He circled the transmitter crystal and smiled to himself. Studying her face, he saw the eyes of the late king stare back at him.

"So, you finally show yourself. It seems the rumors are true, and the king and queen's lost child is a girl."

She stared at the image of the fair-skinned beauty that stood before the crowd with her head held high. That look of determination in her eyes reminded her of her late queen. The woman she both respected and hated the most had returned from the land of the Ancestors to torment her. Even after hearing her announce her name, she knew that she spoke truthfully, yet she still didn't want to believe it.

"How can you be so sure that she is who she says she is?"

He looked over at her and stopped pacing. A smug grin on his face as he scoffed at her fringed stupidity.

"I'm pretty sure they will be testing her blood. With all the new ways to determine a person's origins, we should have enough proof flooding the broadcasting crystals soon."

Pushing herself up off her throne she stepped down to get closer to the crystal. Its bright light and the images it flashed across it made her swallow hard. She had hoped that when it came down to the actual time to kill the last reminder of her enemy she'd be filled with overwhelming joy, but then her bones shook, and her heart pounded hard within her chest. Her breathing was fast, and her hands were becoming moist. Images of Queen Centry flashed her in mind as she stared at the glaring eyes of Loraz in the crystal.

"Did you hear her last words? She plans to kill me it seems. This is what I wanted to avoid."

Jayel laughed and it filled the room like a thunderstorm.

"By law, she is the rightful ruler of Serenity. Your son holds no power now that she has made her presence public. Which would mean that very soon you won't have any power either, not that you held any in the first place."

Turning around to look at him she clenched her fist.

"What do you mean by that? Have you finally let that hidden crown go to your head? My son is the true king of Serenity, and no one will take his throne from him, you hear me."

Jayel walked up to her and stroked the side of her face gently as he gazed into her eyes.

"My queen, you fail to realize that your son is a vegetable on the verge of dying. The Ancestors are slowly calling him back to them and once he is gone you will have no claim to the throne or this place. Your other children were banned and stripped of their titles as punishment for their crimes against the throne. The only reason they were not killed was due to me and the sympathy I have for you. I truly feel for you, my queen, but you are only an unwanted public display. The true ruler was bound to step forward eventually and they were bound to come for your head as well."

The queen pushed his hand away from her face and shot him a cold stare. She took a few steps back and giggled a bit as she shook her head. The signs were always in front of her and yet she didn't want to believe them to be true. After all, she had given him to be betrayed in such a way.

"So, you finally show your true color, my dear. What will happen next? Are you going to have us locked up in our rooms or will you continue to let us move about freely?"

Jayel shrugged his shoulders and chuckled then replied,

"I am not sure. The true monarch has come forth and soon she will be my new puppet, but you may just be of use to me in the future. You are after all still a queen. So, for now, you just sit pretty in your room like the beautiful little cage bird you are and let the real rulers rule."

The queen walked up to him and slapped him hard across the face. Her hand tingled from the impact of his face on her palm, and she stared at it as it turned red and went a bit numb.

"I knew you'd cross me as soon as the tables turned. I knew and yet I wanted to believe otherwise."

He laughed as he rubbed the side of his face that had been struck and looked at her standing in front of him so bold and calm with the look of a betrayed lover.

"Oh, really now, Your Grace...I was never on your side, to begin with."

The queen spat at him, and tears started to fall from her eyes. She sank to the floor, her body drained and the feeling of defeat that washed over her snatched away any hope she may have had.

"You coward..."

Jayel wiped off the spit from his shirt and then stared at the queen as she sulked. His eyes softened as he watched her fall apart in front of him. He shook his head quickly as the thought of letting her become more than a pawn started to cloud his mind. With a snap of his fingers, he looked over towards the door and motioned for a guard to come closer.

"You over there step forward. Escort the queen to her room. This princess will no doubt come here trying to save not just her people but her broken family as well."

The queen looked up at him her face stained with tears a dazed

"What do you mean? She wants my head, why save me?"

He kneeled to her eye level and then wiped away the moisture from her eyes with his thumb.

"My queen, that message was not for you but meant for me. Which means we have a mole within the palace," He looked up at the guard, "Take her from here now and set her up with some tea, she looks a bit uneasy and needs to calm her nerves."

As the guard took hold of the Queen's arm to help her to her feet the queen spat at Jayel again and said,

"Just you wait, you bastard, when I get my chance to come for you, I will surely take it with a smile."

He wiped the spit from his face this time and stared coldly at her as his breathing quickened then replied,

"My Queen, I would hold my tongue if you don't wish for it to be cut off. Threats to your future official king will not be tolerated."

The queen started to laugh hysterically, pulled away from the guard, and walked up to Jayel.

"You king...ha...don't make me laugh. If your plan is what I think it is, let me just inform you that it will never work."

"Oh, and why do you say that?"

"Because before my husband died, he told me of the princess, why do you think I had you searching for girls all this time? Do you think that I knew nothing about the princess? Darling, you are greatly mistaken. I know more about Princess Loraz than you could ever dream."

Jayel looked at her and raised an eyebrow,

"And what exactly do you know that I can't find out?"

The queen smiled and stepped away from him and narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I could tell you, but why spoil such a great surprise."

"Take her away."

He motioned for the guard to escort her and as he grabbed her arm she screamed,

"I hope she spears you through the heart with her bare hands!"

As she left the room, he licked his lips and motioned for another guard to step forward.

"Find Vestin and get a full report as to what the situation currently is. See if you can find out anything new about Princess Loraz."

"Understood." The guard replied and walked out of the room.

He then turned back towards the crystal and saw Loraz's face staring right back at him.

"Come for me, my new queen." He whispered with a smile.

He then walked up to thethrone and sat down and continued to watch Loraz as they showed her greeting aConsul of Serenity, Consultant Zan.