by Leigh Walker
I followed her, still feeling an ache in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t believe how quickly the day had gone from perfect to completely foul. I’d been honest with Rhys earlier when I told him that there was no place I would rather be and no one I would rather be with. Then he’d gone and kissed Joely within an inch of her life. I felt like such a fool.
Rose smiled and beckoned to us from the study. “Dae and His Highness are just taking a stroll through the newest garden. You can see them clearly from up here.”
“I can hardly wait,” I mumbled as Joely and I made our way out onto the small balcony. The view of the grounds was fantastic. The lush lawns rolled out in every direction toward the tree line. The garden below bloomed in a riot of fall color—blues, deep purples, and yellows.
Dae’s red outfit contrasted perfectly with the flowers, and I wondered if she’d had time to plan it. She walked arm in arm with Rhys as the cameras followed closely behind. Mira Kinney stayed close to her crew, directing every angle of the shoot. We couldn’t hear anything from the balcony, but it was easy to make out the expressions on Dae and Rhys’s faces. They both looked serious. They appeared to be having an intense conversation. Dae was talking animatedly, and Rhys listened in rapt attention. When it was his turn to speak, he gesticulated. At one point, he looked frustrated. He raked his hand through his hair and frowned. Dae shrugged and shook her head.
“Do you think they’re having an argument?” Joely asked hopefully.
“I’m not sure. She’s probably taking him to task for all the kissing he’s been doing.” I didn’t know Dae well, but she did seem consistent in her honest approach to the competition. She often spoke her mind, especially to the king. She wasn’t shy about voicing her concerns regarding the speed of the competition or about her fears of being left behind and sent home.
But as we watched, the conversation seemed to take a turn. Rhys said something that made Dae laugh. He took a step closer to her, and although she took a step back, she grinned at him. It happened again, and I could tell they were playing with each other. They smiled and laughed as Rhys started to chase her around the grounds. Dae whipped off her high heels and really ran for it, but the werewolf was too fast for her. When he caught up to her, he swept her into his arms and spun her around. She laughed and laughed, and he kissed her.
Then he kissed her again.
“Here we go.” Joely put her hands over her eyes and watched from between the cracks in her fingers. “Doesn’t look like they’re arguing anymore.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Even though I felt sick, I couldn’t turn away as Rhys deepened the kiss. He still held Dae in his arms, as though he was about to carry her over a threshold. I shivered, feeling even more ill. Don’t think like that. But I didn’t like what I saw, not at all. In between their deep, heated kisses, Dae and Rhys were talking. They gazed deeply into each other’s eyes. It seemed very intimate, and I felt guilty that we watched them—their time together seemed private, despite the cameras. Rhys had been playful with both Joely and me, but it was different with Dae. What on earth are they talking about?
“Excuse me.” I couldn’t stand it anymore and left the balcony.
“Tamara, are you all right?” Joely called.
“Of course.” But that was a lie. I was not all right at all.
I rushed down the stairs. All I could think of was escaping the palace, going out to the front grounds, and inhaling fresh air. I threw open the door and ran toward the fountain in the middle of the square. A small statue of a tree rose from the ornamental structure, the water bubbling from its roots. It was quiet there, as the entire production crew was out back with Rhys and Dae. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the small pool below the tree. My face looked drawn, and my expression was dour.
I’d felt sick when I’d seen His Highness with Joely, but I’d felt worse than that while watching him with Dae, when I’d felt…resigned. Resigned to losing him? I shook my head—it couldn’t be. If he felt what I felt, there was nothing that could come between us.
Right?
A Wide Berth
“Why am I not surprised to find you out here?” A familiar, unpleasant voice took me by surprise. “Having a bit of a snivel, are we?”
“Duncan, leave me the hell alone.” The lanky blond werewolf had snuck up on me, and a sly grin spread over his face.
I scowled at him. “The king told me that if you harass me again, it’ll be considered treason.”
His grin spread wider, his open mouth like an oil slick across his pale face. “His Highness seems a bit preoccupied at present, don’t you think? I doubt very much that addressing you in the square would constitute treason. In any event, I don’t think he’d care at the moment—it didn’t look like much could tear him away from being lip-locked to his date.”
“Duncan.” I squared my shoulders. “If it was a bit much for you to drag me out into the woods with your friends the other night, making accusations and threatening me, it’s certainly overkill for you to insult me about the circumstances of His Highness’s present date. Now I want you to explain to me—in English, not in growls and slobbers—what exactly your objection to me is.”
The werewolf’s pale-blue eyes narrowed. “I told you before what I see: that you are fancy, and you have fancy ways. I do not see a fine lady such as you being fulfilled in a remote land like the Realm, ruling over the very beasts you continue to insult.”
“I am only insulting you, at the moment, and it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re a werewolf. I would say these things no matter what you were—man, beast, or fowl. If you were a were-turkey, for instance, I would abuse you much the same, although I would certainly tailor my insults accordingly.”
He looked as though he might laugh. “A were-turkey?”
