The Traitor Queen

Chapter Seventeen

After making sure I was okay, warning me to not exert myself too much while my wound still healed, Auron snuck away from the council room to properly check up on Sabre. That and he didn't want to be mistaken for a servant again by my mother. I didn't even know how he had entered the castle in the first place without being stopped and questioned by a servant or guard. Though, perhaps the guards were too busy searching for Mace's group as not even one was standing outside of the council room.

As I knocked and opened the door, I revealed a large circular room that took up the majority of the castle's eastern tower. A dark, wooden table sat in the centre surrounded by ten chairs of the same material. One of which was a carved replicated throne for my mother to sit on. As soon as I was married and had received my title as king, it would be my seat.

Unlike the rest of the castle where it looked to be unloved from the tearing wallpaper and dust-coated rugs, the council room always appeared to be brand new. A fresh coat of green paint was set over the walls, the strong smell overwhelming me, making me turn my head upwards to see if the job had been completed fully to where it reached the roof several feet above us. It had.

Sat in her chair was my mother and stood at her side was Lady Lorella. The latter looked very happy — too happy — as if her plastered smile was forced.

"Ah, Kay, you've made it. I've already told Lorella here about our situation between Icrodeia and our kingdom, about how Sabre was only a temporary measure. Now that Icrodeia has attacked us, Lady Lorella will be engaged to you very soon." Her hands were placed carefully on her lap, displaying the wedding band she still wore gifted to her by my father.

Would there be no break from choosing suitors and thinking about a fiancé?

"Mother," I felt a muscle twitch in my cheek, "I thought you were resting." The last time I had seen her, a servant was guiding her to her chambers to get some sleep.

"I am. As long as I'm not using my magic just yet, it's still counted as rest. You have no need to fret."

Lady Lorella curtsied, looking up at me through her long lashes. "It's great to see you again, Prince Kayne. I heard you had been injured at the ball last night, I hope you're okay."

"I'm doing as well as I can be, thank you." I bowed back, keeping things as courtly as I could.

Was my engagement with Sabre really over already? I knew it would happen eventually, but now? Even as we were still recovering from the ball? I was just beginning to enjoy having her around more than usual, to revel in the thought of spending my future with her. I didn't know why my mother was so persistent in getting Lorella specifically to be my suitor.

"There's no need to be so formal, you'll need to warm up to each other in due course. Lorella, I don't know if you've heard, but my son appreciates the nickname Kay whenever he's not on any official royal duties." The queen's returning smile was more of a torturous smirk, she knew what she was doing.