by Leigh Walker
“I don’t…”
“You don’t believe me?” The vampire stepped closer, and I took a step back. “She told me to tell you that she’d never lie to you about anything. You know that, right? Shaye has a pure heart.”
“Why did she send you—a vampire, a stranger, and a poorly dressed one at that?”
“I’m the only supernatural she came into contact with back in 24. No one but a vampire could survive the trip up here alone.”
“Why did you agree to do it?” I asked.
“I used to see her brother,” the vampire said. “Once I was turned, though, he would never speak to me again. I traveled here out of loyalty to their family. And Shaye gave me some money, which I appreciated.”
She turned toward the woods, listening. “They’re coming in. I must go.”
“Where are you going? What’s your name?” But the vampire ran through the tall stalks and out into the night. She left so quickly and quietly that I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing. Then I heard noises coming from the forest. I ran back toward the castle. The last thing I needed was to bump into the wolves.
I had more than a few things on my mind, and I desperately needed to be alone.
Fan Favorite
I decided not to say a word to anyone about what had happened. Perhaps if I was able to slip away and see Eve or Blake, I would talk to them about the strange incident. I didn’t trust anyone else enough to take them into my confidence.
Roger greeted me the next morning, but he didn’t mention his evening out with the pack. I wasn’t sure what time he’d returned to his post, but he didn’t seem to suspect that anything at all was out of place, least of all that I’d snuck out of my room for a clandestine meeting.
I picked at my breakfast.
“What’s the matter, Tamara?” Joely frowned at me. “I’m sorry if we were terrible to you yesterday. It was just jealousy, pure and simple. You did a great job with your challenge.”
“Thanks,” I listlessly peeled a clementine and proceeded to stare at it.
Dae patted my arm. “Are you okay? I’m sorry about yesterday too. It’s just hard to watch you with the king. It always seems so…familiar between you two. I feel like you’re the favorite to win.”
I put the orange down. “It seems the same with you. I think he prefers both of you to me, honestly.”
“What?” Joely threw up her hands. “What are you talking about? You were high as a kite yesterday.”
“It seems different today. I’m just trying to be honest with myself. I believe he has real feelings for both of you. Me, I’m not too sure about.” I stood and cleared my plate. “I’ve finished with my work, so I’m going to take the gnomes out instead of going to the library. I’ll see you this afternoon. Good luck with your final preparations.”
I didn’t miss the look that passed between my friends, who were clearly baffled. I didn’t blame them, but I could hardly tell them about my encounter the night before. I was still puzzling it out. Part of me wondered if it had really happened or if I’d been dreaming, but I’d found my boots and cloak in a pile on my floor that morning. I’d definitely gone outside.
I wished I still had work to do. The empty hours stretching before me that morning made me feel quite dull. I put the gnomes in my tote and took them out back. They whizzed across the frosty grounds, gleeful to play in the chill of the morning. I stood there, not really seeing them, not really seeing anything. What was it that vampire had said? Shaye didn’t want you to make the mistake of marrying someone who’s just using you. Ouch.
I heard footsteps crunching across the grounds and winced when I saw Rhys coming in from the forest. He was at his most uncivilized—he wore no shirt and no shoes, and his hair was wild and flowing behind him. “Good morning, Lady Layne.” He grinned at me, seeming quite chipper.
“Good morning, Your Highness.” I hadn’t decided how I was going to play it with him, but my voice was as chilly as the frost on the ground.
“What, aren’t you happy to see me?” When he reached me, he wrapped me in a hearty hug. His skin was hot to the touch in spite of the cold. “Ah, should I have asked you if you wanted to hug me—am I breaking the rules of consent already?”
“The hug is fine.” So he couldn’t tell how troubled I was, I forced myself to smile when he released me. “But we both know that we shouldn’t be too affectionate without the cameras around. We’ll only get into trouble.”
