The tower door creaked open, and I didn't need to look up to know who it was. The scent of jasmine and amber—Sapphire's signature perfume—filled the small space before she did.

"Eden," she said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "I thought I might find you here."

I kept my eyes on the book in my lap, though the words blurred before me. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Your Majesty?"

Sapphire's laugh tinkled like breaking glass. "Oh, I'm not here on official business. Just one woman to another."

She glided across the room, her silk dress whispering against the stone floor. Even in this barren tower, she managed to look like she belonged in a palace. I closed my book slowly, finally meeting her gaze.

"Wilson is so worried about you," she continued, perching on the edge of my narrow bed. "He fears you might be... unstable."

"Does he?" I asked, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me.

"Yes." Sapphire smoothed her skirt, her eyes glittering with malice beneath her innocent expression. "He told me how you tried to use your... abilities to manipulate him. It was quite disturbing."

I said nothing, watching her carefully. The system interface in my mind pulsed quietly, counting my remaining points.

"He described how you'd try to predict his needs," she continued, leaning closer. "How you'd manufacture signs of divine favor. It was almost... pathetic."

My fingers tightened around the book's edge. "Is there a point to this visit, Sapphire?"

Her smile widened. "Just sharing some truths you might not know. Like how Wilson trembles when he thinks about your powers. How he wakes up in the night, afraid you might appear beside him."

I forced myself to remain still as she reached out to touch my hair. "All that power," she murmured, "and it couldn't make him truly love you. Isn't that sad?"

Something snapped inside me. I grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard enough to make her gasp.

"You think you've won?" I hissed, my face inches from hers. "You have no idea what real power looks like."

Sapphire's eyes widened with genuine fear. "Let go of me!"

"Or what?" I increased the pressure, watching as red marks appeared on her pale skin. "You'll tell Wilson? Go ahead. Tell him how the dangerous former Queen attacked you."

She tried to pull away, but I held firm, my grip leaving visible bruises on her delicate wrist.

"Stop!" she cried, her voice rising to a scream. "Guards! Help me!"

I released her just as the door burst open. Commander Rafael Stone rushed in, followed by two guards. Their eyes widened at the sight of Sapphire clutching her wrist, tears streaming down her face.

"She attacked me!" Sapphire sobbed, pointing at me with a trembling finger. "She's insane!"

The guards moved toward me, but I remained seated, my expression calm. "Tell them the truth, Sapphire. Tell them why you really came here."

Commander Stone hesitated, looking between us. "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"She's dangerous!" Sapphire cried, backing toward the door. "Lock her away somewhere else! She'll kill me if she gets the chance!"

The commotion echoed through the tower as they escorted Sapphire out, her sobs fading down the corridor. I could hear the whispers starting already—the former Queen had attacked the beloved new Queen. Dangerous. Unstable.

Perfect.

---

Hours later, as moonlight spilled through the narrow window, I heard the door open again. This time, the footsteps were heavier, more deliberate.

"Eden." Hector's voice was low, cautious.

I turned to face him, noting the dark circles under his eyes. He looked as exhausted as I felt.

"Come to arrest me for harming your precious Sapphire?" I asked, gesturing to the chair across from me.

Hector closed the door behind him. "I came to understand."

"Understand what? That I'm a threat to your brother's new toy?"

He flinched at the bitterness in my voice but didn't retreat. "Sapphire told me what happened."

"And you believe her, of course."

"I believe," he said carefully, "that you wouldn't harm her without reason."

I studied him for a long moment, then made my decision. The system interface flashed in my mind as I accessed the information I needed.

"I need your help, Hector," I said finally.

"My help?" His eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Yes." I stood, moving closer to him. "I want to offer you a deal."

"A deal?"

"I'll help you become king," I said, my voice cold and clear. "And in return, you guarantee my freedom when you succeed."

Hector stared at me, shock evident on his face. "You think I could...?"

"Wilson has three major weaknesses," I continued, as if he hadn't spoken. "His paranoia about my abilities, his blind trust in Sapphire, and his fear of losing control. With my remaining points and knowledge of the court dynamics, I can exploit all three."

