Malia POV:

Malia’s finger traced the line of print she read from her Aeonian history book. She wanted to brush up on her understanding of the Aeonian monarchy’s rules of succession. Although most reigning monarchs in its history had been kings, queens could and had ruled over their male spouses in the past. Some had ruled as bachelorettes—taking many lovers. Some had ruled with female mistresses.

Succession favored the eldest child, not strictly the eldest ...