On hearing the doors of the room close, Morganna who had until then behaved as if she had lost her consciousness, slowly opened her eyes, while making sure there was no one in the room. She moved the blanket out of the way, and she sat at the edge of the bed. She had to get rid of Selene away from the castle right this instant.
Readying to call a servant, she opened her lips but instead, someone beat her to it.
“How are you feeling now, grandmother?” questioned Calhoun, making her jump out of her skin. She snapped her head to catch sight of Calhoun coming out of the shadows.
“How dare you stay in my room. Get out right now,” Morganna threatened in a low tone.
Calhoun tsked, his tongue clicking in his mouth, “So much of anger, it is not good for you, especially not at your age. Let me get you a glass of water,” he smiled at her.
“All I need to do is harm myself, and blame it on you on how you have been trying to attack me,” she glared at him.
“Me attacking you? The Queen? I would never do something like that, how dare I,” commented Calhoun, his words filled in sarcasm. “You are thinking too much, grandmother. Why don’t you take some more rest in the bed.”
“What do you want?” asked Morganna in a low tone. She wanted Calhoun out of her sight, all she wanted was to be the Queen and have this little pest out of her castle.
Calhoun leaned his back against the chair, “I don’t think you will be able to give what I want.”
“I will give something to compensate you. You can address me as your grandmother in the royal court room, or anywhere else.”
Hearing this Calhoun couldn’t control his laugh and his shoulders started to shake at Queen Morganna’s humour. “It seems like you have lost your sense of thinking. What makes you think I have any interest in addressing you? I am not happy with your offer. I am sure you can get something better than this in that old rusted mind of yours. Come on, think.”
Morganna didn’t know what Calhoun was playing at, but if she was able to fulfill it, she decided to do it. It was because Calhoun had been very close to exposing her today, and if she hadn’t fainted, who knew what would have happened.
“I will help you turn to the King,” offered Morganna, “Everyone wants to be the King, I will help you with it and you can rule Devon. I will be right here to guide you.”
“Tch, you are a foolish woman. Why does a King need guidance?” he raised one of his eyebrows. “But your offer does seem enticing. How do you think you are going to achieve it? I will forget about your little wealth that you have accumulated until now if you turn me into a King soon.”
Morganna knew her son Laurence was useless, while Calhoun was smart and at the same time, he was also cunning.
Right now, an axe was hanging above her neck and there was no telling when Calhoun would let it drop. It was as if he was playing the cat and mouse game, and so far, he was winning.
“How do I know you won’t throw me out if I turn you to the next King of Devon?” questioned Morganna, her red eyes staring at Calhoun.
“You do have a point,” agreed Calhoun.
“I will give you guarantee. An agreement drawn out between us that if I do turn to be the King, you will be allowed to stay as the Queen, but I will be holding the reins in here,” said Calhoun, bringing his hand up to take a look at his nails. “It is quite a good deal compared to you being humiliated and shamed in front of everyone for stealing the commoners hard earned money.”
Calhoun gave her the time she needed to think, dropping his hand that took support of the chair and he tapped on the wood like the clock ticking its hand.
“Get me the guarantee, and I will help you to have the crown for yourself,” Morganna gave her word. “Until you don’t bring up your agreement, you cannot throw me under the wheels.”
“Is that the tone you use with your future King, grandmother? You forget that it is not I, but you who is at a disadvantage right now.”
Morganna gritted her teeth in anger. Calhoun had all the good cards, and she was stuck to lose everything.
“Do you think I come unprepared,” he said to her before pulling out rolled out parchments from his shirt. He moved away from the table so that she could come and take a look at it. “You can take your time in reading it, and sign it for me. This way we both uphold the deal. I will be waiting for your generous help.”
Saying this Calhoun opened the doors and he was about to step out, but he stopped right there.
“Don’t make the mistake of handing these parchments to father. It isn’t written in my handwriting and the document states that you are the one offering it to me and you are the one to prepare it,” he smiled at the woman. “I wouldn’t like to take the risk of you turning the King against me.”
Calhoun finally left the room, and Morganna pushed the chair in anger that crashed against the wall. How dare the boy try to threaten her! It was obvious that he wanted the throne and she would make use of that time to get some of the things sorted out so that the blame would not come to befall on her. She wanted to poison him, or have him beheaded.
She decided to take the help of her men who had infiltrated the High House and now worked there.
Walking outside, she called one of the guards who stood outside, “Get Arthur Horatio here. Tell him the Queen has summoned him and that it is of great importance.”
She didn’t know why Calhoun’s bodyguard was not thrown behind the bars in the dungeons. She had gone through extensive planning, going so far as to plant her men in the High House so that they could favour her and have the man executed. But nothing like that had happened.
