A few minutes earlier before Zaeryn collided with Valerie.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and Princess Valerie stepped out into the pristine hallway of Stellan Innovations' executive wing.
She was flanked by her entourage, General Rostova and Captain Nyx, a presence that made her feel simultaneously protected and suffocated.
Honestly, she didn't really need their protection. In this world, an attack on a royal was almost unheard of. The Matriarchy's grip was absolute, and even if not everyone was happy with the status quo, no one was foolish enough to act on it.
One might think the disenfranchised male population would be a source of rebellion, but that was hardly the case. Centuries of biological conditioning had rendered them almost entirely passive. An attack from a male was about as likely as an attack from a houseplant.