“As you wish, my lady.” He grinned again, his white teeth flashing in the early morning sunlight. “It’s a beautiful day in the Realm, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s lovely.” I peered at him. “Does shifting make you happy or something? You seem jubilant.”
He chuckled. “Roger mentioned he told you what we were up to last night. But to answer your question, yes. It was quite liberating to be in wolf form after being confined to my human body in a blasted ceremonial tunic. It was wonderful to run and hunt with my pack, to be free of the cameras.”
I nodded. “I’d like to be free of the cameras, myself.”
“Ah, Tamara, what’s wrong?” He brushed the hair back from my face. “You did so well yesterday. I thought you’d still be on cloud nine.”
I looked out at the grass. I wanted to tell him about the vampire’s message, but I hesitated. I still needed to parse it out. My head was still swimming with questions, underscored by a very raw hurt. “I suppose I’m just nervous about the rest of the competition, that’s all.”
He tapped me under the chin, and I raised my gaze to meet his. “You know I can’t say anything about that, but look at me. Please.”
I looked at him. He looked at me. “Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Y-Yes.”
“Good. Then trust me when I ask you to have a little faith. Can you do that for me, my lady?”
I nodded.
“I hate to leave you when you’re like this, but I must go to a meeting with the king. So at the risk of getting into real trouble with Mira, may I ask: can I kiss the top of your head?”
“Yes.” I loved that he’d taken my presentation so literally. I smiled at him in spite of myself.
He leaned over and gently kissed my head. Then he left without another word, leaving me with my doubts, courtesy of the visiting vampire.
The cameras filmed us as we filed into the meeting room for Dae’s presentation. Mira waited in the hall, her microphone at the ready. Much to my surprise, King and Queen Black waited beside her.
“Ah, Tamara.” Mira accosted me, taking me away from Joely. “A quick interview, please. We’ve been getting so much feedback from the constituents about your presentation yesterday. Even the king and queen have been hearing good things!” She pulled me close and beamed as the cameras rolled. “Here we are with fan favorite Lady Tamara Layne. I daresay her star is on the rise here in the Realm. The soldiers and advisors were very impressed with her dating institute talk yesterday. Tamara, how are you feeling about your prospects this morning?”
The Pageant, my time as a Goodwill Ambassador, and my stint in finishing school triggered an automatic response. I plastered a smile to my face and put my hand on my hip so that the camera angle would be advantageous. “I’m feeling very optimistic about my place in the Realm and my hope to win the heart of King Rhys. I really tried to help with my presentation. I think giving people the tools they need to hopefully see success in a relationship is so important.”
The words, a stump speech I hadn’t even known I’d prepared, flowed freely. “King Rhys’s subjects have been so loyal and dedicated over the years, they deserve to have some personal happiness. I saw it as an opportunity to do some good. So thank you for your kind words, Mira. I hope I helped.”
Mira’s dazzlingly white teeth flashed under the klieg lights. “Ah, but you did. In fact, word of your excellent talk has gone somewhat viral here in the Realm and the North. We have a special appearance by King and Queen Black—they’ve come on a special visit just to congratulate you on your succ
ess.”
I swallowed hard, but the smile never left my face as the king and queen approached. Mira and I curtsied, and the King nodded formally at the cameras. Queen Serena stood slightly behind him, her face a smooth mask. “Lady Layne, the queen and I have come to congratulate you on your success. The citizens of the Realm appreciated your careful consideration of their future, as do we.” His eyes sparkled. “The queen and I are pleased that the candidates take these challenges so seriously. It is a credit both to their families and to the settlements. I daresay that when King Rhys chooses his bride, he will be choosing a queen that represents the best of what the settlements have to offer. Thank you for your service and commitment, Lady Layne. You continue to impress us.”
The king and queen excused themselves, and Mira turned to me. We were still being filmed, and my smile was still frozen in place. “Well then.” Mira’s tone was conspiratorial. “How does it feel to be the front-runner—and to have the approval of the king and queen?”
