch, my mother knitting while my father sipped a mug of tea. Galen was sprawled in an armchair, flipping through a book.

They all looked up as I appeared, and for a moment, there was silence.

"Rough night?" Galen asked, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"You have no idea," I muttered, collapsing onto the nearest chair.

My mother raised an eyebrow, setting her knitting aside. "What did you do this time?"

"Nothing," I said defensively. "I saved a princess, fought off some assassins, and got roped into being her bodyguard. You know, the usual."

Galen let out a low whistle. "Bodyguard, huh? Sounds serious."

"It's not," I said quickly.

My mother sighed, shaking her head. "Ren, one of these days, you're going to bite off more than you can chew."

"Maybe," I said with a shrug. "But not today."

Galen snorted, and my father chuckled, raising his mug in a mock toast. "To another day of chaos," he said.

I grinned, leaning back in my chair. "I'll drink to that."

Tomorrow was going to be a headache, but for now, I'd earned a moment of peace.