Elijah

POV – The New Queen

The sound of the bells still echoed through the castle corridors when I dressed in black for the last time. The king—my husband—was dead. Poisoned. No one said it aloud, but everyone knew. Every glance in the hall carried suspicion, fear… and curiosity about who would occupy the throne beside me.

And then, he appeared. The new king. The younger brother—young, with a pure gaze, and an almost angelic beauty. Unlike the deceased, he seemed unaware of the weight of the crown that now rested upon him.

When I first saw him, I felt something strange—maybe it was pity… or something deeper. His voice trembled as he greeted me, but his eyes said he trusted me.

Little did he know that the castle was a golden trap. His mother—the widowed queen—smiled gently, but her eyes were as cold as steel. She watched my every step, every word whispered to the new king. It was clear: she didn't want me there.

“My son needs someone to guide him… someone loyal to the family,” she said one night with a fake smile. I knew what she really wanted—to push me away, to tarnish my name, perhaps to blame me for the death of the former king.

But I wouldn't back down. Now, I was the queen. Even if he were innocent, handsome, and easily manipulated, I would find a way to open his eyes.

Because in this castle, whoever doesn't learn to play... dies before making their first move. 👑