"I can explain!"
Those were the first words Violet blurted out the moment she stepped into her mother's private chamber.
"It's not their fault. It's mine. They were only following—"
"Take a seat, Violet."
Queen Seraphira cut her off with a voice so flat and serious that Violet halted mid-sentence.
The queen's gaze moved slowly from her daughter to the four men standing behind her.
"All of you."
The Cardinal Alphas exchanged brief looks with one another before glancing back at Violet. Then, without another word, they began pulling out chairs around the table and sat down.
Their expressions were puzzled and wary.
Just like Violet, they could sense something was wrong.
Seraphira sat at the head of the table, her back straight and her hands clasped neatly on the glossy surface. While the queen was never particularly expressive—as a ruler she rarely allowed her emotions to show—this was different.
There was tension in the room. Heavy and
