The more Lina learned about the empire she was supposed to inherit, the more hopeless her prospects seemed. Her uncles and nephews all commanded territories larger than hers, possessed greater resources, and had more experience navigating the political world. Compared with them, she was practically a lamb wandering into a pack of wolves. She could easily imagine herself being crushed by their schemes before she even had a chance to understand what was happening.
For a moment, Lina seriously considered whether there might be a quick and painless way to end her life.
