AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The top three teams were called forward, and everyone gave them room, the rest of the guests forming a semi-circle around the perimeter of the ballroom, gently herded into place by palace staff. The king and queen remained in their place of honor, seated on their intricate golden thrones on a slightly raised dais at the head of the room, Princess Amaryllis perched at their side. They were flanked by the royal secretary, a couple of servants, and their personal guards.
Queen Iris was enjoying every moment of the drama before her, smiling merrily at the culmination of all of her scheming, while King Bane looked upon it all with the benevolent patience of a man who was well used to putting up with the frivolous things that made his wife and daughter happy and gave his subjects joy.
Bear team, Lion team, and Raven team were called forward. The audience tittered and chattered, clapping when their favorites stepped forward. I was annoyed. I was tired of it all, tired of such an intimate part of my life being turned into a public spectacle. And yet…there was so much boisterous joy. So much pride and nervous excitement in the eyes of the citizens and contestants alike. I didn't want to ruin anyone else's joy. But I was afraid that was what I was about to do when they found out who the Prize truly was. Not to mention the other surprises the evening held.
I smoothed my hands down the full skirt of my ostentatious ball gown and lifted my chin as I reminded myself that regardless of anything else, I was here for the good of Larkwood and at the behest of the royal family. Stepping forward, I took the official's place, smiling at the champions and the crowded room.
Everyone was well used to seeing Rina the causerie scurrying around spying for her employer and the Prize. So, no one seemed shocked when I removed my mask and spoke to them now. I was dressed up for the night. But it wasn't too much of a stretch to believe that I might take part in the ceremony, since I had been so involved thus far. And it kept the suspense high. Kept people guessing who the Prize might be.
"Champions and sponsors," I said, projecting the way I'd been trained to do when addressing gatherings back home. "We thank you for your participation in this tournament." I smiled, again, hoping my nervousness didn't show through. "I'm sure you all can't wait to crown the winners and see them receive their prize, so I will make this as concise as possible." That was met with chuckles and a smattering of applause, and one brave heckling cry from someone in the back demanding that I hurry because the suspense was killing them. It was killing me, too. I felt woozy, like I might faint from the impending stress.
"Bear team," I said, moving to stand in front of the group of men, who were all dressed in their best suits and grinning with pride. "In the last challenge, you located a stand of iron trees that will be very useful to the kingdom. While your choice did not win that competition, it was a well-thought-out option. You have proven yourselves in this tournament. You are strong, smart, capable men. You take time to think things through and give your decisions due consideration. Though you have not won this competition, it has been a pleasure to know you, and you have certainly proven yourselves an asset to the kingdom."
I nodded at their leader, lord Orson, and he nodded back, his smile a bit wry and crestfallen, but still in good humor. "With that being said," I continued, "the royal advisors would like to meet with you. They would like to offer your team royal employment, if you are interested in the positions they have in mind for you."
The men were smiling again now, and their leader bowed to me before replying. "Thank you, my lady. We would be honored to meet with the royal advisors."
I nodded and held out an arm, inviting the team to follow the royal secretary so they could discuss a meeting time. The men bowed one last time and moved off to the side with the secretary. He would want to get them scheduled right now. He was nothing if not mercilessly efficient and organized.
I then moved to stand before the men of Lion team. Talon puffed out his chest and grinned at me with that overbearing look that said he was sure this was it, the moment they were crowned the winners. He was so confident that he had won. And so dismissive of what had just passed between us on the terrace.
"Lion team," I said with a neutral smile. "Your team brought back information regarding gold to be found in the Untamed Wood. While that is certainly a treasure, the royal family has more than enough wealth, and would never consider disturbing the forest to obtain more. However, you have won the most points in most of the other challenges set forth for you in this tournament. There is no question that the men of Lion team are strong and that you are masters of physical prowess."
That got me a few leers from the males before me, who were no doubt more than willing to try to prove their "physical prowess" in other ways. I ignored the looks. "You have proven that you will go to any lengths to claim your prize." Talon nodded along in agreement, not understanding that I did not mean my words as a compliment.
"However," I said, glancing from them to the audience around them and back again, "each of the challenges in this tournament were designed to show us more than physical strength." I smiled indulgently as it started to sink in that I wasn't about to hand Lion team the prize. "There were the points you saw on the boards when you crossed a finish line or completed a task. But there were also points awarded behind the scenes."
