The Centre Tower had never been more of a ghost of itself than it was at that moment. Since the big reveal, Queen Melissa could not bring herself to face the court, Rowan, or anyone, to begin with. Rowan's incapacity had been her biggest weapon—but now she was tossed aside like a side character.
Queen Melissa sat in the garden sipping a cup of tea when her son furiously marched in.
"How could you let it happen, Mother? Why didn't you stop him?" Theron roared.
Queen Melissa sat quietly, her mind working on a thousand malicious plots.
"Mom, don't tell me you'll sit and watch him take over as King? The ceremony is one moon away."
Queen Melissa turned to her son, her eyes as cold as the fresh morning dew. Her fingers tightened on the cup, then her lips curled.
"It will be over my dead body he sits on that throne," she proclaimed. Theron smirked and pulled out a seat.
