Tools….
My mother leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing as if to emphasize the gravity of the moment.
“The plan is simple,” she began, her voice low yet sharp. “First, you must rebuild your alliances. The elders, as misguided as they may be, still hold considerable influence. If we can sway just a few of them, their opinions of Ashley will falter. But this time, you’ll have to be more strategic. Play their game. They need to regret the decision they made and see you as someone who is indispensable to the Kingdom again.”
I nodded, absorbing her words, but the bitterness still lingered. “And how am I supposed to do that? Ashley’s already got them wrapped around her little finger. Worst of all, she has provided the heir they desperately needed all this time, and two of them at that. How am I possibly supposed to compete with that? Mom, this will be nearly impossible.”
“Which is exactly why we need to turn the tables. Left to me, I would have suggested you kill those children.” I gasped at this, and she shrugged her shoulders without a care in the world about how much levity her statement actually had.
“But then again, it wouldn’t be wise for us to take such measures when there are still a plethora of options to choose from. We’ll start with those closest to her, the ones who appear loyal but have doubts. No one rises to power without stepping on a few toes, and believe me, Ashley’s no different. Everyone has secrets, and we need to find hers.” Her gaze was icy, a reflection of her determination, and I could feel my own resolve strengthening under its weight.
“I’ll need leverage,” I said, already planning my next steps. “Something undeniable that will make her position unstable.”
“Precisely,” she replied, her lips curving into a small, calculated smile. “Find out what she’s hiding, and we’ll exploit it. But be discreet. If Ashley gets even a whiff of suspicion, she’ll tighten her grip even further.”
As I considered the enormity of the task ahead, the waitress returned with two glasses of water, placing them on the table with a polite nod before quickly retreating. My mother took a sip, never breaking eye contact with me.
“I’ll start tomorrow,” I said, my voice firm. “I’ll see what I can dig up, but it won’t be easy. Ashley’s been careful.”
“Careful, yes, but no one’s perfect, Veronica. And even the smallest crack in her armor could be enough to bring her down. Don’t underestimate the power of persistence.”
I stared down at the water glass, watching the condensation gather and slide down the side. I was used to having everything under control, and this new position I found myself in was like a wound that refused to heal. But if anyone could outmaneuver Ashley, it was me. My mother was right-time would reveal who truly belonged, but I wouldn’t sit idle and wait for fate to decide.
Just then, my phone vibrated on the table, breaking the tense moment. I glanced down and saw a message from an unknown number. *I’ll be waiting for your next visit. I heard things didn’t go your way.*
I rolled my eyes slightly. The text obviously had to be from Fabian, and I honestly wasn’t thinking about visiting him anytime soon. I had a lot on my mind, both necessary and unnecessary, at this point, and although the events in the car earlier seemed so distant now, the memory of Lyon’s firm chest and intoxicating scent returned to me in flashes. Shaking the thought from my mind, I refocused on the task at hand.
“Anything else, Mom?” I asked, ready to dive into the details of the plan.
“Just one thing,” she said, her tone shifting to something more serious. “You need to be careful. Ashley may seem harmless with her humble act, but power changes people. She could be more dangerous than you think.”
I nodded slowly. “I know. That’s why I’m going to take her down before she has the chance.”
My mother smiled approvingly, the cold confidence I’d always admired in her glinting in her eyes. She had fought her battles in this kingdom, and now it was my turn.
“Good. Then let’s begin.”
While we went over the plans and everything we had to discuss, we ordered some food to eat and a few snacks for later. I also didn’t forget to get a to-go pack for Lyon, which I wasn’t even sure he would accept, given the fact that the discipline trained into most Royal workers wouldn’t let them take something like that. However, I still went ahead and got the food, hoping I could convince him to take it. It didn’t take much longer for Mom and me to finish our little hangout session, and she soon left after I reassured her that I would clear the bill myself. As I sat and made the transaction to settle the bill, I looked around the place to check if Becky was inside, and thankfully, she wasn’t. This allowed me to relax a little, in contrast to how tense I had felt the entire time Mom and I were there.
Once everything was settled, I quickly made my way out, heading toward the space where Lyon had parked the car. When I got there, the car was empty, and I couldn’t find Lyon anywhere nearby, which made me feel anxious immediately.
“Oh my gosh, where could he have gone now?” I muttered to myself, tightening my grip on the bag holding the to-go food. I felt uncomfortable standing outside, with the risk of being seen by anyone who might recognize me.
“This is crazy. How could he just leave without notifying me?” I said aloud, carefully placing the bag on the roof of the car. I was about to turn to go find him when I felt a firm pair of hands tap me on my slightly exposed shoulder.
“My apologies, Your Highness. I had to go ease myself quickly.”
