Chapter 206: Sun and the Queen
His hands clenched as he remembered the latest test. He had gone into it certain, certain, that the weight of his Sovereign Vein would break Jae’s momentum, slow him, smother him, crush him.
Yet once again, Jae had shone brighter, cutting through pressure as though it were mist. Sun had kept his composure, jaw tight, body still, but inside? Inside, rage had seethed like molten stone, desperate to erupt.
His pace quickened, the air around him seeming heavier as he reached the tall ebony doors of the queen’s chambers. Two guards flanked the entrance, polished armor gleaming faintly in the candlelight. Their eyes remained forward, their bodies rigid, but they shifted subtly aside as Sun approached. They did not question him. They never did.
With a shove, he pushed the heavy doors open and stepped inside.
The queen’s chambers were a sanctuary of power disguised as elegance. Drapes of crimson and black fell from high arching windows, their folds whispering with the movement of air.
Rows of golden candelabras stood in solemn ranks, each one bearing a small army of flames that cast shifting patterns across the walls. The glow caught on silks and polished wood, throwing her figure into partial shadow.
The queen sat near the window, her back straight, her posture commanding even in stillness. Her dark hair was pinned high, threaded with pieces of silver that gleamed when she turned her head.
The gown she wore shimmered like oil when the light touched it, fluid and ever-changing. She didn’t need a crown to radiate authority, her very presence was sharper than steel.
"You’re late," she said without looking up, her voice smooth but laced with the faintest thread of disapproval.
Sun sank into a chair opposite her, the scowl on his face deepening. He dragged a hand through his hair, the gesture restless, almost impatient.
"I came straight after training," he said, the words clipped. His tone was harsher than he intended, but he didn’t care. "That farm boy, " He cut himself off, biting back the insult. His teeth ground together, his voice lowering. "Mother, Jae grows stronger by the day. It’s... unnatural. And the way they look at him, like he’s already one of us."
Finally, the queen turned her gaze upon him. Her lips curved, but the smile was cold, calculated, a blade disguised as a curve of warmth.
"I’ve heard," she said, her tone dismissive yet deliberate. "Whispers travel fast when a new hero is being made." Her hands folded lightly atop her lap, long fingers adorned with rings that gleamed in the candlelight. Nails tapped once, twice, a rhythm of thought. "You fret too much, my son. Power without guidance is a flame, it burns bright, but consumes itself quickly."
Sun leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fists clenching tight enough to whiten his knuckles.
"You don’t see how quickly it’s happening," he pressed, his voice sharpening. "They call him hero. They cheer his name louder than mine. Even the king..." His jaw worked, rage trembling at the edge of his words. "Even he asks about Jae more than me."
The queen’s eyes flickered, sharp and dangerous. For a fleeting instant, disdain carved itself across her face, not for Sun, but for the very idea that her husband, the king, would waste admiration on another boy.
"Your father," she said slowly, her voice dipping with venom, "is a fool when it comes to strength. Always chasing those who wield it as though raw might makes a man fit to rule. It blinds him. He forgets true power lies in shaping others, not in striking the hardest blow."
Sun’s breathing quickened. The words soothed and stung in equal measure.
"Then stop him," he demanded. "Before he decides Jae is more useful than his own son."
The queen rose. The silks of her gown whispered against the floor as she moved with deliberate grace, crossing the chamber toward him.
Each step was slow, poised, as though she commanded not just the room but the very air itself. She stopped beside him, placing a cool hand on his shoulder.
Her voice softened, lowering into a tone that was meant for him alone. "I will poison his mind," she whispered. "Not with vials or powders, but with words. Seeds planted in quiet moments. Doubts whispered until they take root. The king may be blind in many ways, but not immune to suspicion."
Her hand squeezed his shoulder lightly, her nails grazing through fabric, a touch equal parts reassuring and commanding.
"Once the opportunity arises," she continued, her eyes narrowing, "he will see Jae as dangerous. Untrustworthy. He will see what we see."
Sun tilted his head toward his mother, his eyes flashing with something darker than relief. Hatred. It simmered beneath the surface like molten rock, too thick and heavy to be hidden. "Then do it quickly. Every day he rises, every day he draws more to his side. If we wait too long, it won’t matter what seeds you plant. They’ll follow him regardless."
The queen’s expression did not change, but her fingers brushed his cheek in a gesture so deceptively tender it almost mocked him. "Patience, my son. Poison works best when given time. Strike too fast, and you risk exposure. Trust me. I have maneuvered in this court far longer than you’ve drawn breath."
But Sun’s patience was gone. His body tensed, shoulders stiffening as though he could no longer bear to sit in her presence. He pulled back from her touch and rose abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the polished floor.
"Then hurry," he said, his voice low and fierce. "I won’t sit by while he steals everything that should be mine."
The queen studied him for a heartbeat, then allowed herself the faintest smile, a curl of lips that spoke not of warmth but amusement. "Very well. Leave it to me. Focus on your role. If Jae stumbles, we must be ready to crush him fully. That will be your task."
Her words hung in the air like smoke. Sun gave a stiff nod, the muscles in his jaw twitching, then turned on his heel.