Call me your queen

“Open these doors!” Mia shouted at five in the morning.

She had woken up an hour earlier with a sick feeling in her stomach. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake it. Now she stood in the cold palace hallway, desperate to find out what was happening inside the council chamber.

Two guards crossed their spears in front of her.

“Orders from the council, Your Majesty,” one of them said. “Nobody is allowed inside during a closed meeting.”

“I'm the Queen. Move out of my way.”

“I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I can't.”

Mia stared at him. Clara, her personal maid, had spent half the night searching through old records in the archives. Just before dawn, she had found a law that could help Mia get past the guards. Mia had read it over and over until she knew every word.

“Section Four of the Crown Charter,” she said. “The Queen Consort has the right to address the council before a leadership vote if the King is absent. Do you want to explain to the King why you broke the law by stopping me?”

The guard hesitated. His partner glanced at him, then lowered his spear.

Mia stepped forward. “Move aside.”

Neither guard argued again. They pulled their spears away from the doors, giving her a clear path.

She grabbed the handles and shoved the doors open.

Nine chairs stood around a round table beneath the chandeliers. Chancellor Voss sat at the head, watching her enter without showing any surprise.

Damian stood beside the table in an expensive dark suit. He looked perfectly at ease, as if he had every right to be there. He had been speaking to the council in a calm, friendly voice, making his plans sound like the best choice for everyone.

“...for the good of the kingdom and the safety of our people, we must act now,” he said. He turned to the council members with a pleasant smile. “We cannot allow personal feelings to stand in the way of our people's future.”

Mia barely heard the rest. Her attention went straight to the vote board behind Chancellor Voss.

Four votes for Damian. Three against him. Two still undecided.

Lord Harcourt sat near the end of the table, rubbing his hands together. The old man had a habit of supporting whoever seemed most likely to win. Beside him sat a duchess who looked exhausted and had barely spoken throughout the meeting.

Damian needed five votes to take control.

He was only one vote away.

Mia looked from the board to the people around the table. If she failed to stop this vote, Damian would have the power he wanted. Getting it back would be much harder.

“Your Majesty,” Chancellor Voss said at last. “This is a closed meeting. You were not invited.”

Mia turned to him. “Are you telling me I don't deserve to be here?”

Nobody answered.

She looked around the table, waiting for someone to speak up. When no one did, she faced Damian.

“Your Majesty, this isn't the time for this,” Damian said. “We're discussing the future of the kingdom.”

“Then you shouldn't mind hearing what I have to say, should you?”

A few council members shifted in their seats. Lord Harcourt stopped rubbing his hands.

Damian stepped closer. “The council is trying to protect the kingdom. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.”

“Protect the kingdom?” Mia glanced at the vote board. “You mean hand it over to you?”

His pleasant expression disappeared.

“Careful, Mia,” he warned.

Mia turned fully toward him. “The last time I checked, I was the Queen. So you will address me as Your Majesty or Your Queen. You don't have the right to call me by my first name.”

Damian stared at her, his lips pressed together.

“Have I made myself clear?” she asked.

The council remained silent, but Mia didn't care. She hadn't come there to win their approval. She had come to stop Damian from taking the crown.

And she wasn't leaving until she had her say.

“Ah,” Damian said with a quiet laugh. “Look who decided to join us. Though I hardly think this is a woman's place, Your Majesty.”

Mia looked at him but didn't answer.

“Call the vote, Damian,” Lord Harcourt said, tapping his fingers against the armrest. “Let's get this over with. I haven't had breakfast yet.”

“Of course.” Damian turned to Chancellor Voss. “Let's record the final count—”

“Stop!”

Mia walked toward the table before he could finish. She wasn't going to stand there and watch them hand the kingdom to Damian.

Damian turned to face her. “Your Majesty, you're tired and upset. Don't let your feelings interfere with matters of state. We already discussed this in private.”

“This has nothing to do with my feelings.” Mia stopped in front of him. “You're trying to take control while the King is still alive. You don't get to replace him just because he's unable to defend his position.”

“Watch yourself, Your Majesty,” Damian said quietly. “You're getting involved in matters that don't concern you.”

“On the contrary. The law says they do.”

Mia turned toward the Chancellor. “Chancellor Voss, read Article Nine of the Regency Act.”

Voss looked at her for a moment before reaching for the papers on his desk. He searched through them, found the page he needed, and adjusted his glasses.

“Article Nine states that a reigning Queen consort may demand a hearing before a temporary leadership vote is completed. Any attempt to deny this right is a violation of the Crown Charter.”

The duchess sat up straight. Lord Harcourt stopped tapping his fingers. Across the table, the two council members who hadn't voted exchanged uneasy looks.

Damian turned to the Chancellor. “That's an old law. Surely we have more important things to deal with.”

“It's still in effect,” Voss replied. “And since Her Majesty has formally requested a hearing, the council cannot proceed with the vote until she has been heard.”

Damian looked at Mia. “You seem to have forgotten why we're here. The kingdom needs someone to take charge.”

“And you think that someone should be you?”

“I think the people needs a leader who can act when others cannot.”

“Then perhaps you should start by learning to respect the King and the laws of his kingdom.”

Lord Harcourt shifted in his chair, watching the two of them. Damian had been so close to getting the votes he needed. Now Mia had stopped him with a single law.

Chancellor Voss picked up his wooden hammer and struck the desk.

“The vote is postponed for twenty-four hours. Her Majesty will be given the opportunity to address the council before any decision is made.”

Several council members began talking at once. Chairs scraped across the floor as they gathered their papers and prepared to leave.

Damian stayed where he was.

Mia turned away from him and headed for the doors. She had bought herself twenty-four hours, but she knew better than to think Damian would simply accept defeat.

She stepped into the hallway and stopped beside the wall. Her hands were shaking. She tucked them into her sleeves before anyone could notice.

“Your Majesty.”

Mia turned.

Chancellor Voss stood beneath the stone archway, leaning on his walking stick. The other council members had already left, leaving the two of them alone.

“Is there something else, Chancellor?”

He studied her for a moment before speaking.

“There's only one thing that can outrank a brother, Your Majesty.”

Mia frowned. “What do you mean?”

Voss leaned closer, lowering his voice.

“Do you know what it is?”