Elaris’s eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep. She’d been sitting in the same chair for hours, just watching the sky outside her window finally give up on being black. The voice in her head hadn’t shut up all night.
“They will be expecting a frightened child,” it whispered, its tone all business now, no more false comfort. “Do not give them one. Give them a problem they cannot solve.”
Her fingers were numb with cold. She shoved them into the folds of her skirt. It was the same dress from yesterday, rumpled and smelling faintly of sweat and fear. She didn’t call for a maid. She just stood up, her joints aching, and walked out of her rooms.
The palace halls were quiet, the kind of quiet that feels like it’s holding its breath. A young maid carrying a bucket of ashes nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the Queen. She dropped into a clumsy curtsy, her eyes wide.
“Your Majesty—I—good morning—” the girl stammered.
Elaris didn’t stop. She just kept walking, her shoes clicking a steady, lonely rhythm on the polished floor.
The two guards at the council chamber doors were leaning against the wall, sharing a quiet joke. They snapped upright when they saw her, their armor clinking.
“Your Majesty,” one said, his voice too loud in the hush. “The council isn’t… that is, no one is here yet.”
“I know,” Elaris said. Her voice came out hoarse. She cleared her throat. “Open the door.”
He shared a quick, nervous look with his partner. “Protocol is to—”
“The protocol is that I am your Queen,” she said, not raising her voice. It was flat. Tired. Final. “Open the door.”
This time, he did it without another word, heaving the heavy oak door inward.
The room was a mess. The long table was littered with half-empty wine cups, crumpled papers, and a plate with a forgotten hunk of cheese. It smelled like yesterday’s failure. She walked to the head of the table, pulled out her father’s heavy chair, and sat. She folded her cold hands on the table and waited.
They arrived in a pack, their voices echoing down the hall before she saw them.
“—absolute nonsense, the entire idea is—” Lord Valerius was saying.
“The idea is securing the kingdom, my lord,” Darius’s voice cut in, cold and sharp.
They spilled into the room, still arguing, and then they all just… stopped. Stared. Finn, who was at the back, let out a low, appreciative whistle.
“Well. Someone’s eager,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips.
Darius’s face went hard. “Elaris. What is the meaning of this? The council meeting is a private affair. You cannot just…”
His words died away as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. She didn’t speak.
Lord Valerius recovered first, smoothing down his tunic. “Your Majesty, we were just about to send for you. There are… urgent matters to discuss. Concerning the stability of the crown.” He tried to sound concerned. It came out patronizing.
“I know,” she said.
A beat of awkward silence. Someone coughed.
“You… know?” Valerius asked, blinking.
She leaned forward, just a little. The wood of the table was cool under her palms. “I know you all met last night. In the tapestry storage room. The one with the broken latch. Must be dusty in there. Bad for your robes, Valerius.”
The color drained from the lord’s face. He looked like he’d been gut-punched.
Darius slammed his hand on the table. A wine cup rattled. “Enough! This is absurd! You will not come in here and spout wild—”
“I know you paid Hemsley,” she talked over him, her voice still low, but it cut through his bluster. She looked right at Darius. “Five hundred gold crowns from the treasury. My treasury. To write a lie about me. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
The room went dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. Darius’s mouth was open, but no sound came out. His eyes were wide with a mix of rage and pure, unadulterated shock.
Finn started laughing, a soft, incredulous sound. “Oh, this is good.”
“This is not good!” Darius roared, turning on him.
“It’s a little good,” Finn muttered, leaning back to enjoy the show.
Elaris kept going, her eyes scanning the other lords, who were now finding the patterns on the table fascinating. “You think I’m weak. You think I’m alone. You’re wrong. There are loyalties in this palace you’ve never even dreamed of. People who see everything. Who tell me everything.”
She let that sink in. Let them look at each other, wondering who the traitor in their midst was.
“Now,” the voice whispered, a note of cold satisfaction in it. “Finish it.”
She stood up. The chair legs scraped loudly against the floor. Every eye snapped to her.
“The discussion of my rule is over,” she said, her voice firm now, leaving no room for argument. “It’s a treasonous waste of my time. If you want to keep your jobs, your titles, and your heads, you will remember who you swore your oaths to.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. She turned and walked out. She held herself together until she was around the corner, out of sight.
Then her breath left her in a rush. She slumped against the wall, her heart hammering against her ribs like a wild thing. From the chamber behind her, she heard the explosion—Darius’s furious roar, Valerius’s panicked sputtering, the confused shouts of the others.
She had done it. She’d lit the fuse.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Updated 10 Episodes
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments
Noorphans.
Can't wait for the sequel!
2025-08-25
1