"Mother."
Violet sighted the Queen already seated, her posture the very picture of elegance.
"Sit, princess." Queen Seraphira gestured toward the seat opposite hers. The one Alaric had sat on.
"I want to make a request of you, Violet," the Queen said.
Violet's heart immediately began to race.
She could already sense where this was headed.
Queen Seraphira began,
"If things do not go as planned—"
"Things will go as planned," Violet cut in at once, refusing to entertain the thought.
"If things do not work out," the Queen insisted, her purple eyes hardening.
The firmness in her tone, coupled with the austere look on her face, made Violet swallow the rest of the argument sitting at the tip of her tongue.
Holding Violet's gaze now, the Queen said,
"If by chance I die tomorrow and Baron takes over, you are to leave this realm. Take your mates, get out, and never come back. Pretend this realm never existed. Do you understand?"
