The clock on the mantle said it was well past midnight. Odette could feel her eyelids growing heavier as the minutes ticked by, but there was still so much to get through. She was really looking forward to going to bed. Her maids had finally finished transferring all her things from the old suite to the new one. It was so much more spacious, with a much larger bed, a massive bathroom, and a two-story closet. The windows were larger, letting in more light, and she'd had the entire floor done in a blood-red carpet.
She couldn't wait to climb into her brand-new bed, with her brand-new mattress atop brand-new, crisp, freshly washed sheets.
During the initial moving process, she'd considered taking her parent's room since it was bigger than the old Queen's suite, but that felt strange. She hated her parents. If she could, she would have burned just their room, ridding the palace of the last trace of them once and for all. Their weakness had almost been the undoing of Demetria. They should have kept Demetria out of the war in the first place.
Odette stifled a sigh, glancing up at the clock again. There simply were not enough hours in the day.
"Your Majesty, as you're aware, we are experiencing increasing issues due to Demetria's expanding population," the head of her cabinet was saying. "Which is a good thing, we want to be growing, but will require some more strategy on our part."
Odette scoffed, dropping her hand down on the table. Our part. More like her part. She was the one who had been working tirelessly to come up with ways to save Demetria. Her parents had failed on so many levels, but Odette had risen above the challenges they left her. She had started the process of putting Demetria on the map and giving them a chance of long-term survival, and nearly a decade later she was beginning to see the fruits of her labors, despite some minor setbacks.
Odette straightened. "I've been speaking with our chief science officer in Fatir, and I would like to divert some of our attention to recycling."
The head of Odette's cabinet blinked. Lightly cleared his throat. "Recycling, Your Majesty?"
Odette drew a steadying breath. "The minerals we have been mining thus far have been being used and discarded. Demetria, as of right now, can function on its own but barely. We need to be smarter about the resources we use and so easily discard. If we continue with this present rate, we will soon be at the mercy of other countries, and we'll once again be reduced to nothing more than a meaningless colony. Something I have no desire to do." Odette's gaze involuntarily flickered to the old map spread out on the wall opposite her. Specifically Russia, the country responsible for sending a small group of scientists to the uninhabited South Pole over two centuries ago.
The one thing Odette's ancestors—her grandparents, specifically—had done right was legally seceding from Russia, but then they just stopped there. They didn't establish the military; they didn't set Demetria up for a chance of success as its own country.
It was time to start making changes in that direction. Countries that had been around for centuries had existing relationships, had ways to stand tall amidst these uncertain times. Demetria needed to prove herself.
Odette arched her eyebrows, waiting for a response.
The man nodded, the jacket of his uniform causing the skin beneath his chin to pucker. He didn't look convinced, but it didn't matter. Odette couldn't even remember his name, so he couldn't have been that important.
"I thought creating an incentive program would give the people some motivation to continue in the direction of being self-sustaining. I know it's a small step, but I'm hoping it will make a difference in the long run," Odette continued thoughtfully, writing things down on her tablet beside her. She didn't need to keep notes, but it helped her focus. Her gaze shifted to Juliette, sitting in the corner of the room, also taking notes.
Dr. Violet better start producing results fast.
"I, for one, think that's an excellent idea," Casimir, the secretary of state, said, bringing Odette's attention back to the problem at hand.
"Good." Odette waved at one of the maids off to the side, taking a glass of water when it was placed in her hand. She delicately sipped at it. "Then Natasha, forward my request to the science officers in Fatir."
Natasha stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Odette nodded, standing up. Her back ached from sitting for so long and she needed to be alone to clear her head. "We'll finish this tomorrow, but it's been a long day and I need to sleep. Natasha, walk with me?"
Natasha fell into step behind Odette, walking with her to her room. Once they were alone, Odette reached for her own tablet.
"I received a report from Dr. Greene, about the princess's test results," Odette said. "She's fine, which gives us the all-clear to move forward."
Natasha blinked, her eyebrows shooting up. "Move forward with what, Your Majesty?"
Odette chewed the end of her thumbnail, forgetting she had them polished that morning. "I forgot; I never finished telling you. My recent visit to Russia wasn't as productive as I thought. They're hesitant to sign a peace treaty and won't commit to an alliance. I don't know why, but regardless, we need a stronger military. Demetria is vulnerable."
Natasha nodded. "Understandable. I take it you have a solution?"
"I do. It came to me on the way home," she replied, turning her tablet and handing it to Natasha.
Natasha took it, silently studying the text. The expression on her face didn't change.
Odette tried to be patient while she waited. "Well?"
"I don't think I quite understand. You're going to build a weapon?"
"Not just any weapon, a human weapon." Odette could feel her eyes glowing with excitement, though she had to repeatedly remind herself not to tell Natasha everything, not until she started testing. Until it was ready.
Natasha's eyebrows shot up.
"When I stopped in Armament to oversee the newest training recruits en route back to the palace," Odette explained, "I realized that most of our draftees are sixteen or seventeen when taken, so they don't have much time to build up their physical strength or learn how to fight. That, coupled with the lack of numbers we have puts us at risk. So, what if they were given a special serum that would alter their brain chemistry, and turn them into the perfect war machines in a matter of days?"
Natasha's frown deepened into one of concern. "Are you wanting to invade another country?"
"No!" Odette drew back, rolling her eyes. Natasha could be so slow sometimes. "Of course not. I want to strengthen our military. That's what this is about, but we're severely limited. I'm not anticipating any sort of invasion, but if we stand a chance at succeeding and getting other countries to take us seriously, we must be strong. We must be solid."
"No, it—it does seem like a brilliant idea, and it makes sense."
Odette deflated, just a bit. She snatched her tablet back, irritated at Natasha's lack of enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to frustrate you. I suppose I just don't have your vision for it. Isn't it dangerous? How have you taken steps toward testing if it's even possible?"
"I spoke with one of my chief sciences officers from Fatir, Dr. Violet, and explained to her my idea. She's on her way now and will start development on it right away."
Natasha nodded, slowly at first and then a little faster. "You've certainly been working hard."
"A great deal. I know even with the unique resources we have, they won't be enough to last us forever. Sooner or later, we'll have to open trading among other countries. I'm hoping my serum will be ready long before that point. In fact, I think it'll be ready within the next year."
Natasha shifted her lips to the side. She opened her mouth to say something, closed it again. "What does this have to do with the princess getting a pass from Dr. Greene?"
Odette blinked. Waited for Natasha to connect the dots. "She's going to be my main subject, isn't that obvious? I needed to make sure she didn't have any preexisting conditions I was unaware of."
Natasha took half a step back, coughing into her elbow. "Apologies. You're planning on using Princess Juliette as... as your test subject." It wasn't a question. "Would this experiment be in the form of a medical procedure?" she asked.
Odette thought about her answer. "I'm not sure yet. I plan on speaking with Dr. Violet this evening and going over the plan with her."
Natasha nodded again, though she still didn't look convinced. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"Of course not, I've barely begun development on it." Odette paused outside her bedchamber doors. "I'll keep you appraised."
Once she was alone, Odette pulled the pins from her hair and shook her curls free. She was too tired to go through her regular night routine and instead undressed herself, tossed her clothes on the bench at the end of her bed, and slipped on her silk nightdress.
Seas, her bed was even more comfortable than she could have hoped. She'd just started to fall asleep when she perked back up, her brain flickering back to life.
With a tired sigh, Odette turned onto her side, stuffing her pillow beneath her head and drifting off to sleep.