Conquest of Magic

Part 58

Once they were out of earshot, the queen resumed the interrupted conversation.

"The wedding will be held tomorrow, and I want Mr. Aron and Theo to take care of the wedding preparations," the queen commanded with authority, her voice cutting through the room.

"But we have so much to do! We need to get her dress, arrange her makeup, set up the theme, and send out invitations," Jasmin exclaimed, her frustration evident as she spoke over the murmurs of the ministers who were already in discussion.

The room fell silent for a moment after Jasmin's outburst. Her expression shifted from frustration to a look of realisation, as if she had been caught red-handed. The tension broke when the queen burst into laughter, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked at Jasmin's innocent face. The ministers soon joined in, and even I couldn't help but smile at the unexpected turn of events. Even Stanley, standing beside me, had a playful grin on his face.

"Child, the wedding was meant to be a surprise for Kristen, and we've been planning it for over a month. Unfortunately, recent circumstances forced me to reveal our plans to the council," the queen explained, her laughter subsiding into a warm smile. "All you need to focus on now is getting Kristen ready for her big day."

I exchanged a puzzled glance with Amrin, who looked just as confused as I felt. The queen's ability to effortlessly turn a tense moment into a light-hearted one was both surprising and reassuring.

As I made my way down the corridor towards my room, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling about Sophia. Despite my initial urge to ignore her, curiosity got the better of me. Why was she so insistent on attending my wedding? I knew she still had feelings for Stanley, and Sophia wasn't the type to let things go easily. There had to be more to her visit here—perhaps someone was influencing her, or she had a hidden agenda.

I paused outside Sophia's door, steeling myself before knocking. To my surprise, she opened it almost immediately, wearing that familiar fake smile that never quite reached her eyes.

"Is there anything I can help you with, princess?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but I brushed it off and entered her room gracefully, ignoring her confusion.

"You're here to stop the wedding, aren't you?" I confronted her directly, refusing to circle around the issue. Sophia's reaction was immediate; her head whipped around to face me, her usually impeccable white hair slightly tousled with surprise.

Before she could respond, I cut her off. "Don't deny it," I insisted firmly, staring her down.

Sophia hesitated, clearly taken aback by my directness. "Well, you're mistaken, princess. I mean no harm," she protested weakly, attempting to feign innocence once more.

"Oh, really? Don't play dumb with me, Sophia," I retorted, feeling a surge of frustration. I knew there was more to her presence here than met the eye.

"Did William send you? He must be losing his mind right now, plotting ways to stop the wedding. And you're the sacrificial lamb they've sent," I speculated, a touch of bitterness creeping into my voice. I wanted to provoke a reaction from her, knowing Sophia wouldn't speak freely unless challenged or insulted—and I had chosen the latter.

Sophia's expression hardened, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something in her eyes—between anger and hatred. I held her gaze firmly, waiting for her next move, knowing this confrontation could reveal more than I was prepared for.

"You don't deserve to be the queen, and you definitely don't deserve to receive love from both brothers," she spat out venomously, her words cutting through the air like shards of glass. "You played with Prince William's feelings and broke his heart, and now you're marrying his brother. Don't you see? You're the reason behind everything, and because of you, history is repeating itself. You're just like Queen Amanda, letting power consume you. You must feel superior, wielding powers inherited from dead witches, right?"