Wanting to caress his face, Yasmin withdrew her hand. "So you still want me to give up on the experiment?"

"I just want you to spare yourself," Ross replied, trying to take her hand. She moved it away.

Yasmin averted her gaze. "I'm tired. You should rest as well."

"Mom..."

Without looking at him, she called, "Rick!"

Rick hurried in. "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"

"Bring him to his room," she said coldly.

Rick started to approach, but Ross stood, saying grimly, "I know my way out."

Pausing at the door, he looked back. "Mom, I know you won't listen, but I hope you think this through. Consider the ambitions you once had, when you were young. Do you remember what you wanted to do when you first became queen?" He then left.

Yasmin sat alone for a long time, her gaze unfocused, her mind drifting. Her son's words had stirred a distant past, almost forgotten. She remembered being a nervous young woman, newly crowned queen. Her father, the former ruler, gently placed her hand on the scepter. "Do you know what this is?" he asked warmly.

"It's the scepter, Father!" Yasmin's teenage voice was crisp.

Her father shook his head. "No, this is responsibility. By taking it, you will be responsible for the Yudonians' fate. You must protect and care for them, so they can live better lives."

She'd understood the weight of her duty then. Years on the throne had dulled that understanding. She'd grown accustomed to power, wanting to rule forever.

'What did I want back then?' Yasmin mused, gazing out the window as a withered leaf drifted down.

For Lily, Yasmin's ascendancy had one benefit: more freedom. At least she could move freely on that floor—a small mercy after so long in captivity. Of course, she knew Yasmin would never truly release her. With so much invested in the experiment, the queen wouldn't give up easily. Nevertheless, Lily quickly located Nick's room.