3 - Let the games begin

LIRA

"What can I do to help you? How do I help you prepare for the Queen's Selection?" my brother asked as I paced around the room.

I didn't pause as I began listing everything that needed to be done, starting with the most important, something we couldn't afford to get wrong.

"Well, first, you'll need to write a letter in return. It has to accompany me to the palace. It's my ticket inside. It must show that Lord Vale has accepted the Royal Family's invitation to participate in the Queen's Selection. It must also contain the Vale family seal, and they're demanding a letter confirming that... my virtue is still intact."

Callum gave a sharp nod.

"I'll find the family seal for the Vale house," he said thoughtfully.

"But the real issue is faking Lord Vale's handwriting. He has the strangest handwriting."

I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Exactly. We have to get it right. You know they'll check. And it has to be perfect."

Callum nodded again, slower this time. "Don't worry about the letters. I'll write them, and I'll make sure they're perfect."

I looked at him, surprised.

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course. I have to, so you won't get caught."

"What else do we need to prepare?"

"A carriage to take me to the palace. And some clothes... but I'll check Lady Lira's wardrobe for that. I think that should be it."

"I have some money saved. I can rent a carriage."

I frowned. "Oh, brother, I don't want you to use all your money on me."

"Don't worry about it. Besides, I don't want the others here to find out about our plan. Renting a carriage is the only way."

"Well then, if it's the only way, I suppose we have no choice," I said, finally agreeing.

....................

Far from us, the royal palace had already begun to buzz with activity as the first of the contestants had arrived.

Their carriages rolled through the palace gates, horses' hooves tapping against the cobbled stone streets of the capital. The courtyard was crowded with noblemen and women, servants bustling around, and royal guards standing at attention.

I entered last, my heart pounding like a war drum. It had taken four days to reach the capital, but the real preparation had taken longer.

Finding clothes in Lady Lira's wardrobe that were fit for presentation was difficult. My brother had scraped together every last coin to buy me a few additional items and rent the carriage that brought me here.

Every movement I made was deliberate, meant to blend in. My disguise had to be flawless. I had taken the identity of Lord Vale's granddaughter, using the stolen wardrobe of his late daughter. I held my head high, even as fear and rage brewed beneath my skin. I hadn't come here to make friends. I had come for revenge.

Around me, the other girls arrived in elegant carriages that glimmered in the afternoon sun. Mine paled in comparison, but I tried not to dwell on that. I was here, and that was what mattered.

Lady Vivienne Trevanne stepped out of her carriage first, her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders like silk. The Trevannes were known for their strength. All across the kingdom, it was a blessing to say, May you have the strength of the Trevannes.

Then came Lady Saphira Caelum, wearing a silver and blue gown that sparkled like starlight. She didn't walk, she floated. The Caelums had telekinesis, and Saphira was said to have once levitated during a duel. Even now, her feet barely seemed to touch the ground.

Lady Elora Dorne arrived next, softer and more humble than the rest. She didn't look like much, but she was wealthier than us all. The Dornes had a gift, life from soil. Their farms fed more than half the kingdom, and every child born to their family had the gift of growing something from nothing.

As we disembarked and began moving toward the palace, I could feel eyes on us from every direction. Courtiers watched from balconies, servants whispered behind gloved hands, and guards stood tall like statues. Every glance, every step, every word, judged.

Lady Calista Harthwell entered next. Regal, poised, unshaken. Her eyes scanned the palace like it was already hers. She was already calculating, already plotting. I could almost see the gears turning in her mind.

"Come in, ladies! Come, come!" A voice called out, drawing all our attention.

A royal instructor stood ahead, waving us forward.

"Please form a straight line. We will collect your sealed letters first, and then you may enter the grand hall for the welcoming ceremony."

The line began to form, and I carefully took my place at the very end. My heart was pounding. If the letter wasn't right, if the seal was off, if the handwriting was wrong, anything could give me away.

And if they discovered who I really was...

They wouldn't just throw me out.

They'd execute me for impersonating a noble.

The line moved quickly. One girl after the other handed over her letter. The instructor barely paused, barely looked at most of them. But the closer I got to the front, the tighter the knot in my stomach became. I could feel my hands trembling. I clasped them together behind my back to keep them from shaking.

Finally, it was my turn.

I stepped forward, forcing a soft smile onto my face.

"Your letter, my lady," he said.

I handed it over with steady hands, though it took everything in me not to let the fear show.

He examined the seal first, then broke it open. I held my breath.

He read.

And kept reading.

And kept reading.

He was taking too long.

Much too long.

He hadn't spent this long on any of the other letters. My stomach twisted. Was it the handwriting? The wording? The signature?

Panic whispered in the back of my mind.

Give up now.

You've been caught.

The instructor finally looked up, his brow furrowed.

"Lady Lira of the Vale?" he asked, confusion flickering in his eyes.

I froze.