Chapter 309: Eleanor’s move
The throne room of the royal palace was grand and silent. Sunlight streamed in through tall stained-glass windows, casting soft colours across the marble floor.
Gold pillars stretched toward the ceiling, and velvet banners bearing the royal crest hung high above. The room was filled with tension, heavy like storm clouds before a downpour.
At the far end, King Kaiden sat on his throne a large, ornate chair of black stone carved with vines and dragons. His expression was unreadable, but the silence of the hall showed the weight of the moment.
To his right sat Queen Eleanor on her throne, poised and regal in her dark blue gown, her chin slightly lifted. Her raven black hair and grey eyes always gave a cold beautiful appeal. Her grace was like a true queen which she was. Her mind wandered filled with thoughts.
The queen glanced at the king right where his closest aides stood, the closest to him were the crown prince Lucian, first prince Cedric and the youngest Alfonso. They stood according to their ranks.
Cedric’s demeanour was cold, his expression unreadable. Eleanor was surprised he showed up today.
After the midnight of the spring festival, he barely attended the court. He was focused on finding clues about Abrielle, but if he was here, it meant one thing.
Cedric wasn’t joking in his letter. Eleanor’s and Cedric’s gaze met shortly. Those cold eyes made her heart beat rapidly. She quickly averted her eyes trying to maintain her dignified appearance.
"You can do this." She muttered under her breath, her hands crossed in front of her. She was queen.
Cedric stood still, arms folded behind him, his black cloak trailing. He wore no expression, but his presence was hard to ignore. Alfonso looked to the floor, his brows drawn in thought. He was curious about Abrielle.
He hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep after she left. His hands clenched; he should have stopped her that night. There was obvious tension between Cedric and Alfonso but they had bigger problems for now.