“We can begin,” the Queen said calmly, “Apologies for the trouble, Nora.”

“No problem at all,” Nora replied, standing gracefully from her seat. Her smile was light, almost amused. “You’re a dear friend, Mirelda. How could I refuse your favor?”

“What the hell…” I muttered, a sharp pain rippling through my skull. My knees buckled, and I dropped to one, clutching my forehead. “Shit... this hurts.”

“Now,” Nora said, her voice soft yet commanding as she slowly approached me, “get up.”

I wasn’t sure how or why, but my body obeyed. My legs straightened against my will, and I stood, locking eyes with her. Her irises glowed faintly pink, an unnatural, almost hypnotic shimmer. For a moment, she seemed to radiate a soft light, her presence consuming the room. Something was definitely off—everything about her felt amplified, almost divine.

She circled me, her eyes scanning as if I were prey under scrutiny. Then, she stopped in front of me and pressed a hand to my chest, her fingers lingering over my pounding heart. My body refused to move; I stood there, frozen, like a puppet waiting for its strings to be pulled.

“I want you to show me your deepest desires, Axel,” she whispered, her tone both soothing and invasive. “Tell me who you really are.”

“I’m…” I struggled to speak, the words stuck in my throat.

“Really, Mother?” the blonde girl interjected from her seat, her voice tinged with irritation. “Do you truly suspect the boy who saved your life?”

“You never know,” the Queen replied coolly, her sharp eyes locked on me. “Continue, Nora.”

Nora closed her eyes and leaned in, her forehead brushing against mine. Her warm breath mingled with mine, the intimacy unsettling. My chest tightened as her heartbeat synchronized with mine, her presence overwhelming every sense.

Then, something shifted. Her brows furrowed deeply, confusion flickering across her face. She pulled back, glancing at the Queen. “Huh, would you look at that… this is unexpected.”

“What is it?” the Queen asked, her tone sharp and impatient. “What’s his deepest desire? To kill me? To aid the elves? What about his past?”

“Strangely… I wasn’t able to see his past.”

“Mm… that raises some questions…” the Queen said, then shook her head. “So, what’s his deepest desire? All the elves we caught wanted one thing: to kill me. He is the same?”

“No,” Nora said softly, a bittersweet smile forming on her lips. “Should I show you?”

“Do it,” the Queen said without hesitation.

Nora approached me again, her steps slow. Then, she opened her arms and embraced me, pulling my head to rest on her shoulder. I didn’t fight it; I couldn’t. Her touch felt unnervingly familiar. Slowly, she guided me to sit on the floor as she lowered herself into a chair. My head rested on her lap, and her fingers began to trace the scar from my bullet wound, the motion delicate and almost maternal.

“There, there,” she murmured, her voice soft and comforting. “Mom will always love you. Even when no one else does, I do.”

It wasn’t her voice anymore. It was my mother’s.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“You do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, dull and hollow.

“Yes. And I’m proud of you,” she continued, the warmth in her voice enough to sting. “Proud of the man you’ve become.”

“Really?” I asked again with the same boring tone.

“Really,” she whispered before pressing a gentle kiss to my bullet wound.

My hand instinctively reached for hers, holding it tightly. For a moment, I was lost in the illusion, the pain of the world fading away. Then, like a shattering mirror, clarity returned. I jerked away, stumbling backward. My foot caught the leg of a chair, and I collapsed onto the floor. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared at her, the room spinning around me.

“The boy who saved you has some major mommy issues, Mirelda,” Nora said, her smile turning playful again. “He’s no traitor. I can confidently say that. He doesn’t hate you. He doesn't even care for you, to be honest.”

“What just happened?” I demanded, keeping my face neutral.

“You’ve officially been charmed, my dear,” Nora said, tilting her head as if explaining something obvious. “We Sensaras can do that. Was this your first time?”

“Sensara? What’s that?” I asked, still disoriented.

“Huh?” the blonde girl scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It’s an entire race, you idiot. How could you not know that?”

“There were no sensaras in my country,” I stammered, trying to recover.

“Putra’s king was a sensara,” Nora added, crossing her arms.

“I didn’t know that,” I lied quickly. “We were isolated from the real world.” I stopped, shaking my head. “I… I heard my mother’s voice. It was so real.”

“Yes,” Nora replied, her tone laced with mockery. “Your deepest desire is hearing your mother tell you she’s proud of you. How utterly dull. And here I thought the only boring thing about you was your half-lidded stare.”

“So… I wasn’t poisoned?” I asked, my voice uneven as I steadied myself.

“That was just a precaution,” the Queen replied smoothly, her tone as sharp as her gaze. “After witnessing what you did to that forest, I had to ensure you were… manageable.”

Nora scoffed softly, pushing her chair back and standing with a graceful stretch. “Even though I told you it wouldn’t be necessary,” she remarked, walking back to her original seat.

“I prefer to be cautious around strangers,” the Queen said, her chin resting lightly on her palm as she regarded me. “Still, I must admit, Axel, you’ve earned yourself a reward.”

“I have?”

“You helped me when you didn’t have to,” she continued, rising to her feet. Her tone was almost playful, but her piercing eyes left no room for argument. “So, yes. Tell me, what would you like? Men usually want two things… Gold? Women?”

At her signal, a nearby guard opened the door. Moments later, three women entered the room. Their attire—or lack thereof—was so revealing that it barely served its purpose. They wore thin strips of fabric that clung to their bodies, leaving little to the imagination. Each of them bowed deeply, then stood before the throne, their gazes downcast as they awaited orders.

I felt a surge of discomfort. Asking to return to my world wasn’t an option, not with the way things were. That would only invite suspicion. I dismissed the thought, straightening my rich but dusty clothes and fixing my attention back on the Queen.

“Your Highness,” I began carefully, “I’d like to request something else… from you, if it pleases you.”

“What a bold little man!” Nora interjected, laughing as she slapped the table. “You’re asking for the Queen herself, aren’t you? A bedchamber request, huh?”

“How dare you?” the blonde girl snapped, glaring at me like I’d committed treason.

“No!” I said quickly, raising a hand to diffuse the tension. “It’s nothing like that. I don’t want women—or anything of that sort. Certainly not you, Queen.”

Mirelda arched a brow, her expression unreadable. “Certainly not me?” she repeated. “Explain yourself.”

“I mean…” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “I’m a commoner, while you’re a queen. Something like that isn’t even in the realm of possibility for someone like me. Not even in my dreams.” My voice was steady, but intentionally dull, hoping to seem as neutral as possible.

“Good save,” Nora said with a sly grin, reclining in her chair.

The Queen’s lips pressed into a thin line, her patience evidently wearing thin. “Before I change my mind and decide to hang you,” she said icily, “tell me plainly—what is it that you want?”