Phoebe's POV
If these elders planned to leverage my position as queen to pressure me, then I'd wield that exact same authority to shield myself.
I wasn't the fastest learner, but my previous encounters with these council members had taught me something valuable. Nothing would satisfy them now except watching me fall, and I refused to give them that pleasure.
After roughly fifteen minutes, I revealed what I'd been scribbling. Truth be told, there wasn't much to see—they scanned it in under five seconds. I'd deliberately crossed out so many words, dragging the process out just to irritate them.
The paper stated simply that I was merely obeying the king's command to remain outside the palace, as that location posed dangers to my safety.
"The palace offers you the greatest protection, my queen. Don't you realize? Your presence has cost us two of our kingdom's finest warriors."
Orion and Justin's deaths hit a nerve, their memories still painfully vivid in my mind.
