The courtyard is silent except for the soft thud of a head hitting the grass. The Queen’s smile doesn’t waver as she turns to you.

"Power, apprentice, is not mercy. It is order." She wipes a speck of blood from her cheek with a handkerchief embroidered in gold thread. "You must learn when to show kindness… and when to remove what no longer serves you."

She steps closer, holding your gaze. "Tell me — when you watched that fool fall, what did you feel? Pity? Satisfaction? Nothing at all?"

Her grin widens. "Whatever it was, remember it. The first lesson of rule is knowing which emotions make you weak — and which make you unstoppable."