Selene stripped off her gown, tossing the lavish fabric onto the bed. The emerald silk was far too extravagant for where she was going. She needed something simple, something that wouldn't make her stand out.
As she reached for a plain, dark cloak, Lila entered the room, arms crossed. "Where are you going?" She asked.
"To one of the villages," Selene answered, fastening the ties of her dress.
Lila arched a brow.
"There was an attack." Selene added.
"So I heard," Lila said dryly. "The other maids wouldn't shut up about it." Lila stepped further into the room. "So where exactly are you going to?"
Selene turned, eyes sharp. "Didn't you hear me? There was an attack."
Lila scoffed. "So? The attack is a good thing. If things like this keep happening, Ronan's reign will weaken. His people will lose faith in him, and by the time you kill him, no one will even miss him. It makes our job easier."
Selene stilled, her fingers tightening around her cloak. "So you're saying the faction is responsible for this?"
Lila shrugged. "I have no idea who's responsible. But it's working in our favor, isn't it?"
Selene turned to face her fully, stepping closer. "You're as stupid as I thought you were," she said coldly. "Do you really think we need a new enemy? If someone else is moving against Ronan, then they're moving against the throne itself. If they take him down before I do, they'll be the ones we have to fight next. And the faction isn't ready for that."
Lila's smirk faded.
"But the king forbade you from going," she reminded Selene, tilting her head. "You can't risk your relationship with him. It's still fragile, considering you've refused to consummate the marriage. He wouldn't take lightly to you disobeying him. Queens can be replaced. Overnight even."
Selene threw her cloak over her shoulders, pulling up the hood. She met Lila's gaze, her emerald eyes cold.
"I'll be back before anyone knows."
Lila planted herself firmly in front of the door, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"I can't let you leave," she said. "The faction sent me here to stop you from making reckless decisions like this."
Selene's jaw tightened. "Have you forgotten what I said would happen the next time you stood in my way, Lila? Or gave me your stupid opinion?"
Lila exhaled sharply, but she didn't move. "I didn't forget." She swallowed. "But the faction can hurt me far worse than you ever could, Selene. You know that."
Selene took a step forward, closing the space between them, her voice deathly quiet. "Move, Lila."
Lila finally stepped aside hesitantly, her eyes downcast, but Selene didn't spare her another glance. She pulled her hood lower, her cloak swaying as she stepped out into the corridor, only to stop short.
A handful of women stood before her—at least five of them, each dressed in finest gowns and adorned with jewels. Their wide eyes settled on her, taking in her dark, unusual attire for a Queen with curiosity.
"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison, dipping into graceful bows.
Selene forced a smile, though inwardly she cursed. She had almost made it out.
One of the women, a tall brunette with piercing grey eyes, stepped forward. "I'm Emily my lady." She said bowing.
"And we are your ladies-in-waiting," she announced, her gaze flickering to Selene's attire, a hint of disapproval flashing across her face.
"And we are also your new friends, my lady," another chimed in, a soft-spoken blonde with a kind smile.
Friends? Selene highly doubted that.
She forced her expression into something warm and pleasant, though her mind screamed at her to find a way out of this interaction—quickly.
These women were all nobles, their husbands either members of the king's council or powerful lords in their own right. Some were duchesses, others princesses from allied kingdoms. They were important. And they could make things very difficult for her if they became suspicious.
Selene clasped her hands together, the smile never leaving her face. "How wonderful," she said smoothly. "I was just about to take a walk through the gardens. Perhaps you would all like to join me?"
The women exchanged glances before nodding eagerly.
Selene fought the urge to sigh. She had no choice now—she had to entertain them, at least for a short while. A delay she could ill afford.
But she would find a way to slip away.
******
A table was elegantly set for them in the garden, beneath the shade of a large willow tree.
The gardens were lush with color, the air filled with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the distant sound of a fountain trickling somewhere beyond the hedges. The scene was beautiful. But Selene couldn't bring herself to care.
She sat at the head of a round marble table, porcelain teacups and silver trays spread before her, filled with delicious pastries and spiced honey cakes. Across from her sat the five noblewomen, all watching her with varying degrees of interest, amusement, and, in some cases, outright disdain.
Emily, the soft-spoken brunette, offered her a polite, if somewhat hesitant, smile. Susanna, a sharp-featured woman with golden hair and calculating blue eyes, stirred her tea with deliberate slowness, her gaze never leaving Selene. Genevieve, dark-haired and striking, leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, as though she had no patience for the gathering.
Martha, plump and elegantly dressed, sipped her tea without a word, but the way her eyes flickered over Selene's attire—still far too simple for a queen—spoke volumes.
Then there was Gloria.
Blonde, with a delicate, doll-like face, she was the first to speak once they had all settled.
"You must forgive us, Your Majesty," she said with a too-sweet smile. "We were beginning to think you didn't like us. You've hardly spent any time with us since the wedding."
Selene returned her smile, equally sweet. "My apologies. There has simply been much to adjust to."
"Of course," Susanna murmured, taking a slow sip of her tea. "It must be difficult… settling into such a demanding role."
Selene tilted her head, ignoring the bite in the woman's tone. "Not at all. I find it quite manageable."
Genevieve snorted softly but said nothing.
There was a brief silence before Emily, ever the peacemaker, spoke up. "Perhaps we should introduce ourselves properly. I know we were presented to you at court, but everything must have been overwhelming."
Selene inclined her head, though she had already committed their names and affiliations to memory.
Emily continued, gesturing to each woman in turn. "I am Lady Emily Hartwell, daughter of Duke Hartwell. Lady Gloria is the niece of the Queen of Estrelle. Lady Genevieve's father is Lord Chancellor of the kingdom. Lady Martha is the Duchess of Redmere, and Lady Susanna is the daughter of Lord Howard, one of the king's most trusted advisors."
Selene met each of their gazes in turn, offering polite nods.
"So," Gloria said, setting her cup down with a soft clink, "now that we're properly acquainted, tell us, Your Majesty—what do you think of your new home?"
Selene reached for her own tea, giving herself a moment to formulate a response. "It is… impressive," she said at last, which was true enough.
"Is that all?" Genevieve asked, arching a brow.
Selene smiled faintly. "Would you prefer a more poetic answer?"
Gloria giggled. Susanna, however, looked unimpressed.
"You're quite different from what we expected," Susanna said after a moment, tapping a manicured nail against her teacup.
"Am I?" Selene asked lightly.
"Yes," Martha chimed in, adjusting the heavy rings on her fingers. "We imagined you to be more… regal."
Selene's grip on her cup tightened slightly, but her expression remained perfectly composed.
"Perhaps in time, you will see that I am," she said.
Genevieve smirked, as if she found the exchange amusing.
Selene was already thinking of ways to excuse herself when Susanna leaned forward slightly, her next words cutting through the idle chatter like a blade.
"Tell me, Your Majesty," she said, her voice smooth, yet pointed. "Why didn't you sleep with the King on your wedding night?"
The table fell silent.
Selene blinked, taken aback by the boldness of the question.
Susanna continued, undeterred. "I'm certain he was eager. All men are. So the problem must have come from you."
A slow, charged silence settled over the group.
Selene set her teacup down carefully, her eyes locking onto Susanna's. The amusement on some of the ladies' faces—the slight smirks, the expectant gazes—did not go unnoticed.
She could feel the weight of their scrutiny, waiting to see how she would respond.
The problem must have come from you.
Selene's lips curled into a smile.
She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. "Tell me, Lady Susanna," she said, voice soft and deceptively pleasant. "Are you always this invested in the King's bedroom affairs, or is it just mine that interests you so?"