Chapter 7: Prince Theo’s Challenge

“The king?” I repeated.

“Yes, the king! C’mon, let’s hurry.”

| stashed the flower Prince Warren had given me in a pocket in my dress and thought about what Brook was telling me.

The king was summoning all of the girls, and we were meant to make an appearance, and a good impression on him.

However, I was in no position to do that in my current state-not that it really mattered to me. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be interacting with any of them at all, except for maybe Prince Warren. I’d rather they didn’t notice I was there. Or not there, as the case may be.

“I don’t know whether I should go…” I murmured.

“You don’t know?” Brook repeated. “Ciana! It’s the king!”

I thought up some excuses. “But… I have to feed the ani mals. You see, I still needed to feed the tiger, and there were other chores that needed to be done for the animals. If I were to leave now, my work wouldn’t be completed, and this was a task the prince had assigned to me….”

“You do know that it’s important to make a good impres sion on the king whether or not you win Prince Theo’s hand, don’t you? I mean… he’s the king! He can just as easily decide the fate of our packs as the prince.”

“I know, I know. You go ahead,” | told her. “I’ll see what || can do.”

“But Ciana,” she pleaded.

“Brook, you shouldn’t be late on my account. Go! Take care of yourself and your pack, and make sure the king sees how wonderful you are. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She hesitated, but her eyes flashed between me and the palace, and I understood that she was struggling with the burden of trying to be a good friend while not disobeying the king and missing her opportunity. “Please hurry,” she urged me.

I gave her an encouraging smile. “Of course. Now, go! Don’t be late!”

“All right,” Brook said, and with a sigh, she turned and ran back toward the castle doors.

I couldn’t help but smile after her. She was such a kind hearted person to even come out here to tell me, and I felt very lucky to call her my friend.

But I didn’t intend to go. Knowing Brook, she should be able to navigate the scenario on her own.

Enough girls would doll themselves up and do their best to look beautiful and elegant in front of the king. I had inten tionally put myself in a position where anyone who looked at me would think I was a mess. It was the best way to stay out of the royals’ way and survive these three years so I could go home.

never been one for

girls bat their eyelashes, show off their gowns, and fluff their curls at His Majesty. I

tell them the prince had given me an order, and as

bucket holding the tiger’s food and headed back to the “zoo,” certain

irritated that I was late. Once he’d nibbled on a few morsels of raw meat, he was up for some petting, and I spent some extra time with him to make up for

return the bucket i’d been carrying and see what else needed to be done when I heard a familiar

said as he grew closer to me. “Now,

the ground, and I thought | saw a gleam

ing across my lap, letting me run my hand along

into my cheeks just thinking about Prince Warren. “To think, here I am sharing my happy news with a snake. Well, of all of

tongue darted from his lips and kissed the skin of my hand. I contin ued to pet him, giggling

Warren and that bracelet, which I had only caught a glimpse of. He seemed to have changed a bit since I’d given it to him. I re called a

the python. He looked at me with an expression of

memories have become intertwined and reality is now framed through

me smile. Then, he gave me a

asked him. He glided over the ground

and down just a bit, so I took that as a yes. And then, I was off with the python taking this opportuni ty to do a bit of exploring in the

were with

*Theo”

sigh leaked from my lips as I watched the remaining women line up before my father. I’d done my best to keep it at bay,

of each of them. He took his time, as if he were admiring a work of art, and then, when

voice of

managed to sound believable when I said, “They’re

and I realized immediately

him. If I gave him the impression / was overjoyed with this venture, who knew what he might pull next? “That’s correct, Sire,” I said with a bow of

well-bred ladies in all

was beginning to well up inside of me at his in trusion; the very fact that he’d decided to do this

low, I repeated to him the same warning I had made when he’d first told me of the idea only a week ago.

me he disagreed with my assessment. “Theo, I am ordering you to find a mate. There are eighty of them. At least one has to

“Seventy-three.” I corrected him.

my face. “What’s that now? Seventy-three?” He looked around the room, taking a moment to understand my meaning. Turning back to

prised, Father. After all, I am related to you. Your blood

“I don’t care if it’s eighty, seventy-three, or a hundred and sixty!

conversation here, but since he was pressing the issue, I needed to be firm. “I do

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