The sight of her sent a sharp pang through the king's heart. He moved closer, kneeling beside her. "Queen Mayana... what happened?"
Before the queen could speak, Kendroy took a deep breath and looked down, avoiding the king's piercing gaze. "My king… bad news," he said softly.
King Letuka's patience snapped. "Spill it, Kendroy!" he barked, his voice laced with authority and worry.
The physician hesitated for a second before finally saying, "My king, we lost the baby."
The words echoed through the room, sinking deep into everyone's hearts.
Queen Mayana's face crumpled in anguish. A sharp, broken sob tore from her throat, and she buried her face in her hands, her body shaking violently. Her dreams, her hopes of finally giving birth to a royal heir, had been shattered in an instant.
Kaira stood frozen, unable to process what she had just heard. She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of it. How had this happened so suddenly? Just last night, the queen had seemed fine.
Tears streamed down Mayana's face as she turned to Kaira. Her sorrow twisted into rage. With what little strength she had left, she pushed herself up and grabbed Kaira by the arms, shaking her violently.
"You killed my son! You killed my dear son, you witch!" the queen screamed hysterically. Her voice was filled with unbearable pain, her hands tightening around Kaira's arms like iron claws.
Kaira gasped, struggling to free herself. "W-What? What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" she cried out, her heart racing in fear and confusion.
The king was just as stunned. "Queen Mayana, what do you mean?" he asked, his voice sharp but uncertain.
Queen Mayana sobbed uncontrollably, crawling back toward the king, looking completely devastated. "Ask her! Ask this wench if she didn't kill my son!" she wailed, pointing at Kaira with hatred burning in her tear-filled eyes.
The room fell into a suffocating silence. The air was thick with tension.
The king turned sharply toward her, his voice cold. "Lady Kaira."
She flinched but didn't look up. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Come here," Letuka commanded. His tone was firm, and there was no room for hesitation.
Kaira took a few steps forward, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel Letuka's gaze on her like a weight.
"Did you have anything to do with this?" Letuka asked directly, his voice low but dangerous. "Did you poison the queen?"
Kaira's heart raced, panic flooding her senses.
Kaira shook her head furiously. "Your Majesty, I swear, I don't know what the queen is talking about! I'm just as surprised as you are! I would never—"
"Lies!" Queen Mayana cut her off with another anguished cry. "You did it! You killed my baby!"
Kaira was on the verge of tears herself. "Your Majesty, please, listen to me. I was with you last night. How could I have—"
"Enough!" the king interrupted, his voice booming through the chamber. He clenched his jaw tightly, glancing at the sobbing queen before looking back at Kaira.
A heavy silence stretched between them before he finally spoke. "Gilas! Take Lady Kaira to the cell. Interrogate her tomorrow morning, and if she is found guilty, she will remain in the dungeon until I decide her fate."
"Your Majesty, please!" Kaira screamed in panic as Gilas grabbed her arm. "I didn't do it! I don't know why the queen is saying this! Please, have mercy!" Her desperate cries filled the halls as Gilas dragged her away.
Queen Mayana collapsed back onto the bed, her sobs growing softer but no less painful. The king ran a frustrated hand down his face, exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders.
"Kendroy, take good care of the queen until she recovers," he ordered before turning and leaving the room without another word.
THE CELL
Kaira sat on the cold, damp floor of the dark cell. Her heart was still pounding from the shocking events that had just unfolded. How had she ended up here? One moment she was in the king's favor, and the next, she was accused of murder?
The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. She lifted her head to see Gilas standing outside her cell, his expression unreadable.
"Gilas... please, you have to believe me," Kaira whispered, her voice trembling. She moved closer, gripping the iron bars with both hands. "I swear, I didn't do it. I have no reason to harm the queen or her child. Please… just believe me."
Gilas hesitated. His heart clenched at the sight of her so vulnerable, her eyes pleading with him. "My lady…" he started, but stopped himself.
"Please, help me," Kaira continued. "There's only one person who can get me out of this mess—the Minister of Justice. Please, get to him. Tell him what happened. He will help me."
For a moment, Gilas didn't move. His gaze dropped to her hands, which were still gripping his through the bars. His heartbeat quickened, his thoughts racing.
Finally, he pulled his hands away, stepping back. "Excuse me, my lady," he murmured before turning and walking away, his mind troubled.
Kaira watched him leave, her stomach twisting with dread. She sank back onto the floor, staring at the stone wall in front of her. "I have to find a way out of this," she whispered to herself. "I can't let them ruin me."
LADY LARISA'S CHAMBER
Lady Larisa paced back and forth in her chamber, deep in thought. The queen's miscarriage had happened far sooner than she had planned.
"Who could have done this before me?" she muttered under her breath. "It was supposed to be my plan... but someone else acted first. Could it really be Lady Kaira? She doesn't seem capable of such a thing."
She narrowed her eyes. "Something is going on in this palace… and I need to find out who is behind it."
She turned sharply. "Senki!" she called to her personal maid.
"Yes, my lady?" Senki bowed.
"Go to the Minister of Justice's house. Inform him of what is happening at the palace. Not because I care about his daughter... but because this is a golden opportunity to gain something in return." A wicked smile spread across her face.
"Yes, my lady," Senki replied before hurrying out of the chamber.
Lady Larisa took a deep breath, straightened her dress, and stepped out of her room, heading toward the king's chamber. If there was a game being played in this palace, she intended to be the one to win.
---
The King's palace
In the large hall of the palace, King Letuka sat on his heavy, golden throne. The room was quiet, with only the sound of his slow, measured breathing and the soft tapping of his fingers on the armrest breaking the silence. Guards stood at attention around the room, their faces blank as they watched over the proceedings.
King Letuka's face was troubled. Although he did not care much if the child was a boy or a girl, he knew that any royal child must be protected. The child was a symbol of the royal line, and its loss was a matter of great honor and power. Still, he was angry and confused by what had happened.
One of the palace servants announced, "Your Majesty, Lady Larisa is here!"
The king's eyes narrowed as he spoke, "Come in." His voice was low and commanding.
Lady Larisa entered the hall with a calm air, her eyes fixed on the king. She bowed low and said, "My king, I am very sorry for the tragedy that has occurred." Her voice was soft, but there was a hidden edge to it.
The king's gaze was sharp and searching. "Why are you here, Lady Larisa?" he asked.
Larisa hesitated a moment before speaking carefully. "I told you before that there was something strange about Lady Kaira. I warned you to be cautious. Now, look at the damage. I believe she is responsible for this disaster. Ever since the day she came into the palace, she has acted in a very suspicious and desperate way. I believe she should be punished severely."
The king's eyes flashed with anger for a moment, but he tried to stay calm. "Lady Larisa, what if she is innocent?" he asked slowly, as if testing her. "What if your suspicions are wrong?"
Larisa's heart skipped a beat, but she recovered quickly. "My king, you know the queen has always been right about matters of the heart and betrayal. If the queen feels this pain, then I fear it must be true." Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke, but she quickly forced it to sound confident.
The king leaned forward, his face stern. "And what about you, Lady Larisa? Can I trust you not to lie to me?" he demanded, his tone challenging.
Larisa met his gaze and answered quickly, "Your Majesty, I would never lie to you. I only wish to protect our kingdom." Her voice was quiet but steady.
Just then, the royal announcer's voice boomed again, "Your Majesty, Lord Garius is here!"
The hall fell silent as all eyes turned toward the doorway.