Queens orders

Austin took a deep breath, steadying himself before making his way to his mother’s quarters. He wasn’t sure why she had summoned him, but after everything that had happened, he knew he had to be careful. His footsteps echoed through the long hallways as he approached the grand doors leading to her chamber.

He hesitated for a moment before pushing the doors open. Inside, his mother sat by the window, her expression unreadable as she turned to face him.

“You called for me, Mother?” Austin asked, his voice cautious.

She studied him for a moment, her sharp eyes scanning him as if searching for something. “Yes, I did,” she finally said, her tone cool. “Sit down.”

Austin obeyed, taking a seat across from her. He could feel the weight of her gaze on him, and it made his stomach churn with unease.

“Tell me, Austin,” she began, her fingers tapping against the armrest of her chair, “why do you keep getting yourself involved with Xander?”

Austin stiffened at the mention of his name. He hadn’t expected her to bring this up so soon. “I… I don’t know what you mean,” he said carefully.

His mother scoffed. “Don’t play dumb. You’ve been seen with him. You know what kind of man he is. He’s dangerous, obsessed. Do you really think you can control someone like him?”

Austin clenched his fists. “I don’t need to control him.”

His mother narrowed her eyes. “Then what are you doing, exactly?”

Austin hesitated. He didn’t have a proper answer. How could he explain everything? The pregnancy, Xander’s possessiveness, the way his heart raced whenever Xander looked at him. It was complicated—too complicated.

“I just… I need to figure things out,” he finally said.

His mother sighed, shaking her head. “You’re playing with fire, Austin. And fire has a way of burning everything in its path.”

Austin swallowed hard. He knew she wasn’t wrong. But was it already too late to turn back?

Austin shifted in his seat, gripping the fabric of his clothes as he met his mother’s piercing gaze. He knew she disapproved of Xander—of the way he clung to him, of the possessive nature that lingered in his every touch. But what could he do? It wasn’t as if he had chosen this path.

His mother exhaled sharply. “You look troubled,” she observed. “Is something else weighing on you?”

Austin hesitated, debating whether to tell her about the baby growing inside him. Would she even believe him? He was a man—pregnancy should have been impossible. And yet, here he was.

Instead, he chose his words carefully. “I just… I don’t think I can escape Xander, even if I wanted to.”

His mother’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Then you should be prepared for what that means,” she said darkly.

Austin frowned. “What do you mean?”

She stood up, walking over to the window as she looked down at the palace grounds. “Xander is not the type of man to let go of what he claims as his. If you truly cannot escape him, then you must learn to navigate his madness… or be consumed by it.”

Austin felt a chill run down his spine. He already knew Xander was dangerous, obsessive—but hearing his mother say it so plainly made it all the more real.

“I need to go,” he said suddenly, standing up.

His mother turned to face him again, her expression unreadable. “Be careful, Austin.”

Austin nodded stiffly before leaving the room, his mind clouded with thoughts.

As he walked through the palace halls, he wondered—was there really no way out? Or had he already sealed his fate?

To be continued

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