Ren and Elena stood frozen in shock.
The once-regal Queen Floraia lay slumped lifelessly on her throne. In her place sat a red-haired Fey whose crimson locks cascaded down her back like molten lava.
An oppressive aura radiated from the woman, filling the throne room with an invisible pressure. Her piercing green eyes swept over Ren and Elena, scrutinizing them with the cold calculation of a predator assessing its prey.
Then she rose.
Her footsteps echoed across the marble floor as she approached, each measured step amplifying the tension in the room. There was something deeply unsettling about her presence, something that made Ren's instincts scream at him to stay alert.
Elena's face paled.
"Lady Russet . . ."
Ren glanced at her. "You know her?"
"She's Queen Aurora's sister and the current ruler of Autumn Palace."
"Half-sister," the red-haired Fey corrected without breaking stride. "And you must be the adventurer sent to investigate my half-sister's missing body."
