Cytheria felt as if the world was falling into chaos.

  For it was.

  Her beautifully decorated hall was in shambles. Nothing she could not fix, but to fix it before the very next evening? Her blue eyes scanned every surface, icy in their coldness until finally she looked at the pathetic excuse for a planner that she had hired.

  That was harsh.

  But not undeserved.

  “Let me understand this…My son, the youngest of my sons, told you I asked him to add…weapons? Bombs?” She turned to her assistant, arching a brow, and the woman nodded, “Bombs…To the rose displays?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” The woman trembled as she stood before Cytheria, her eyes downcast. It was pathetic, really. Cytheria would have more respect if she grew a spine.

  “And you believed him?” Her tone was incredulous. The woman before her flinched, causing Cytheria to breathe inwardly.

  “I…I had no reason to question a member of the-”

  “You had every reason!" The Queen cut her off and waved a hand toward the whole of the hall, "This is a ball of peace. A celebration of the end of a war that has lasted longer than either of our lifetimes combined tenfold.” Cytheria took a deep breath to steady the rage threatening to burst out of her like fire. “Fix it. Now.”

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  “Yes, Your Majesty.” Cytheria felt a grim satisfaction as the woman clapped her hands, and the servants sitting before her all rose. They immediately started using magic to clear the mess in unison, a tribute to some sort of spine inside the woman.

  “We are out of black and gold roses.” Her assistant leaned toward her, dropping her voice to a bare whisper.

  “I am aware. Switch to midnight blue and silver. We still have those, yes?” Cytheria turned, her skirt stirring up petals around her. She could only guess what had gone through her son’s mind, but she knew it was not good.

  “Yes. Any idea why he did it?” Juniper picked her way carefully through the sea of rose petals.

  “Boredom. He also very much does not like Rex.” Cytheria did not shy from stepping onto the petals, her chin high, eyes ahead. This was a setback, nothing more.

  “None of your children like King Rex.”

  “I do not blame them.” Her head tilted just slightly to the side, the corner of her lips twitching as she resisted the urge to smile.

  They walked out the doors, watching as the servants hustled back and forth. Cytheria’s kingdom had more people than Rex’s ten to one, and she saw it here more clearly when her servants moved like a well magicked machine. She knew they could fix the issue, but she felt a little sad about the loss of her roses.

  “Shall we change your gown?” Her assistant looked at her for a moment, clearly ready to procure anything Cytheria might need.

  “No. Leave it. Black suits me.” Looking at her assistant, she suddenly smirked. “Find my son. And tell him he will be on border duty until further notice. I will not tolerate a single hair on his head tomorrow night.”