Chapter 17

• **Author's POV**
• The elders gasped at her words. Was she really going to dismiss them? They exchanged looks and, as if they had planned it together, they quickly went down on their knees. They knew that this wasn't a time to raise shoulders, but a time to beg.
• They still had plenty of plans on hand for the kingdom. Dismissing them would serve as a hindrance to that, but Elena wasn't out for that. They tried to fool her, and must pay for it. Even without a microscope, she could see straight through them. This was going to be tough.