The Founding Families ruled Hervana–a country in the Lalei continent. It contained four cities; Sin City, Virtue City, Shipwreck City, and Desert City. While they were the prime rulers in the country, a duke and duchess each oversaw two cities. Lady Camilla controlled Sin City and Virtue City. Lord Blubolls led Shipwreck City and Desert City.

After Lady Camilla regained consciousness, the leaders of the Founding Families summoned her to their castle. She hadn't gotten the chance to apologize to Stella for fainting, but she told herself she would later.

Now, she stood in front of two gigantic guards clad in steel armor. They had a sword strapped to their waists and a shield on their backs. "Ahem!" Lady Camilla cleared her throat. The guards stepped away from the large wooden door behind them. Even though she liked how battle-ready they were, she preferred the ones she employed. They dressed like gentlemen and used rayguns to combat her enemies. The rayguns were adequate compared to the swords and shields these guards used.

But your guards failed to defend Stella.

She didn't want to think about that now. If she did, she wouldn't be able to face the Founding Families. To them, crying was a weakness. And she had the disadvantage of being a woman and an outsider. She didn't want to give them more reasons into thinking she was unqualified for the duchess role.

After this, I will ravage through Sin City and find those that ruined my auction.

A stray tear ran down her cheek, and she stroked it off. She had found it challenging to smother the bitter flames of her guilt. If she hadn't agreed to Michael's insistence on using Sin City rats as servants, none of this would have happened.

She suppressed her pent-up anger and put on an artificial smile. She didn't want one leader of the Founding Families seeing her at her lowest. But it would be hard since she had on the bloodied dress from last night.

"Open," she said.

One of them knocked on the door, and it opened, revealing a long purple carpet that went all the way to the throne. The room was grand enough to fit five hundred people. But now, seeing it empty, Lady Camilla guessed it could hold more than that.

Massive arched windows allowed the sun's light to brighten the room. And between them were tapestries. Each tapestry documented the journey of an ancestor of the Founding Families.

Brice Gunnar, Aden Wong, Sadie Mantosh, and Ara El Roudi. These were the founders of Hervana and the first members of the Founding Families.

Lady Camilla reached the throne and felt the power emanating from it. It was fashioned from ivory, covered in gold, and had a customized red velvet cushion. It also had rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones bought from Mine City. They were leaders in mineral production worldwide.

Beside the throne were three silver chairs of similar size and shape. One was to the right of the throne, while the others were on its left. Only one out of the four could sit on the golden throne and be the rightful ruler: The King.

The scent of honey filled the room, and Lady Camilla turned to its source. "My King." She bowed as King Solomon walked up the silver steps around the throne. He was the head of the Mantosh Founding Family and the King of Hervana. He had dark skin, green eyes, a chiseled jawline, a thick gray beard, and stood at an imposing six-foot-seven. Stella had once described him as a silver fox. Lady Camilla hadn't disagreed. At sixty-nine, he was the oldest and wisest of the four leaders.

"Camilla, it is delightful to see you again." King Solomon walked to Lady Camilla, grabbed her hand, and kissed it.

Butterflies ran up and down Lady Camilla's stomach. "Excuse me for how I am dress–"

King Solomon dismissed her words with a flick of his hand. "No need to explain yourself, Camilla. You have more pressing matters in your hands." He had assumed his seat at the throne. It fit him. His hands rested on the chair's arms, and his body leaned on the backrest. "How is Stella doing?"

"She's... doing well. She'll be fine, eventually." Lady Camilla gulped. She recalled how Stella's face looked after the bandages came off, and bile rose to her mouth. She swallowed it and clenched her hands into fists. Her daughter... Her precious, beautiful daughter was no more. The woman she saw at the hospital couldn't be the girl she had raised. It couldn't be. She didn't want to believe it.

"How did her wounds heal so fast, Little Milla?" a shrill voice said. It belonged to Nash, the head of the Gunnar Founding Family. Lady Camilla didn't need to turn to see the smirk on his face. The fair-skinned man had been a thorn in her back before she became the duchess. He had refused to accept a woman to lead any of the cities. Instead, he had advocated for Lord Blubolls to be in charge of all four. Fortunately for Lady Camilla, the public were the voters. Not Nash.

Lady Camilla realized straying away from the truth will empower Nash, and he would use it to take her down. "I used magic to heal her," she said. Hervana had banned magic usage. Anyone caught practicing it faced capital punishment.

