The Admirals sunk lower and no one spoke.

"Mother," Prince Hubert said.

"You may call Us 'Your Majesty' or the 'Admiral Royal'." The Queen's words might have come out of an arctic blizzard for all the warmth they conveyed. "Commander Shillingsworth, explain yourself."

"Aye, Ma'am." Cal took a deep breath and stilled the trembling in her stomach. "After the recent incident, my personal guard requested I go nowhere without him."

"I've never seen him before," the Lord ...