“That’s what I said, but let us focus on the matter at hand. First, you accuse me of being a traitor. Then you taunt me with tales of His Highness with another woman. I’m asking you again: why do you despise me so? Are you targeting the other girls, or is your ire reserved just for me?”
“We didn’t take those other two out into the woods, if that’s what you mean.” He shrugged. “But to answer your question, you’re not the only contestant I don’t like. I didn’t care for that other girl, the whiny one who got cut.”
“Maya? No one liked her. She was a pain while she was here, and I’ve no doubt that she’ll be a pain now that she’s gone.”
“She wasn’t a good fit for queen.”
“Fair enough.” I nodded. “But you’ve said as much about me. Now, I’d like you to explain why you feel that way, when you don’t know me.”
He nodded, his expression turning thoughtful. “I suppose such a direct question deserves a direct answer. So here’s mine: you were in that other contest, the one with Prince Dallas.”
“Yes, I was. I haven’t hidden anything about my past. There’s no reason to.”
“The thing is, that show got the settlers all riled up.” Duncan’s nostrils flared. “They loved it, didn’t they? And now they love King Black and his sons, for the first time since they took power.”
“But that’s a good thing. You say it as though it’s negative.”
“The mood of the settlers is only a problem because of what it’s done to the rebels, you see.” Duncan frowned at the tree line. “It’s made the rebels angry, and it’s incited their radical base. Because now not only is their former country being run by vampires, their women—their daughters, their nieces, their girlfriends—are falling in love with the vamps and marrying them. That’s why the rebels won’t stop, don’t you see? They think their race is being diluted. And now they’ve set their sights on the Realm, because it’s run by supernaturals, for supernaturals. And our king, our werewolf king, is about to marry another one of their women—and instead of being discreet, we’re making a circus out of it with this television show.”
“I see a couple of problems with this logic. First of all, the fact that Rhys—or
any of you—is supernatural isn’t revealed on the show. In fact, the broadcast makes it look as though all of you are merely human. The rebels don’t know about your lineage because of the show, if they know about it at all. That’s the first problem with what you’re saying.
“The second is, what’s this got to do with me? How am I personally implicated in any of this? Why do you hold a grudge against me when my family has only ever supported the royal family? I’ve never been a rebel sympathizer. In fact, I volunteered to come here and participate in the contest because it pleased the king. If that’s not loyalty, I don’t know what is.”
“Ah, yes.” Duncan pointed his finger in the air. “And I see problems with your logic. If you are here to please the king, you are in conflict with what pleases my king.”
“That’s not true. King Rhys serves the crown, just as I do.”
“You’re making a mistake of faith, Missus.” Duncan looked around, making sure no one was near. “King Rhys is loyal to King Black, yes. But he is loyal to his own people and his own kingdom first and foremost. You must know that King Black is the same. He puts the settlements and his own kind first, always. If it comes down to a fight, he’ll be looking out for himself.”
“I’ll take that under advisement. But if I were you, I wouldn’t be so vocal about that position.”
“Fair enough. But we’re not done just yet, as that’s not my only objection to you.”
I threw up my hands. “You’ve yet to say anything that actually supports your position, so by all means, proceed.”
“You’re bringing fame to the Realm, and I don’t like it. You were famous before you got here, and you’ve brought trouble with you. The settlers’ interest in you unnerves me, you see. It’s a level of scrutiny that we don’t need up here. When the show’s done, the cameras need to go away so that we can get back to our normal ways. If we have a fancy queen like you, I expect you’ll continue to need drama to thrive. The thing is, wolves don’t need that kind of excitement—we need to hunt, rut, and get back to building our pack. Rhys needs to focus on producing an heir and protecting his lands. He doesn’t need to be distracted by eyelash curlers and satin gnome beds, if you catch my meaning.”
“Duncan, I’m afraid your redundancy has bored me enough for one day.” When he looked confused, I sighed. “You’ve said this all before. Now go on and find someone or something to rut with, or whatever it is you think is so important. I’ve got business to attend to.”
“Ah yes, back to your sniveling.” He shook his head, his long pale hair glinting in the sunlight. “By the look of Rhys and the one he’s with at the moment, it looks as though you do have something to whinge about.”
I fought the urge to smack him. “Thanks, Duncan. That will be all.”
“You can’t dismiss me, Missus. I don’t answer to you.”
“As I’m a member of the royal court, you most certainly do. Whether you choose to follow my directive remains up to you, of course. But men have been accused of treason for less.” I smiled at him meanly. “Now go away.”
He slinked off without another word, and I was relieved to see him go.
I turned back to the fountain, watching the clean, pure water bubble in the sunlight. Everything in the Realm seemed against me—Duncan, the other like-minded members of the pack, Dae and Joely, and Rhys himself. All my feelings and confidence from earlier in the day were gone. It was as though Rhys had never held me in his arms, making me feel safe and protected. I was alone again. It was somehow worse because only hours earlier, I’d been with the wolf, content to be held by him.
I shook my head as if to clear it. Why am I doing this to myself? If Rhys is going to snog each contestant within an inch of our lives, am I really going to just sit here and take it? What about my dignity? What about my sense of self-worth?
