The middle finger had never been in insult here. At least, not until I’d come around. It hadn’t caught on everywhere but I had seen a couple of the maids flipping off a certain noble behind his back throughout the castle. I couldn’t help but smile as I wandered through the maze-like halls of the castle. My legacy.

Of course, my dad could’ve seen a much worse thing than me deeply insulting a visiting dignitary who could only think of his greasy palms all over my body. He could’ve seen that glazed over look in my eyes I got when I talked to Drae. Loving a commoner was like slapping my father in the face.

Kylie fluttered up to rest on my shoulder and I grinned at her small face, no bigger than my biggest fingernail. She stretched and curled up in my hair. Having her there reminded me of everything that happened and, as I finally reached my father’s door, I braced myself.

I could do this. I saved the kingdom as a commoner. I could stand up to my father and Drae.