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I bit my lower lip gently. “My betrothed,” I said.
Adora gasped. “You have a fiancé? At home? And still you’re at the Choice?”
“It’s secret,” I admitted. “It’s not approved by my father. I never fit in at Daybreak—I never wanted to be a member of the court. I want to travel! And see the world! There’s so much more than the duties of the court! And Griffin will do that with me.”
“You plan to leave?” Fina asked.
I nodded. “My father insisted I attend the Choice—it wasn’t like there was anyone else in the court who could represent our pack well. But I thought it might be the perfect way for me to get out of my duties.”
“How in the gods’ names would that work?” Adora asked. She was listening with a pinched expression somewhere between disbelief and abject horror.
“I’d planned on performing adequately in the Choice, to uphold my pack’s honor, but to be boring enough that I would be eliminated,” I admitted. “But everything I’ve tried to do to get dismissed seems to have backfired.”
“The king’s had his eye on you since the first day,” Fina said. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
“She’s right,” Adora said. “His eyes always find you.” She sighed and pushed a stray lock of blonde hair off her forehead, then gazed in the direction of the manor. “I admit I’m hoping the council will overrule him.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I don’t know what to do.”
“There’s nothing we can do, at this point,” Adora said. “Whoever is chosen will be chosen. I believe I’ve done the best I could to represent my pack.”
“I think you have too, Adora,” I said. “I think you’ll make a marvelous queen.”
Fina blew a raspberry. “I think I’d be the best queen, actually.”
We both laughed, and then strolled with Fina in between us. “You’re right, honestly,” I said.
“Regardless,” Fina said, “my father will be pleased that I’ve established a good relationship with the new queen. We’ve got all sorts of great ideas to share with you about cultivating a more sustainable farming practice across the nation.”
We made our way back toward the manor. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, now that my friends knew my intentions with this competition. I hated the thought that I had progressed further than Fina, who wanted it just as badly as Adora, but they were right. We had no say in the matter. Even they had noticed the way the king watched me—if they knew the time the king and I had already spent together, that’d be even more embarrassing.
My relaxed mood dissipated as soon as we approached the doors to the manor, where the duchess was waiting for us. She cut an imposing figure in a fine, heavy gown and a dark cloak with a high collar. Her brow was furrowed and lips downturned as she gazed down the bridge of her nose at us.
“Ladies,” she said in cool greeting.
Fina swallowed, then swept into a brisk curtsy and hurried away.
That was apparently the right decision. The duchess paid her no mind as she disappeared into the manor. Adora and I stood side by side in front of her, both of us red-cheeked from the walk, with snow in our pale blonde hair. The duchess didn’t look happy to see either of us. “The council had decided one more trial is in order to decide which of you is fit to become Queen of Frasia.”
Adora nodded, and I did the same. It was admittedly hard to find the right words when faced with the queen staring me down like this.
“You will both be spending an evening with the king,” she said. “Dinner.”
“Alone?” I asked.
The duchess’ gaze slid to me. “Yes,” she said. “Alone. Is that a problem, Lady Reyna?”
“N-no,” I stammered. “No, not a problem at all.”
“I would hope not,” the duchess said, “as this is the man who may become your husband. I would hope you did not require a chaperone to be comfortable in his presence.”
“Of course not,” Adora said. “It’s an honor, Duchess.”
The duchess afforded Adora a small smile for that. Dinner alone with the king? And she had said an evening. That implied a little more than dinner. What kind of trial was this?
“You will have tonight to prepare,” the duchess said, “and then Lady Reyna will have dinner with the king tomorrow. Lady Adora, you will dine the next night.”
Adora swallowed. It was only the time we’d spent together that allowed me to see the irritation in her posture. “Wonderful,” she said.
