"A maidservant?" Sebastian's deep voice boomed through the narrow stone corridors leading away from the queen's private courtyard. His chubby cheeks flushed a dangerous shade of crimson, trembling with a mixture of rage and anxiety. He walked briskly, his large hands clenching into fists at his sides.
He knew exactly what the old shrew Olshi and her treacherous mistress, Queen El, were trying to achieve. They wanted a spy inside Miranda's quarters. They wanted to monitor her every breath, her every word, waiting for the slightest mistake to completely strip the fourteen-year-old of her lingering dignity.
"Not on my watch," Sebastian muttered under his breath, his breath hitching slightly as his large frame rounded the corner toward the King's auxiliary study.
If the king refused to act like a father, Sebastian would ensure he at least acted like a king who respected the old laws of Suncity. According to the ancient royal decrees, the eldest child, regardless of their blessed status or lack of an emblem, could not have their household altered without the direct approval of the Chief Royal Eunuch. And that title belonged to him.
Meanwhile, in a dilapidated wing of the palace far removed from the golden architecture of the main royal courts, Miranda sat on her small, hard cot. Her uniform from the training grounds lay neatly folded at the foot of her bed. Her clear grey eyes, devoid of the warm golden spark that defined the Sun people, stared quietly out the small iron-barred window.
The sun was beginning its descent, casting long, bloody shadows across the dusty floorboards. She could still feel the phantom warmth of that terrifying golden potion she had downed weeks ago in the market. She could still see the dark silhouette of Aldrax, the moon prince, cutting through the shadows to slay her kidnappers before vanishing into the night.
Why did he look at her like that? And why did the back of her neck prickle every time she thought of his violet eyes?
A heavy knock shattered her thoughts.
The wooden door creaked open, revealing Olshi. The queen's primary maidservant stood in the doorway, a smug, venomous smile plastered across her wrinkled face. Behind her stood a younger girl with sharp, shifty eyes and an overly eager posture.
"Princess Miranda," Olshi spoke, dripping with false reverence that made Miranda's stomach churn. "Her benevolent majesty, Queen El, has noticed how terribly neglected your quarters have been. Out of the pure kindness of her golden heart, she has assigned you a primary maidservant to tend to your... unique needs."
The younger girl stepped forward, bowing stiffly. "I am Talia, your highness. I look forward to serving you... very closely."
Miranda's grey eyes narrowed. She didn't need a sharp tongue to see right through the trap. Talia wasn't here to clean; she was here to watch.
Before Miranda could utter a word, a loud, heavy thud echoed from the corridor. Sebastian appeared in the doorway, his chest heaving as he stared down the old shrew.
"Remove her from this room immediately, Olshi," Sebastian commanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low rumble. "The crown princess requires no such charity from the second queen."
Olshi's smile vanished, her eyes twisting with malice. "The King has already signed the decree, Sebastian. You are fighting a losing battle."