“It feels wonderful.” Actually, I felt like a marionette: the politician in me was pulling the strings. “I hadn’t let myself hope for such fabulous support. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.”
“I’m thrilled for you, Lady Layne.” Mira turned back toward the cameras. “Now, we’ll see what the other contestants have in store for us with their Challenges. Can they catch up to our rising star, Tamara Layne? Stay tuned and find out.” The cameras turned off, and the production crew hustled into the meeting room to set up for Dae’s presentation. “Nice work.” Mira winked at me. “I knew you had it in you.”
“Thank you, Mira.”
The vampire host bustled off, and I went inside, finding a seat next to Joely.
“What was that all about?” she asked. I could hear an undercurrent of envy, but my friend did her best to keep her tone light.
“The king and queen just wanted to congratulate me on my presentation. I’m sure they’ll do the same for you and Dae.”
Joely’s brow furrowed. “I hope so. I feel like you’ve pulled quite ahead over the last twenty-four hours.”
I patted her hand. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” What was it the vampire had said? “The rebels have it on good authority that King Black has ordered Rhys to choose you—he believes your popularity will help strengthen his position in the settlements, and he also thinks you’re easily controlled.”
I thought about seeing the king, the sparkle in his eyes, his posturing for the cameras. He’d come to the palace just to congratulate me. That’s what Mira said. And I’d smiled like his little puppet, saying all the right things. My stomach felt like lead as Dae cleared her throat and began her talk. I’d had my doubts, but…
What if the vampire had been telling me the truth?
I barely listened to Dae’s presentation. She looked stunning in a black tuxedo pantsuit, but as much as I loved her outfit, I couldn’t concentrate on her words. Her project was converting one of the rooms in the lower level of the castle into a gymnasium. If I understood her correctly, she believed that fitness was a public-health issue. Her position was that the constituents of the Realm and any incoming dating prospects from the settlements should be able to get in a decent workout in a safe, pleasant environment. I couldn’t argue with her logic. Walking the gnomes in the woods had been great, but a decent set of weights was necessary to maintain muscle mass and promote bone density.
The wolves listened to her with rapt attention and occasionally asked questions. The energy of the audience didn’t seem as enthusiastic as it had during my talk, but fitness was a different sort of category. It was important nonetheless. At the end of her talk, Rhys went up and congratulated her. He swept her into his arms and kissed both of her cheeks. They smiled together happily for the cameras, and I felt a bit sick.
Joely leaned close to me and whispered, “This doesn’t seem to get any easier, does it?”
“No.” I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t.”
Dark Horse
The next twenty-four hours passed in a blur. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, waiting to be summoned by the vampire again, but there was nothing but the wind whipping the trees outside.
The next morning I walked the gnomes repeatedly then wrote a brief letter to Shaye. Fearing the note might be intercepted, I didn’t go into specifics.
Dear Shaye,
What was that message all about? What other news do you have? And why haven’t you written to me yourself? Are you quite all right?
I’m afraid I’m not all right at all… My head is swimming. I’ll explain in more detail after I hear from you.
I’m not including any glitter or scented paper in this letter; that should give you a clue to how wretched you’ve made me.
TTFN, your loving friend,
Tamara Layne
Goodwill Ambassador to the Realm,
Esteemed Member of the Royal Court
Even signing my name in my official capacity didn’t cheer me.
When it was time for Joely’s presentation, Dae and I headed to the meeting room together. There was no camera crew waiting, and the king and queen were nowhere in sight. Dae frowned. “I guess my fitness proposal wasn’t as well-received as your dating institute—there’s no one here to fawn over me.”
I linked my arm through hers. “You did a great job yesterday, Dae.”
Her brow furrowed. “You didn’t seem like you were really paying attention. Every time I looked at you, you had this glazed expression on your face.”
“I was merely concentrating—I think a gym is a fabulous idea. Winter is coming, and it’s important for us all to move our bodies and stay strong.”
