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Juliana entered the queen’s office with a blank face, a blank mind. She’d already been outplayed, and she needed to begin to amass small bits of power, to hoard information like jewels, to siphon the energy until her side was ready for her to unleash it.
“Ah, Juliana,” her traitorous grandmother gushed when she appeared.
The queen came forward, offering her ring to Juliana. Jules performed the required ritual, conscious of the fact that her grandmother had never made her acknowledge her position in the beginning of a meeting. My, how the tides had turned.
“I must say, I am surprised to see you again today.” The queen placed her hand on Juliana’s cheek, studying her.
Jules wanted to pull away, flinch from the woman in front of her, but she held her ground, the lessons of her youth coming back to her like an old, comforting blanket.
“Are you really?” Juliana asked, her voice filled with feigned confusion. “I thought you wanted me here to be available for wedding preparations.”
For a split second, Juliana thought she saw amusement on the queen’s face. Like she appreciated the ploy but knew what was happening. Then, it was gone, and she was again guileless in her remarks.
“Yes, of course. But you seemed so set on staying with your fiancé.”
“Only because I was caught off guard. You know I always need time to process.”
Juliana left her grandmother standing and made her way to the sitting area. The expected move would have been for her to sit in front of the desk, so the queen could lord over her. But Juliana refused to be cowed. The queen was left with little choice but to follow.
“I spoke with Jamie earlier,” Juliana casually remarked as she sat.
“I see,” Liliana responded. She perched on the edge of her chair, her back poker straight. She gracefully crossed her ankles and delicately set her hands on her knees. Her bearing was unaffected as she waited for Juliana to continue.
But Juliana had learned Liliana’s lessons well. When the silence stretched taut between them, it was the queen who broke first.
“You might have learned at my table, but remember who the master is, my dear.”
Juliana was no fool. She knew she wasn’t going to come out on top, but this little victory was sweet. So, she smiled innocently.
Liliana’s face hardened. “What is it you think you know?”
“I know you have been lying to me for a long time.”
The queen stood and walked toward the small drink cart, stationed faithfully next to the sofa. She poured two glasses of sherry, and Juliana resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose. She hated the stuff. But she accepted it with ice-cold hands and took a large swallow. It burned a path down her esophagus, warming her insides.
The queen began to speak, her voice wrapped in memories. “My son was going to be the most powerful man in the world. A modern monarch, leading this country back to greatness, uniting us. But like the rest of you, his dedication to family seemed to come before his dedication to the throne. And so, he took you in, helped craft this elaborate lie to protect a child he had no blood ties to.
“I knew from the moment you entered this kingdom, you would be the end of the monarchy. And I was right. My son is dead, the crown prince cannot produce heirs, and the crown princess is in love with a commoner. Our line will die. Over five hundred years of undisturbed royal blood will be over. Ha! And Barrington thinks he will be there to pick up the pieces. To install his family in the line of succession. When I am done, the Barringtons will be no more. And Robert, the only hope now for our family, will be king.”
Juliana sat, immobile. The cold hate pouring out of the woman in front of her was intimidating, her plan chilling. Juliana had had it all wrong. It seemed everyone was in danger, and Juliana was the only one who knew it.
“You’ve made my job much easier, showing up here. One less rat to entice with cheese.” Her malevolent smile sent ice through Juliana’s veins. “I’m sure Jamie will come here, looking for you. Then Ele. It will all be so easy now.”
“What will be easy now?” Juliana’s voice was unflinching, but it took effort. Fear gripped her.
“It’s a shame, really,” the queen went on, her voice filled with pity. “Young people don’t think things through. A failed coup coordinated by the crown prince. Dealing with the scandal of betrayal will be hard for me, but the world could hardly blame me for dispatching my treasonous grandson and the Barrington family for plotting my demise.”
Juliana listened, horrified. Even knowing the story was false, Juliana knew the queen could present it in such a way that it would be easily devoured and believed.
“Is Robert on board with this plan?”
Juliana had never been close to Robert. He’d always seemed to look at her with disdain. She was too unpredictable for his liking. But could he be in on this? Would he betray Ele and Jamie? She didn’t think so, but she’d also had no idea her “grandmother” hated her.
The queen malevolently smiled at her. “That’s enough.” She rang the small bell next to her chair and when Noah appeared, she said, “Take her away. It’s time to bait the trap.”