Talon didn't speak, but he was scowling now, his face beginning to turn a bright red color as he held back his fury.
"Lord Talon," I said evenly. "You are undoubtedly a skilled swordsman. However, on the day of the sword competition, you were willing to cut down a teenage boy who was pushed into your path. You also showed no hesitation to deliver a killing blow to a fallen competitor when he sacrificed his advantage to keep an innocent from being injured."
He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand to stall his protests, firmly speaking over the top of the puffed-up ass. "Lord Jonah," I said, turning to the next man in line. "You won the bow competition, demonstrating great skill on the archery field. However, I'm given to understand that wouldn't have happened if the lead competitor's bowstring hadn't mysteriously broken at a crucial moment."
He spluttered. "It's his own fault," he insisted. "For not knowing his equipment. He drew too hard. Didn't know his own strength."
"Hmm, maybe," I said, moving back a step as I regarded them all. "But that doesn't explain all the other accidents and coincidences that led to your victories. Your questionable morals and lack of honor in every single challenge you faced may have given you the advantage in points and landed you in third place," I said, watching them realize that not only were they not going to win, but they weren't even second place.
I noticed the king subtly raising a hand out of the corner of my eye, signaling the guards, and knew it was time to get on with it. "However, all that aside," I said loudly, "there is also the fact that you are all agents of someone else, sent here to secure a place in the Elfhaven nobility so you can further our enemies' political agenda."
Chapter 43
The palace guards moved forward at the king's gesture, surrounding Lion team and cutting them off from the rest of the guests. All questions of whether these males knew of the scheme to make them champions was answered in that moment. The men of Lion team surged into action, dropping their dumb-but-harmless act and attempting to do who-knew-what sort of damage to the nobles and royal family around them. They produced hidden weapons and threw around their magic as if they were determined to cause maximal damage. But the high-born warriors of the royal guard quickly and efficiently put them down.
It was over in seconds.
Raven team stood at the ready, their hands instantly on their weapons, and magic swirling around them, ready to be put to use if Lion team somehow escaped the guards. But Raven team's assistance wasn't needed. The king and queen were the only ones legally allowed to use the Sleeping Beauty spell. Once they released it, the meatheads of Lion team were out in an instant. The royal guards dragged their unconscious bodies from the room like this was an everyday occurrence.
I smoothed my hands over my skirt, lifted my chin, and drew in a deep, bracing breath. Then I turned back to Raven team with a smile, even though nerves had turned my stomach into a churning bowl of acid. They had won this tournament, and I saw that knowledge and shock dawning on every handsome face. They hadn't expected to win. They had wanted to withdraw from the challenge to be with me. This should be good news, but to them it was a tragedy. They didn't yet know what this meant for us. They didn't know I was the Prize. I had lied to them all along. Befriended them under false pretenses.
And now…what if they weren't happy with their prize because of my deception?
"Raven team," I somehow managed to say in an even, well-bred tone of voice. "You won the last challenge by locating a previously unknown source of moonsilver plants. You risked your safety and sanity in a decision to stay in the Untamed Wood through the wild moon just so you could bring back valuable medicine for the people of Elfhaven—a decision that you made before you were waylaid by attackers determined to ruin your chances of completing the quest."
I paused to take in a shuddering breath as my composure threatened to slip. But my voice remained blessed even. "You have proven, over and over, that you are men of skill, honor, intelligence, and integrity. You protect others, you look out for the greater good, and you selflessly gave up your advantage in the game to help others around you and to do what is right, rather than what is accepted or expected." I smiled, proud and bittersweet, just for them. "You have won every challenge placed before you, even when you thought you had lost. And you did it all with dignity and grace."
The queen rose and moved to stand beside me, bowing her head to the men of Raven team. "Congratulations, Raven team. You have emerged as the champions of the Game of Hearts. You have proven yourself to the entire kingdom. It is my pleasure to introduce you now to your Prize."
My stomach dropped, as if I was falling from a great height, about to smash to bits on the rocky ground below as Queen Iris held out her hand to draw me forward. She waved her free hand to banish the magic that had sustained her secrecy spell, drawing power inward like an inhale that tugged at every aura in the room, before bursting outward like the fading sparkles of a firework’s display. "I introduce you to the lady Katrina Bellflower, steward of Larkwood and Duchess of Mistvale. Your Prize."
