The Grand Empress lifted her teacup with poise and took a slow sip before setting it back down with a soft clink. Only then did she give Lola her full attention.
"Drink up, dear," she said, motioning toward Lola's untouched tea.
"Oh yes, of course." Lola hurriedly lifted the cup to her lips and took a polite sip, though it felt like her throat was lined with cotton.
The Empress studied her for a moment before leaning slightly forward.
"Now that that's out of the way… what exactly are you doing?"
Lola blinked. "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?"
"Don't play coy." Augusta's tone remained calm, but her eyes sharpened. "I know you've been with my grandson. Don't look so scandalised, I wasn't born yesterday."
A rush of heat bloomed on Lola's cheeks. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unsure of what to say.
"Don't get all bashful on me," Augusta continued, folding her arms across her chest. "I know you love him. Which surprises me, to be frank. That boy barely knows what he wants as a man."
Lola let out a quiet breath and reached for her tea again, if only to keep her hands from trembling.
"I... I didn't expect you to be so direct," she admitted, forcing a small smile.
"I don't have the luxury of time for games, Lady Charlotte. I support you. I'll back you with everything I have. But I cannot help you if you refuse to help yourself."
That caught Lola's full attention.
"You would support me?" she asked slowly, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "What exactly are you saying, Your Majesty?"
"I'm saying," Augusta said, settling back into her chair, "that if you truly love my grandson, then fight for him. I want no one else beside him on the throne but you."
Lola stared at the older woman, uncertain whether to feel flattered or suspicious. There was power behind every word Augusta spoke, power laced with strategy.
Moments ago, she had praised Lady Adriana with such conviction that Lola had begun to believe she'd lost the empress's favour entirely. And now, she declared her loyalty as if it had never been in question. So this is palace politics, Lola thought. A game of masks and shifting loyalties.
"And Lady Adriana?" Lola asked cautiously. "I thought you wanted her to be empress."
Augusta rolled her eyes. "I said she would make a good empress, not that I wanted her as one. There's a difference. That woman is clever, too clever for her own good. She's ambitious in all the wrong ways. Mark my words, she would be worse than Victoria ever was."
The Empress's voice dropped slightly, as if the name itself carried a curse.
"So stop shedding those pretty tears and sit up straighter. The Emperor is under immense pressure right now. He may look strong, but he's not as unshakeable as he pretends to be. He needs someone who sees past the crown and that someone is you. But if you want a place in his life and in this palace, you'll have to earn it."
Lola nodded slowly, her mind spinning as the Empress's words settled into her bones. The hurt, the confusion, the quiet rage, it all had to be set aside. If she wanted to stand beside Xander, she would have to fight.
Augusta gave her a knowing look. "I know you're no fool, Charlotte. You'll figure out what must be done."
Then, with a mischievous gleam in her eye, she reached into the wide sleeve of her gown and pulled out a small silver flask.
"Now, enough seriousness," she declared. "Let's drink something worthwhile."
Lola's eyes widened. "Your Majesty!"
"Keep your voice down, woman," Augusta said, chuckling as she poured a splash of the amber liquid into both their teacups. "Surely you don't think I survive on that dreadful palace tea alone. I prefer something with spine."
Lola stared at her, then burst into laughter. "You truly are full of surprises."
The old woman grinned. "Darling, if I weren't, I'd have been dead a decade ago."
They clinked their tea cups in a quiet toast, laughter warming the garden air. But even as Lola smiled, her thoughts had already turned elsewhere.