Chapter 31
Joe's POV
I sat there, in the center of the throne room, listening or at least pretending to listen as my Uncle Ivan droned on about another list of expectations and regulations I needed to memorize as king. My elbows were planted on the polished arms of the throne, fingers drumming aimlessly, eyes heavy with sleep I hadn't gotten.
"You must understand the hierarchy of the inner court. As your Regent instructor, I expect you to internalize these principles by heart," he began, voice precise. "One: A king must embody justice. Two: A king must embody mercy. Three: A king must uphold strength. Four: A king must honor tradition…His voice blurred in my head. I was only half there.
I forced my eyes open. Justice. Mercy. Strength. Tradition. I learned them when I was a child, I didn't take the lessons so seriously then, so I barely remember anything now. But right now, after the coronation and my dad's crisis, the lessons felt like shackles.