"Why would you help me?" Hector asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled thinly. "Because unlike your brother, you at least have the decency to look me in the eye when you're planning to use me."

Hector's eyes searched my face, looking for something—truth, deception, or perhaps simply reassurance that I wasn't the monster Sapphire claimed me to be.

"You want to make me king," he repeated, his voice still barely above a whisper.

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral despite the system interface blinking in my mind. *Points remaining: 237/1000*

"And what do you get from this arrangement?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"Freedom," I replied simply. "When you become king, you guarantee my safe passage out of Astoria."

Hector's brow furrowed. "That's all? Just to leave?"

"What else would I want from a kingdom that's already discarded me?" I asked, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice.

He studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "I accept your proposal, Eden."

I felt a small surge of triumph as the system acknowledged our agreement. *Alliance formed. Long-term mission activated.*

"But I have conditions," Hector continued, his voice hardening slightly. "First, you will not use your... abilities against anyone unless absolutely necessary."

"Agreed," I said, though I knew circumstances might force my hand.

"Second," he said, his eyes darting to the window where moonlight spilled through, "you will tell me everything you know about Wilson's weaknesses."

I smiled thinly. "That's precisely what I intend to do."

Hector's gaze lingered on my face, a mixture of suspicion and fascination in his eyes. "And third... when this is over, when I'm king... Sapphire will understand why I did this."

Ah, there it was—the real motivation. Not ambition alone, but love for the woman who had chosen his brother over him.

"Sapphire will be free to make her own choices," I said carefully. "But I can promise you this—if you become king, no one will stand in your way."

---

The days blurred together as I began coaching Hector from my tower prison. Each morning, he would come under the pretense of checking on my welfare, but we both knew the real purpose.

"The Duke of Aragon is visiting next week," I told him, pacing the small space between my bed and the window. "He controls the northern territories—if you can win his support, Wilson's position weakens significantly."

Hector leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "How do you suggest I do that?"

"Offer him something Wilson hasn't—respect for the old traditions." I pulled a small leather-bound book from beneath my pillow and handed it to him. "This contains all the duke's interests, his family history, and his grievances against Wilson."

Hector's eyebrows rose as he flipped through the pages. "How did you compile this?"

"I was Queen for a year," I reminded him. "I listened when others didn't."

The system interface flashed in my mind as I allocated points to create a small but significant advantage for Hector—a timely rain that would save the duke's crops just as he was considering Wilson's new taxation policy.

"I'll need more than information," Hector said, tucking the book into his jacket. "The nobles remember you fondly, but they fear Wilson."

"Then give them something to hope for," I replied. "Promise them what Wilson never could—stability without tyranny."

---

The castle's shadows became my allies as I carefully built my network of informants. Isabella Torres, once the head of my household staff, now worked in the kitchens—overlooked by Wilson but still fiercely loyal to me.

"Your Majesty," she whispered as she brought my evening meal, her eyes darting nervously to the door.

"Just Eden now," I corrected gently.

She shook her head stubbornly. "Always Your Majesty to me."

I smiled, taking the small folded note she slipped beneath the plate. "Any news?"

"Commander Stone has been asking questions about the guard rotations," she murmured. "And Lady Catherine has been seen meeting with Lord Blackwood in the east garden."

I nodded, committing the information to memory. These seemingly insignificant details could mean everything in our carefully orchestrated plan.

Later that night, I decoded Isabella's note using the system's encryption algorithm. The message contained detailed information about Wilson's military strategies—troop movements, weapon caches, and defensive weaknesses.

I copied the information onto a small parchment and gave it to Hector during his next visit.

"How did you obtain this?" he asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Wilson thinks he's purged all my supporters," I replied. "He forgets that the servants see everything—and they remember kindness."

Hector studied the map of Wilson's defensive positions, his expression thoughtful. "This is... invaluable."

"It's just the beginning," I promised, watching as he folded the parchment carefully. "There are nobles who remember my reign with fondness—not because I was powerful, but because I treated them with respect."

As Hector slipped out of my tower room, I caught a glimpse of movement in the courtyard below—a shadow that seemed to watch our windows with particular interest.

My system interface pulsed a warning. *Surveillance detected.*

Someone was watching us more closely than we realized.