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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 irl could buy her another lifeti, 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 heartas 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 hteousness, even then He’d always been immune to her impervious facade and icy stares When he’d s no other child had ever dared, her frosty heart had warifts She had allowed him unparalleled access to her inner sanctu 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 eneht of her once beloved grandson er to see his expression when she shared the surprise she had in store for hirandsons, 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 the with the echoes of Max’s shouts as he was dragged away by Her Majesty’s guards None of us had anticipated that we’d be separated upon our arrival And while not one of the aruards who’d surrounded us had dared to touch either Claude or Zafir, it was clear that they, too, were included in the forced detention that had taken placethey were sio quietly

I wondered how one down differently

It had taken ed circumstances I hadn’t expected Queen Sabara to hold us captive in this way

It was supposed to be a ued silently in my head All I wanted was my opportunity to reason with the queen

But what surprised