Laurel couldn’t breathe around her shock. Everything in her screamed that she would end up dead again if she agreed, but she held back her frantic response.
“No,” she said calmly. Adolph’s eyes widened. “It is not appropriate, Your Majesty. What reason would I do that?”
Adolph expected Laurel to refuse him, so he was prepared to convince her by any means necessary to agree.
“But you've done a good job on dealing with the orphanage, the school, and the hospital...” She averted her gaze, seemingly uncomfortable. “I am asking you to at least preside over the castle. Lily just arrived. There are many things that are still unfamiliar to her. Please? Would you help her?”
Lily stepped forward from the line of maids who had been serving their meal with a little smile.
“It’s my request too,
