CHAPTER 180: THEIR PUNISHMENT

Queen Sephora’s eyes swept the chambers the moment she stepped in as she ordered.

"Search every corner of the hairpin here, I want it found now."

The maids scattered, opening boxes, drawers, and trunks. Jewelry spilled from pouches.

Stella stood at her side, pale and trembling. Ero lingered near the door, fists tight. Rhynera folded her arms, voice soft as she used that pitiful gaze.

"I hope we find nothing, Sister," she said. "Truly, I do." Lumina did not answer after all she had her own plan.

Minutes passed before a small voice broke the air. "Your Highness!" It was Mia’s voice. She crouched near the corner of the table which Rhynera had sat, arm stretched under the frame.

"I... I found it!" she stammered, pulling out a small golden hairpin glimmering in the light.

Queen Sephora stepped forward in anger. "Where was it?"

Mia held the pin with both hands covered. "Beneath the table, Your Highness."

Rhynera pressed her hand over her chest in feigned horror. "Oh no... Lumina, why would you?"

Aria, standing behind Lumina, tilted her head with a smirk too small to be noticed by anyone.

Stella took a weak step forward, voice shaking. "That cannot be true. My lady cannot even see where to walk without aid ... how could she know to hide something under that place?"

Rhynera turned, face twisting with anger. "Enough lies!" She stormed toward her sister, palm flashing across Lumina’s face making everyone freeze.

Aria moved forward but Lumina lifted one finger, stopping her. The mark on her cheek burned, yet she did not show her pain.

Rhynera hissed, "You disgraced me! On the reputation of our realm! Do you enjoy troubling our family?"

Queen Sephora’s patience snapped. "Guards!" she shouted. "Arrest her!"

The guards moved, but Lumina raised her hands before they could touch her. "I will not allow this."

The Queen’s fury rose. "You dare speak to me in such a tone? You forgot your place!" She lifted her hand to strike Lumina.

Before her palm could fall, a burst of flame roared across the room making Queen Sephora stumble back.

Just then the door opened and King Aden strode in, as his voice boomed"Enough!"

Behind him stood Ashen, eyes burning in rage, one hand still raised from the fire he had thrown.

Queen Sephora turned toward them, trembling with outrage. "How could you hurt your own mother for her! She... she took the hairpin important to me... from her sister!"

Ashen ignored her and went straight to Lumina. She stood there, eyes lowered, tears glimmering at the corners.

The moment his hand touched her shoulder, she broke into tears, surprising everybody because she had not even looked like someone impressed until her husband came.

"They framed me," she whispered. "I never touched the hairpin." Lumina cried on her husband’s chest.

Queen Sephora was so lost, while King Aden’s eyes narrowed. "What hairpin?"

Mia stepped forward, clutching the gold pin. "Your Highness... this is the item." She held it out to Queen Sephora, who snatched it with shaking fingers.

The Queen stared at it for a long moment then froze. Her voice dropped to disbelief. "This... this isn’t the royal hairpin." She turned it over, realization dawning. "This is not the one I gave Rhynera."

"What?" Rhynera’s voice cracked, collecting the hairpin.

Before anyone could speak, Stella rushed forward. "That hairpin belongs to my lady. My lord Ashen had bought it for her a few days after their union."

Rhynera shook her head violently. "No! That is supposed to be mine mine... not her.."

Lumina turned her face toward her sister. "How are you so sure that the hairpin there is supposed to be yours instead of mine... this is my chambers... my things can lie flat anywhere and I trust my ladies not to take it."

Rhynera’s lips parted, but no sound came. Her composure crumbled. The Queen’s expression darkened. In sudden fury, she turned and struck Rhynera across the cheek. The princess stumbled back, clutching her face in shock.

"Enough of your lies!" Queen Sephora hissed, "Where is the real hairpin!" She yelled.

Ashen’s gaze hardened. His fire-lit eyes turned toward Rhynera. "Who struck my wife?"

Stella pointed out instantly to Rhynera. "It was the Crown Princess, my lord."

Ashen took a step forward, anger rippling off him. But Lumina reached out and caught his wrist. "Don’t," she whispered. "Not here."

Ashen’s chest heaved, but he obeyed. He stood beside her, silent but burning.

Lumina turned to King Aden. "Your Highness," she said. "I demand justice. My husband is a prince, yet they arrest him at will. They frame his wife. They disgrace our bond before the realm."

King Aden’s eyes flicked from her to Sephora, who stood frozen, then back to Lumina.

"Enough," he said quietly. Then his voice rose. "Sephora, you will be stripped of your position for one month and sent to the Ice Palace for reflection."

Queen Sephora’s mouth dropped open. "What? You can’t... your highness, this is absurd! She took the heirloom..."

"The heirloom, the one she doesn’t even know about!" He yelled at her.

"I warned you before not to touch Lumina again. Yet you ignored me."

"Your highness! I am the queen!" Sephora cried out but he ignored her plea.

"Take her!" He let out again.

Instantly guards moved forward. Sephora backed away, "Ashen! Plead for your mother! You can’t just watch this!" But Ashen ignored her.

When the doors closed, Rhynera was left trembling, alone in the center of the room. The King turned to Lumina again. "What of her?"

Lumina let out a sly grin, "We made a deal. If the hairpin wasn’t found in my chambers, she would be punished and her title over the Inner Court revoked."

Ashen’s eyes widened slightly. The King paused, then nodded at once.

"So be it."

"No!" Rhynera cried, falling to her knees. "Your Highness, please!"

King Aden’s voice thundered, shifting back.

"Crown Princess of Drakonia, for false accusation, and dishonor, you are stripped of your rank for one month. You will receive one hundred lashes for your lies. And for attempting to frame your sister, another two hundred will follow at dawn."