Nash was about to speak when Lady Camilla added, "But it didn't work as I expected. It..." She looked at the floor. "It... made her..." She gulped. Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of Stella's unfamiliar face. "It..." She sniffled. "I apologize, My King. I made a terrible judgment call and wanted to save the Princess of Sin City and Virtue City. But I ended up making it worse. Maybe if..."

King Solomon had stepped away from his throne and stood before Lady Camilla. He put a hand on her shoulder. "I will forgive your usage of magic this time. As a parent, I understand what you are experiencing. As you know, six years ago, my son had been severely wounded in the war. He had lost both arms and right leg. What you do not know is I hired a healer to treat his wounds. Her magic saved his life, and I thank her to this day."

King Solomon's confession surprised Lady Camilla. She had heard about Junior's accident but never challenged how he had survived. She had chosen not too. But if magic was involved, then it explained how Junior could return to the army two weeks after his accident.

"If you acknowledge the benefits of magic, then why not allow it in Hervana?" she whispered to him so that the others wouldn't hear her. It was a crime even to suggest such a thing. But she trusted King Solomon to not overreact from it.

"I have tried, but the others think the healer bewitched me after saving Junior. If I keep insisting, they will believe their fallacy and call for a change in leadership. One of them will seize my crown, most likely Nash."

Lady Camilla gasped. "We wouldn't want that."

King Solomon chuckled. "No, we would not. Do not use magic again because I will be unable to protect you from Nash next time."

She bowed. "Thank you for sparing me, My King."

"Always." King Solomon returned to the throne. "In the present circumstances, what are you doing about the wings?"

"I will retrieve and deliver them to the buyer," Lady Camilla answered. "I promise, My King."

"Can we cut off the bullshit and tell Little Milla the truth?" Nash said, gazing at the other leaders. He was also King Solomon's best friend and right-hand man. And with that, he misused his power even though his primary role was diplomacy.

Lady Camilla gazed at the four heads and realized they were waiting for each other to say something to her. "What should I know?" she asked, instead.

"Cam, hello," Li said with a smile. She was the head of the Wong Founding Family. With honey skin, toned body, and light brown eyes, Li was one of the most attractive women in the world. She was fifty-five years old, but she didn't look a day over thirty.

"Madam Li." Lady Camilla bowed to her. Li had asked Lady Camilla to call her that when they initially met. "How are your children, Jubilee and John?"

"Still overseas studying." Li smiled. "But, disregarding that for a second, as you know, we spent a hefty price in acquiring the wings. And when we asked if you could safeguard them, you said yes."

"Who would have thought Little Milla was a liar?" Nash tsked. He referred to Lady Camilla as Little Milla to belittle her, but she didn't allow it to provoke her. He was trying to make her step out of line and state something unforgivable, so he could 'put her in her place.'

One day, I'll claim your life with my hands, she thought.

"But, the thing is," Li continued, "the buyer is an influential man from Techno City. He maintains connections all over the world. With his help, we hoped to develop relationships with other countries outside The Union. He also helped us seal the airbikes deal. So–"

"What Li's trying to say is, you have twenty-four hours to find the wings and deliver them to us, Little Milla," Nash chimed in. His frosty sky-blue eyes glared the duchess.

"I hope you believe us, Camilla," King Solomon added. "We are all on the same side here."

"I do."

King Solomon stood, and the rest followed. "In these troubling times, we need to work together. We are all fighting for the betterment of Hervana." He looked at his fellows. "We should provide Camilla forty-eight hours to regain the wings instead of twenty-four."

"I agree." Lin smiled.

"Whatever." Nash crossed his arms.

Ibrahim, the head of the El Roudi Founding Family, nodded. Although he was mute, he was the best fighter in the country and a tactical genius. Years ago, he had devised a plan that stopped Underwater City from invading Hervana.

"Forty-eight hours, Camilla. Do not forget," King Solomon reminded her, then left. Li and Ibrahim followed, but Nash had remained. Once the three had left the room, he rubbed back his golden hair and narrowed his eyes at her.

Lady Camilla crossed her arms. "What?"

"Solomon failed to mention this, but if you cannot find the wings in the agreed time, we will marry you off to the buyer. He fancies you. And that is a better prize to give him than the wings. Best of luck, Little Milla." Nash grinned as he walked away, leaving Lady Camilla shell-shocked.