The Empress's chambers were filled with an unsettling silence as she paced back and forth, her face tight with anxiety and fury.
The news of Madame Lula's arrest sent shockwaves through her. Elian's sudden rise to noble status was troubling enough, but now, with Lula in custody, the situation had worsen.
Elian, the boy she had thought would remain a lowly courtesan, had been reinstated as a noble, his lineage to the Montclair family publicly acknowledged.
It was a blow she hadn't anticipated, and now the emperor and the crown prince were digging into Ireen's past. If they uncovered the truth, everything she'd worked for could be brought to light.
The Empress paused, staring out of the window, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her gown, deep in thought.
How did they find out? She pressed her lips together.
Elian wasn't the biggest threat, she could deal with him later. Her real concern was Madame Lula.
