All ministers and local regional heads were crammed into the Leguan staff room. They sat shoulder to shoulder along a conference table made from smaller tablecloth-covered plastic tables. Winnie sat by Helena, both because Helena begged for her to be there, and because she was technically the Head of the Exemplar Committee now that she had her body back.

"So pardon me, Your Majesty," said a general, "If we haven't been dealing with you these past few weeks, that means the peace work with China... it was this Alexander?"

"It was, but he was using mind control."

"The same mind control he supposedly used on all us?"

"It's not supposedly," Helena said. "He was."

"Are we still being mind controlled?"

"No. You're not. I'm not going to use any kind of mind control."

"Did your mother use mind control?"

"No. I don't think she did."

"You don't know for sure?"

"I don't think she had the ability. The mind-control showed up after those glyphs got out in the open."

"But she would have?" asked another.

"I don't know," Helena said. "I'm not her."

"I don't think she would have," Winnie interjected. "It wouldn't have interested her. She wouldn't have considered it actually ruling people. More controlling them."

"But she did use mind control to assault the Manakin?"

"Out of necessity," Helena said. "And it wasn't an assault. She just snuck aboard to get rid of Alexander. Alexander was the one who sunk the citadel."

"I thought you said your mother did."

"I meant he was the one who set the bomb. My mother sank it to contain the blast."

The men and women in the council chamber still looked confused.

"So how can we be sure that you're really Helena?" a minister asked.

Helena opened her mouth. Closed it. With a sigh, she unhooked her necklace. Her aura came to life. "Here. Read my mind."

Everyone reacted. "Ma'am. Put that back on. It's not safe," the general said.

"It's perfectly safe."

"The enemy can strike from anywhere."

"I've already explained. Just... do you want to read my mind or not?"

She looked each person in the eyes one after another. Many averted their gaze, but most took her up on their offer. Some gaped. Other stared, eyes fixed on Helena with intensity. Others simply glanced, then nodded.

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"Do you all believe me now?" she asked.

No one replied.

Eventually, a minister spoke. "Are you going to tell people what happened?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure that's wise, ma'am," said the general. "If people learn how easily the empire was usurped—that you spent two weeks imprisoned in an animal while some maniac ran the country—it could cause panic."

"And no one will react positively to knowing their minds have been controlled," said another. "They're already wary of the Exemplar Committee. This could strain their tolerance to the breaking point."

"I know," Helena said. "That's why I'm going to make some changes. My mother used the exemplars to control people while keeping secrets from everyone, even me. I, however, will not be a hypocrite. I'm dissolving the Exemplar Committee."

Everyone's reaction was immediate.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't do that," an admiral said. "The Committee holds this empire together. Your mother put a lot of faith into foreign militaries enforcing her reign on their soil. If the exemplars aren't there to ensure loyalty, rebellion will occur. Parts of this empire would secede the moment they had the chance."

"Maybe that's part of the problem," Helena said. "Maybe we shouldn't force ourselves in places we're not welcome."

"You're not suggesting we relinquish control?" the admiral asked.

"We've already lost control of Northern Europe," Helena countered. "Asia is in riots right now, and we don't have any forces in India anymore."

"But voluntarily give up control? Showing weakness like that would lead to war. Many of these countries would unite against us if they thought that they could get away with it. The exemplars and our control over food supplies are what barely hold this empire together. I understand why you want to disband the Committee. It's a noble cause, but we just can't right now."

"Okay," Helena said. She donned her shield stone. Her aura was betraying her cool, confident presentation. "But the people don't deserve to live under the constant threat that we can read their minds while they can't read ours. They don't trust us anymore. That needs to change. Maybe from now on, they should have a right to demand screenings from those who control them."

Again, her audience clambered to respond.

"You want them to read our minds?" one outspoken minister said.

"We've spent years reading theirs," Helena said. "But nobody read ours. And look what happened. We're the ones that failed them."

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty," a minister replied. "That's lunacy."

"Of course we can," Helena replied. "Why not?"

"People would lose faith in the empire."

"More than they already have?"

"Yes. You are our queen because of who your mother was. That's it. If people find out that it's possible to switch bodies, and that Victoria was actually someone else in Victoria's body, what does that say about your right to rule?"

Helena hesitated.

"And what about state secrets, ma'am? What would happen if the location of our nuclear arsenal became public knowledge? What's to stop them from taking information about military operations from our head and selling them to another nation? What if they—"

"I get it," Helena said. "So we won't open ourselves up that entirely. All I know is that my mother was never checked by anyone, and that's part of what caused this whole problem. And I still believe if we can read other people's minds, they should have the right to read ours."

"A right?" asked the general. "Your mother had a saying about rights. They're—"

"I know what my mother used to say." Helena stopped and composed herself. "So maybe we don't dissolve the Exemplar Committee, but there has to be more accountability. The world is changing every day. People have lost trust, and we need to earn it back." She sighed. "I know I'm... My administration is still getting a handle on things, but I will do what's best. Will you stand by me?"

There was silence at first. Winnie was worried no one would answer.

Then, "Of course, Your Majesty."

It was the general. He took his shields stone from around his neck and laid it on the table. His eyes met Helena's.

"I support you," said a minister. She too set aside her stone and looked at Helena.

One by one each person at the table pledged their support. Whether by choice or by pressure, they all removed their shields as they did so. There was nothing to hide.

"Good," Helena said.