She could be desperate

Seraphina's POV

Deena's voice wavered as she stammered out her response. "H-how would I have ever met your mother?" she said, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. "I mean… in case you've forgotten, your mother is Queen Jella—the Queen of Elmeria. A common subject like me wouldn't have had the privilege of meeting her."

I nodded slowly, keeping my face neutral even though my mind was spinning. Deena was clearly lying. It was written all over her face—in the way her eyes darted away from mine, in the tremble in her voice, and in the restless way she kept fidgeting with her fingers.

For a moment, I just let her words hang while pretending to accept her explanation, but inwardly, my thoughts were racing. Her nervousness confirmed what I had just started to suspect. At some point, she must have met Queen Jella, and if that was true… then what else was she hiding?