Excerpt:

She hadn't understood at the time what was going on, only the sounds of explosions and the warm weight of Leoben as he covered her body with his own to protect her, his shout of pain as stone fell and crushed his arm. He had cut it off, then, just below his elbow before he dragged her along after him taking her somewhere safe and away from the noise. It wasn't until later, when her parents had her folded safely in their arms that they explained there was a new King on the throne, and everything was fine now. Aderes had been twelve then, and when she first met the 'new king' he had given her a considering once over, and she decided right then that she did not like this “new king”. Leoben had stood by the throne, a mess of silver and gears and magic where his arm once was, and she decided she did not like this 'new king' at all..

She had voiced her worries to her parents then, but her father had slapped her, telling her not to spout such treasonous talk about their most exalted new ruler. Her mother had hurried her away to her room, telling her this was the way things were now, and she needed to just keep out of sight as her father spent more and more time with His Majesty, and there were more and more whispers of war among the servants haunting the shadowed corners of the halls of her home.

There comes a time, however, when even the most proper and noble of Ladies can no longer hold their tongues and stay out of sight.