She stood at the window watching her men—guards and soldiers alike—bow low before the girl. Baxter had done well delivering her message throughout the ranks, making sure that the new queen was welcomed properly.
This was the girl she’d been searching for. This was the heir she’d hoped to discover.
She would have to tread carefully to ensure the girl’s cooperation, and to be certain she made no mistakes. If she played things right, this girl could buy her another lifetime as ruler. A new beginning.
If she was wrong, if what she’d discovered about the girl was untrue, then it was over. All of it.
Alexander materialized then from the vehicle and she stiffened, her heart momentarily stuttering as she was transported back in time to the days when he had her favor, the only boy child who ever had. He was the firstborn of her son’s offspring, a mischievous child with an eye toward righteousness, even then. He’d always been immune to her impervious facade and icy stares. When he’d smiled and climbed onto her lap, something no other child had ever dared, her frosty heart had warmed. She’d offered him sweet treats and gifts. She had allowed him unparalleled access to her inner sanctum, and he was schooled and housed within the walls of her wing of the palace. She’d kept him close.
She’d loved him.
And he’d turned his back on her.
And now here he was, an enemy to her throne, standing at the girl’s side. The sight of her once beloved grandson made her heart freeze in place.
She was suddenly eager to see his expression when she shared the surprise she had in store for him.
And then there was Maxmillian—just another of her grandsons, no more unique than the rest. He, too, stood beside this new royal heir. But he wasn’t the reason her resolve slipped. It was his loyal protectors, flanking the girl, who concerned her. Their devotion would always be to Max, the child they were born to protect, and if his allegiance had already been decided, if he’d been swayed by a pretty face, then so had theirs.
And the royal guards were not a force to overlook.
Fortunately, the queen had her own agenda. A plan already set into motion that would rock them all.