As Rigel walked in the throne hall, his gaze locked with his father, King Mintaka. The two were in a staring contest until he reached the dais on which the throne was set. Rigel could feel the riveting gazes of all the courtiers as he walked in the middle of them.


    When he reached in front of the king, he sank on one knee and bowed to the king, showing his fealty to him.


    Mintaka was surprised to see Rigel. His messenger had already informed him that he hade, but the fact that he hade alone was what the king liked. "Wee back, Prince Rigel," he said in a loud, authoritative voice.


    Rigel got up, bowed to him again and then quietly trudged to the chair where he used to sit on the right row. But surprise surged through him when he saw that it was upied by none other than Prince Okab. Rigel red at the prince but Okab didn''t move from there. Rigel reached his ce and, in a cold, lethal voice said, "Prince Okab, perhaps you are sitting on the wrong chair." He pointed to a vacant chair at the end of the row and said, "I request you to kindly sit over there."


    Okab glowered at him. He knew that since Rigel was the Crown Prince, this was his ce to sit. If he created anymotion right now, it would be taken as rebellion against him. The courtiers didn''t know what he and Meissa had nned, nor did they know much about Lerna, hence, it was better that he conceded to what Rigel said. He rose to his feet and said, "My apologies, Prince Rigel. Please take your rightful ce. It''s just that this chair looked so empty and cold that I sat on it."


    Rigel heard some courtiers snickering andughing in a low voice. He knew that Okab had taken a jab at him, that he was absent from his duties for a very long time and that he was useless ever since he found his mate. But Rigel didn''t reply back to him immediately. As soon as Okab left, he sat in his ce and then as Okab turned to leave, he said, "I am d that you have recognized your right ce."


    Okab turned sharply at him, his jaws clenched, but Rigel didn''t even look at him. His eyes fell on the king who watched Okab. Seething on the inside, Okab strode to the chair that was at the end of the row.


    After the court proceedings, while the king went to the meeting chamber, Rigel walked back to his room. He was feeling dirty after having traveled nonstop for two days to reach his kingdom. He took a nice bath, all the while thinking of Lerna. He had a lot of work in front of him and the most important was to convince his parents about Lerna. Though he knew that they were too strict and hated Lerna to the extent that they would ask him to reject her. Just the word ''rejection'' made him shudder and restless. As such without Lerna, every day was getting difficult. His wolf was getting restless and wanted to go back to his mate. Rigel was having a tough time controlling him too.


    When he came out of the bath and got dressed, he heard someone pounding at his door. "Rigel. Rigel!" It was Princess Tabit, his younger sister.


    Rigel chuckled as he shook his head. He asked the guards to open the doors for her. And as soon as the doors opened, a bundle of energy charged in. Tabit rushed inside and threw herself on her brother, squealing his name. "Where were youuuu?" she said loudly as she hugged her brother tightly.


    ? Rigelughed as he wrapped his arms around his little sister to embrace her in a bear hug. Tabit was the youngest amongst them, having seen only twenty-one summers.


    Tabit pulled herself away from him and remarked, "You look like shit!"


    "What? I just took a bath!" he protested.


    Tabitughed excitedly. "Where is Princess Lerna?" she asked, looking around in the room.


    Rigel''s eyebrows furrowed. He looked in his sister''s eyes as if doubting her intentions. She smacked his upper arm and said, "Stop being so skeptical!" She grabbed his hand and then took him to sit on the couches near the ss wall that overlooked the gardens.


    "I thought you all hated her…" Rigel said, still uncertain of Tabit.


    Tabit sighed as she sat on the couch. She patted the ce beside her and said, "Sit!"


    "What is going on, Tabit?" asked Rigel as he sat beside her and rxed his back.


    "First, I never hated Princess Lerna," she said and then pursed her lips.


    "But you avoided her back in Draka!" Rigel replied, narrowing his eyes because he was unable to gauge his sister''s intentions.


    "I was forced to," she sighed.


    "By whom?"


    "By Meissa and Mother," she said in a sad voice


    Rigel was stunned into silence. He didn''t know how to respond to that.


    Tabit continued, "I came to warn you brother…" She looked at him with her lips downturned. "I don''t know why but Meissa has changed. She wants to im the throne and I am sure that she will be using Lerna against you."


    Though Rigel didn''t have many doubts about it, Tabit''s words made a dent in his heart. "How do you know?" he asked.


    Tabit sped and unsped and then resped her fingers in herp, feeling nervous. "She has started spreading rumors about your mate amongst the servants and guards in the pce. She knows that these people are going to spread it further in the kingdom."


    Dread sted in him and he rubbed his chest. He looked away from Tabit towards the well-manicured gardens of the pce. He felt he was… alone in this. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Is mother with her?"


    "Both Mother and Father are with her, but—" Tabit paused as she gazed into his eyes. "As long as your mate isn''t here, they are happy. They won''t ept a princess from Hydra to be their Crown Princess. And Meissa is taking advantage of it."