I turned on my heel and started toward the castle. I wasn’t certain if I wanted to slap Rhys, pack my bags and flee, or simply throw a temper tantrum. In truth, all three sounded appealing. It didn’t matter what else happened in the contest. From that moment on, my heart was ground zero. No one would get in, and nothing could get out. Since I was the only one who appeared to be invested in my self-interest, I would protect myself fiercely. I’d made the same mistake over and over each time I trusted Rhys and got caught up in my emotions for him. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…
I would never be his fool again.
“My lady, Mira said you’re needed in the formal salon immediately. King Black has an announcement.” Giuliana had two hectic spots of color blooming on her cheeks.
“Is everything all right?”
“I hope so, but Mira sent me to fetch you. The other girls are going down, and so is the whole production crew. King Rhys is down there too. I don’t know what’s going on, only that it’s got something to do with the show.”
I quickly freshened my makeup then hastened down the stairs. I’d no desire to see Joely, Dae, or Rhys, but an order from the king couldn’t be ignored. The formal salon was filled with members of the production team when I reached it. Grateful for the crowd, I stationed myself toward the back of the room, where no one would see me. King Rhys and King Black stood at the front of the room, before the fire, deep in conversation. Joely, Dae, and Mira Kinney also stood near the front. I didn’t want to go anywhere near them.
Finally, King Black cleared his throat. “Close the door, please, and no filming. This is strictly off the record.”
Rhys’s face darkened at the king’s words, but he stood stock still as the door was closed and King Black stepped forward. “I’m here to discuss a decree with you. I had a similar meeting at the Northern castle earlier today, regarding the same subject. As some of you know, there’ve been reports of increased rebel activity outside the settlements.”
The crowd broke out in murmurs. King Black raised his hand, and a hush immediately fell over the room. “The last time they attacked, we beat them soundly. We are quite surprised that they’ve got the numbers to plan another battle, and maybe they don’t. It’s more likely that they’re desperate and this is their final push, their last stand. It doesn’t matter, for the meager human army can never defeat the vampires and the werewolves. Together, we will finish them once and for all.”
I sought Duncan in the crowd. He watched the king with interest.
“And now, a word from your king.” King Black bowed his head and stepped back.
Rhys nodded to him then faced the crowd. “His Highness and I have discussed this at length, together with Prince Austin. We have decided that, for the interim, the Realm and the North are to be secured. No one comes in, and no one leaves.”
So much for my plan to pack my bags and flee.
“In terms of the production, we need to ensure that everything for the show can be executed here, including the broadcasts. Mira Kinney has assured me that will be possible.” Mira bowed her head, and Rhys continued, “Both Prince Austin and I are increasing our guards at the perimeter. Additional shifts will be assigned directly after this meeting.”
Some members of his pack whispered amongst themselves, and Rhys waited until the room had quieted again. “I have vowed to King Black that we will do our part to keep our collective lands safe. We are all dependent upon each other to survive, and my loyalty is with the crown, now and always.” Rhys bowed his head to King Black. “Now, I need everyone to meet with their supervisors so that the rules can be clearly outlined to you. My men, with me. The production crew and candidates, please see Mira. The housing staff, please meet with Nan in the kitchen.”
The meeting broke up, but I stayed where I was, near the back wall. The last thing I wanted was to see Dae. She was most likely still high as a kite from her date, and I didn’t want to be around her. I waited, sulking as the palace staff filed out, followed by the pack. Rhys swept out after them, but his gaze found me before he left. He hesitated at the door.
I shook my head and turned away.
When I looked back,
he’d gone. Good riddance. I had become a prisoner in the Realm, and I wouldn’t have the chance to say a real goodbye. Not yet.
Told You So
The production crew was in an uproar.
“Mira, how are we going to get the supplies we need from the settlements?”
“I was supposed to bring the rushes back to the editing team. How on earth are we going to polish the final cuts up here? The Realm’s a bit primeval for such advanced work, if you ask me!”
Joely raised her hand. “What about us? One of us was supposed to get cut after the Contestants’ Challenge. Has that changed?”
Mira clapped her hands together. “All right, everyone, all right. There’s no need to panic. We have everything we need to do the show perfectly, just as we are. In fact, I’ll wager that we can do an even better job producing the final product without sending it down to the crew in the settlements. We’re the ones with our fingertips on the creative pulse of the show. Trust me when I say what we end up broadcasting from here will be brilliant. Perhaps we’ll do some of it live.”
The crew started talking again, and Dae stepped forward. “But what about us? What about the next cut? Like Joely said, one of us was supposed to go home after this challenge.” Dae didn’t look at me or Joely. “It’s already been announced on the show and everything.”
“I understand. But as I see it, that’s no longer possible.” Mira smiled at us. “So congratulations, the three of you have made it through the Contestants’ Challenge, so long as you don’t royally screw up. Otherwise, I’ll have you sent to the dungeon.”
Dae blinked at her. “Excuse me?”
“I’m joking, of course, but”—Mira pointed at each of us—“I still expect big things from you. His Highness has made it very clear that this challenge is near and dear to his heart. I know the three of you will rise to the occasion.”
