The door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing in the tense silence that followed.
It left only Nheera and Azul standing in the room.
Almost instantly, Azul's playful demeanor fell away. The teasing light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something far more serious as he turned to face his mother fully.
"Of all the noblewomen you could have chosen from," he said sternly, "you picked the most timid of them all. Hairan will chew her up and spit her back out, and it will be your fault. You brought him a mouse when you should have found a shark."
Nheera waved a dismissive hand, her expression unmoved. "Her family is very influential and rich, and that is what matters for now. Everything else is trivial by comparison." She tilted her head slightly. "A year in the royal court will force her to grow a backbone. Your concerns are unnecessary."
Then she paused, her gaze growing distant. "Elka will adjust to the role of queen just as I had to. Just as every queen before me has."
