Chapter 168

Princess Elena’s POV The first thing I noticed after leaving the terrace was the silence. Queen Gloria did not dismiss me with ceremony or threats, she simply turned, her long stride echoing once against the marble floor, and vanished down a side corridor, already absorbed in whatever “official business” ruled her world. I stood there for a moment, unsure if I’d been forgotten or deliberately abandoned. Then Mrs. Kent appeared. Her lips were pressed thin, her eyes sharp with irritation, as if escorting me was an insult she’d been forced to swallow. “Come,” she said flatly. “I’ll take you to your room.” The palace was vast…too vast. Endless floors stretched above us, lined with closed doors and empty corridors that smelled faintly of polish and old power. As we passed the grand staircase, I assumed we would climb higher, away from the Queen, away from prying eyes. I welcomed the thought. I wanted distance. I wanted quiet. But Mrs. Kent didn’t turn upward. She led me down. Step by step,