Tamina lifted the silver cup filled with wine toward her lips but stopped midway.
Amber's words echoed in her mind, and for a moment she could only blink in stunned disbelief.
Slowly, she lowered the cup back onto the table.
"What?" she muttered, her brows knitting together as confusion distorted her otherwise beautiful face.
"You heard me the first time," Amber replied sharply, irritation flashing in her eyes. "I will not repeat myself."
She leaned slightly forward, lowering her voice.
"Have you forgotten the plan, Tamina?"
Tamina only stared at her, still trying to process what she had just heard.
"Mother, you should not discuss such matters here," she cautioned quietly, her gaze sweeping the room in careful vigilance.
Fortunately, no maids or guards were present. Amber had earlier dismissed the attendants, knowing they would need privacy.
"I am not foolish enough to discuss such things if others were present," Amber replied coolly.
"It seems you have begun to lose faith in me, Tamina."
The remark stung. Tamina immediately felt remorse.
"That can never happen, Mother," she said quickly, taking Amber's hand. "I have not lost faith in you. I am only being cautious. You know what it took me to get within the walls of this castle."
Amber pulled her hand away.
"Do you know how proud I was when the king chose you as his fifth wife?" she said. "In Nehoviah, we celebrated for three days. Before you left, we made a plan.
Have you truly forgotten it?"
Tamina's expression darkened.
She leaned back in her chair and reached for the wine again; suddenly she was thirsty.
"How could I forget?" she said bitterly. "It is not as though I am not trying. Ragaleon is a difficult man. How am I supposed to bear him a child when he refuses to share my bed?"
She drained the cup in one swallow.
"You must continue trying," Amber insisted firmly. "If another queen bears him a child before you do, your position here will become dangerously fragile. A child means an heir. And if the gods favor you with a son…" Her voice softened with ambition. "You will become the Queen Mother."
Tamina only arched a brow as she poured herself another cup of wine.
"And what would you have me do?" she asked dryly. "Force myself upon him?"
"That will not be necessary," Amber replied calmly. "Not if you know how to use what the gods gave you."
A smug smile tugged at her lips.
"I did not become Queen of Nehoviah without effort. Your father did not fall into my arms by chance; I made certain of it."
Tamina rolled her eyes before nodding curtly.
"You have told me that story so many times; it is now my only source of inspiration."
Tamina mocked, then tried to pour herself more wine, but Amber stopped her.
"Do you intend to drown yourself in wine?" Amber asked with disdain, snatching the cup from her grip.
"Let me drink away my misery, Mother," Tamina pleaded, reaching for the cup.
"Pull yourself together," Amber snapped. "I have something that will solve your problem."
A spark of excitement gleamed in her eyes as she reached into her ornate purse and withdrew a small wrapped object.
She placed it gently in Tamina's palm, then leaned forward and whispered in her ear.
Tamina jerked back as though struck by lightning.
"What?" she gasped, her heart hammering violently against her ribs.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Mother… have you lost your mind?"
She glanced around nervously, afraid someone might have seen what had just passed between them. Amber, however, remained perfectly composed.
"Why are you trembling like a drenched kitten?" Amber scoffed, taking a slow sip of wine. "The answer to your troubles lies right there in your hand."
"I cannot do this," Tamina whispered, shaking her head. "Leave me out of this madness."
"Do not be pathetic," Amber replied dismissively. "I went through considerable trouble to obtain that mixture from the finest herbalist. You will use it, and when the results appear, we will celebrate."
"Mother, Ragaleon will kill me if he discovers such a thing," Tamina protested.
"I am far too young to die."
Amber leaned closer.
"It is extremely potent. One spoonful in his tea and he will be begging for your company before the night is over." She tapped Tamina's stomach lightly. "By the time I visit again, I expect my grandchild to be growing right there."
Just then, Titran entered the chamber. He had spent the afternoon with Ragaleon in the palace courtyard, sharing wine and finalizing a lucrative agreement between their kingdoms.
Amber rose immediately, and Tamina followed.
"We must take our leave now," Titran said warmly. "We will visit again soon."
"May the gods grant you a safe journey, Father," Tamina said respectfully, bowing her head.