“Well, thank you—it is important, at least to me. But I guess King and Queen Black don’t feel that way.”
“They’re probably in yet another meeting about the rebels.” I kept my voice low. “I’m certain it has nothing to do with you. Your talk was great, and His Highness obviously loved the idea.” He loved it so much he kept hugging and kissing Dae once she’d finished, and the cameras had soaked up every angle of them together.
Dae smiled, her pale cheeks warming with a flush of pink at the mention of the king. “He did seem to like it. He said that they’re going to begin construction based on my plans right away.”
“See?” I grinned at her. “There you go. That’s what’s important, His Highness and his thoughts. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
“I hope you’re right.” We slid into our seats, and Rhys turned from the front row. He favored us with a smile and a wave, and we both waved back.
Dae smirked at me. “How awkward is it that we like the same guy and that we keep encouraging each other about it?”
“Super awkward,” I agreed. “But we also keep getting jealous too. So I suppose we aren’t perfect.”
“Just awfully close.” Dae laughed. “Ah, there’s Joely. I can’t wait—I’m sure this is going to be good.”
After an introduction from Mira, Joely took center stage. She commanded the room in a peach lace frock with a high collar. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a sophisticated bun, and her dewy makeup accented her ivory skin. She looked lovely and pulled together. She smiled as the werewolves settled in and quieted down. “Thank you for coming today. It’s an honor to be here to present my contribution to the Contestants’ Challenge, just as it’s an honor to be in the Realm and to be a part of this competition.”
She caught Rhys’s eye and smiled at him. “Like the other contestants, I have chosen to base my presentation on what I view as a real need for the constituents of the Realm. I hope that you bear with me, because what I’ll be unveiling today is for a somewhat far-off use.”
An expectant hush fell over the audience. Joely continued, “This project is something that is very near and dear to my heart. It encompasses my hopes and dreams for not only the future of the Realm—but for my future in the Realm, if I’m lucky enough to have one.” Her eyes were bright as she sought out
Rhys again. “It’s my hope, Your Highness, that someday I will be your bride. And if I was ever to be so blessed, I would pray to have as many of your children as the gods might grant us.”
Dae’s mouth gaped open, and I felt a jolt of shock. Joely was declaring herself and her deepest wishes in front of the cameras, in front of the werewolves, and in front of Rhys himself. She was going for it, baring her soul and making herself vulnerable.
Joely smiled at Rhys. “If that amazing time ever comes, we would need a school for our children and for the children of the loyal soldiers who surround and support you. So that is my proposal for the Contestants’ Challenge: to build a community center for the children that hopefully, the Realm will one day soon be blessed with.”
The audience broke out into excited whispers as Joely unveiled a diorama of a small building. It was almost like a dollhouse. She’d included amazing details—tiny bookcases lined with books, crates filled with educational toys, cribs for the babies when they needed to nap, a small kitchen and lounge for the teachers. She talked through each part of the school, explaining the details of appropriate curricula for each age group, the importance of recess, how children as young as three can learn reading basics. The werewolves listened in rapt attention. It was clear that the subject was completely new to them, but also near and dear to their hearts.
“She’s a genius.” Dae shook her head as Joely invited the king and his advisors to come up and inspect the miniature school. She answered their questions thoroughly, smiling at each of them the entire time.
Rhys beamed at both the model of the school and the woman who’d created it. Once the other advisors had taken their seats, the king turned to the audience. “I’d like you all to join me in a round of applause for Lady Raine.” Everyone clapped, and Joely curtsied, an excited smile on her face.
Rhys continued, “This thoughtful contribution is the sort of vision I’d hoped for when I designed the Contestants’ Challenge. I knew that each of these women would bring their unique perspective and energy to this project, and I wasn’t wrong. So please join me in congratulating the three contestants on a job well done. Tamara, Dae, you should stand and accept your accolades.” Dae and I rose from our seats, and together with Joely, we bowed our heads in thanks at the hearty claps and whistles from the werewolves.