“Oh, I see,” I responded, my voice calm despite the anger I had started building just moments ago. It was almost like a factory reset, with my rage dissipating the moment I laid eyes on Lyon again.
“Your Highness? Your Highness?” he asked, and that was when I finally snapped back to reality. I had been thinking about him, so lost in my thoughts that I wasn’t present anymore.
“What is it?”
“I just asked if you were ready to leave, but you didn’t respond.”
“Oh, about that. Um, yes, let’s go,” I said, finally grabbing the bag I had placed on the roof of the car before settling back in. He swiftly took out the car keys and proceeded to enter the driver’s seat.
“Here, I got you this,” I offered, holding the food out to him. He stared at it for a while without saying anything. At first, I thought I would be able to read his expression to figure out what he was going to say, but it was unreadable, which bothered me for a moment.
“Aren’t you going to take it?” I asked again, and to my surprise, he finally accepted it.
“Thank you,” he replied, and I nodded.
“You’re welcome. Let’s go now,” I said, and he immediately started the car before driving away. As we drove on, I reflected on the conversation I had with my mom earlier at the restaurant.
—
That night, as I lay in bed, my mind was spinning with plans. Tomorrow would be the beginning of my reclamation. I would rebuild my alliances, find Ashley’s weak points, and exploit them ruthlessly. I wasn’t going to let her keep what was mine, and I certainly wasn’t going to let the kingdom forget about me.
My phone buzzed again-another message from Fabian. *I have very important news for you, Queen. I’d highly suggest you come over tomorrow as soon as you can, because this will definitely be of help to you.*
I paused, considering whether or not to reply. It
wasn’t like I had many options. Everything Mom had said was tangible, but I needed to hear from another source as well. I typed a quick response: *I see. All right then, I’ll just see what I can do first because there are a few things that really need to fall into place before it’s safe for me to come over again.*
I stared at the screen, wondering why I even bothered replying. But as I closed my eyes and let exhaustion pull me into sleep, one thought lingered: everything that happened today obviously couldn’t go to waste. One thing was certain-I could tell that Lyon definitely had an interest in me. Perhaps I could use him to get a few things done for myself. After all, in a kingdom full of shifting loyalties, even a driver’s trust could be invaluable.
“Yes, I’ll keep entertaining these feelings of his until I’ve gotten everything I need from him. Perfect.” I lay back on the bed with a deep sigh of relief. Just as Mom had mentioned, the first step to my victory was to build my alliances, and that meant gaining the support of anyone, no matter how useful or useless they might seem at first. This whole game with Lyon would be risky, but I was willing to take that risk. At the end of the day, some people would just have to accept me stepping over them to elevate myself. All is fair in love and war, right?
Tomorrow, the game would begin. And I was determined to win.
—
The next morning arrived too quickly. The light filtering through my curtains was soft, but it did nothing to ease the tension that had built up overnight. My mind was still racing from everything that had transpired, from my mother’s chilling words to Fabian’s cryptic message. I knew today marked the beginning of something dangerous-something I couldn’t afford to fail.
After getting dressed in a crisp, dark green blouse and black trousers, I checked my phone. As expected, there was another message from Fabian. *”Don’t forget. Time is crucial.”* I sighed, tossing the phone onto my bed. He was right, of course, but I still wasn’t sure how much I could trust him. Fabian had always been slippery-someone who thrived in the shadows of court politics. Yet, right now, his intel could be vital.
I walked over to the window, staring out at the palace grounds. The perfectly manicured gardens looked serene, a sharp contrast to the war raging in my head. If I was going to reclaim my place, I couldn’t rely on feelings or whims. I had to be strategic-cold even. My mother’s voice echoed in my mind: *”Play their game.”* She was right. If I wanted to win, I’d have to think like them.
A knock at the door broke my thoughts. It was Lyon.
“Your Highness,” he greeted me as I opened the door. His voice was calm, professional, but I could see the curiosity in his eyes. “The car is ready.”
I nodded, quickly grabbing my bag. “Thanks. Let’s go.”
As we walked through the palace halls, Lyon’s presence was comforting in a strange way. He was always steady, always dependable. It was easy to see why I found myself relying on him, even when the stakes were high. But I had to remind myself: everyone in this game was a tool, and Lyon was no exception.
Once we were in the car, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He hadn’t said a word since we left my chambers, his focus squarely on the road ahead. A strange silence filled the car, the kind that made me wonder what he was thinking. But now wasn’t the time for distractions. I had more important matters to attend to.
“Where are we headed to, my queen”
“Just keep going towards the lighthouse, I will be directing the way as we go” I responded, and he nodded, going without asking any questions as if completely full of trust in me.