He simply tapped her shoulder before turning away.
Amber embraced her daughter and whispered softly into her ear.
"Do not fear the risk, Tamina. The reward will be far greater."
She kissed Tamina's forehead before hurrying after her husband.
After retiring to her chamber, from her window, Tamina watched their carriage depart. The royal sigil of Nehoviah, an armored horse rearing proudly on its hind legs, fluttered against the wind.
Jazell was merely passing along the corridor when something caught her attention.
Through the half-open doorway, she noticed Tamina standing by the window, her fingers tightly curled around a small object Jazell could not clearly make out.
She slowed her steps.
Remaining just beyond the threshold, yet close enough to observe, her calculating gaze lingered on Tamina's clenched fist. She strained to decipher what her rival was hiding, but the distance and Tamina's guarded posture revealed nothing.
Still, Jazell did not look away.
Her piercing blue eyes remained fixed on Tamina until, almost instinctively, Tamina turned her head.
Their gazes collided.
For a fleeting moment, neither woman moved.
Then Tamina began walking toward the door, her eyes never once leaving Jazell's.
When she finally reached the entrance, she halted only long enough to hold Jazell's stare.
The next instant, the door slammed shut with a loud, decisive thud.
The sharp report of the slamming door echoed along the corridor, reverberating against the stone walls until it seemed to pulse within Jazell's very thoughts.
For a brief moment, she stood still, blinking slowly as she absorbed the deliberate insult behind the gesture.
Her expression, usually trained into an icy mask of composure, faltered almost imperceptibly before settling once more into its familiar, unreadable calm.
Without uttering a word, she turned away and resumed her walk down the corridor, as though nothing at all had happened.
...…..
"Leave."
Jazell's voice rang sharply through the chamber as she stormed inside.
The maids immediately began to disperse.
"Stay, Linn."
The command froze her personal maid in place.
Once the others were gone, Linn stepped forward nervously.
"Do you know why Ragaleon gifted that bracelet to Racheal?" Jazell asked while pouring herself a cup of wine.
"No, my lady," Linn answered softly, eyes lowered.
"The royal household of Nehoviah visited today," Jazell continued. "Do you know why?"
"I believe they came to see their daughter, my—"
Before Linn could finish, the contents of the cup splashed across her face.
"You believe?" Jazell spat. "You believe?"
"I am sorry, my lady," Linn whispered, trembling.
"What use are you to me if you know nothing of what happens in this castle?" Jazell demanded furiously.
"Punish me, my lady. I am incompetent," Linn said, falling to her knees.
Jazell stared ahead in silence for a moment, her fingers flexing.
"Pour me wine."
She commanded, and Linn quickly rose to her feet and poured her a cup of wine from a jug on a lamp stand beside the bed. She handed the golden cup to her mistress before stepping aside dutifully.
Jazell drained it instantly, emptying the cup.
"Another."
She demanded without sparing Linn a glance. Linn obeyed.
But this time Jazell did not drink.
Instead, she gripped the cup tightly before flinging it aside in a fit of rage.
Linn flinched in fear, her face as pale as a dead corpse.
"Why does everyone in this palace test my patience?" Jazell muttered darkly.
"Leave."
Linn bowed quickly and hurried toward the door.
"Tell the guards no one is to enter my chamber," Jazell added. "I want to be alone."
"My lady… should someone clean the room?" Linn asked hesitantly.
"No one enters this room," Jazell snapped, her eyes wild.
Linn nodded quickly and fled.
Outside, she delivered the order to the guards before heading toward the kitchens, struggling to hold back tears.
She feared for her life.
And perhaps even more, she feared for her mistress.
Inside the chamber, Jazell moved slowly toward a table.
She picked up a roll of Indian hemp and sat upon her bed, lighting it.
Smoke curled lazily into the air as she inhaled deeply, her blue eyes dark with dangerous thoughts.
Her mind replayed Tamina's cruel dismissal.
Then it drifted to Racheal's confident countenance at the table this morning.
Jazell exhaled slowly, smoke leaving her lips.
"When I am finished with all of you…"
Her voice dropped into a chilling whisper.
"You will not recognize yourselves."