She may have a natural creative talent, but you just couldn’t take the snobbish upbringing out of her. Money had raised her, and it showed. Just as it did with me, but I didn’t try to hide it like she did. I figured I am who I am. While she wanted to change who she was—constantly.
Her head of red hair dipped as she evaluated the envelope. “Looks like it’s from the overlords. It’s sealed with their stamp. You probably should read it now.” She tossed it on my lap before flopping back down onto her vacated seat.
My eyes narrowed on the envelope, not touching it. “What do you think it is?”
“Probably another summons.” Adelie shrugged.
I sat up straight in an instant, adrenaline pumping through my veins once more. “It can’t be the next Challenge. Not yet.”
She blinked. “You already did one?”
“Yes, I passed.” Carefully, I lifted the envelope.
“Open the damn thing already,” my friend growled.
I hissed at her, showing a smidge of fangs.
But I did rip the envelope open.
Adelie raced to stand behind me, reading over my shoulder.
My breath caught in my chest as my eyes flew over the clear handwriting. “Oh, my goodness. I’m not sure if I’m ready for this yet.”
The evil redhead chuckled behind me, patting my shoulder. “Maybe they won’t try to push you two together. You never know. They don’t do it to every king and queen. Some are merely business partners in the ruling.”
I dropped the paper and the destroyed envelope onto the desk. I stared down at the words, my forehead crinkling in worry. “I don’t even know what to wear to something like this. I mean, what if I don’t like the King Novitiate? I don’t want to appear like I do.”
“But if he’s handsome, you don’t want to look like a slob either.” Adelie grabbed my left hand and yanked me to my feet. She ordered, “Come on. Let’s just fix your makeup a little. Your outfit is sexy and standoffish. Both will work for you depending what way you sway toward the dude you’ll be stuck ruling with for a long-ass time.”
I snorted and allowed her to drag me to the bathroom. “You inspire hope like a champ.”
Her red brows bounced as she placed me in front of the mirror. “It’s time to pass your next Challenge, Gwen. Time to find the next candidate for king.”
I grouched, “I hate how they do this, though. I’ve heard about it before. They pick the female candidate first, the oldest and bravest, in hopes it will produce the best male candidate for them. All they really give a damn about is him.”
“We are a male-run society.” Adelie grabbed my makeup bag, digging through it, her nose almost inside of the pouch. “But you can start to change that. Have faith in yourself. And don’t allow this male candidate to overrun you. Take charge.”
I stiffened my spine, staring myself in the eye in the reflection.
Take charge. Be the woman. Be the fabulous woman.
I nodded my head. “He’ll probably be some weak-ass guy I end up with.”
“Let’s hope not,” Adelie grumbled, dropping the bag, done with her exploration of it. Too many tools were in her hands. Apparently, she was going to beautify me to her standards. My friend lifted a brow. “Because, like you said, they do take the oldest females first to get a strong male. You don’t want the overlords thinking you’re weak because the males that come to you are weak.”
I groaned long and heavy. “Dammit. This is not helping me.”
She blinked. “He’ll be a rock star. You deserve the best. You’ll get it.”
My black brows rose. “All right, that was better. Thank you.”
“I have my moments.” Adelie winked.
Lord Otto stepped forward in the too-white office. “No. Absolutely not.”
I crossed my arms and entered the room the overlords were lounging in. “The invitation didn’t say I couldn’t bring anyone. And Adelie is my support system. I want her here.”
“No.” The lord didn’t budge.
My molars ground together, and I stepped in front of my friend, cutting off his glare on her person. I decided honesty might actually get me further in this situation than to lie my ass off. “Lord Otto, when I say she’s my support system I actually mean that. And finding out who will be the possible King Novitiate, and having to meet him…is a little off-putting for me.”
His mouth snapped shut, but he didn’t stop scowling.
I cleared my throat and explained further. “I’m terrible with men for longstanding, personal relationships. Most find me intimidating. And I know this doesn’t have to be a romantic match—which I’m incredibly grateful for—but it will be a personal one no matter what. Having Adelie here as a buffer will help me—and him.”
Lord Otto’s blink was dangerously slow. “That was refreshingly honest.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, painting them pink against my pale complexion. “Yes…well…”
I didn’t mention all my previous boyfriends somehow wound up dead. The only one still alive was Lord Pippin.
I swear, I was a plague in the love department.
I would date. Eventually, it would end in a very bad way—usually with them telling me I was shit-on-a-stick. Then the man was dead. Like a damn curse.
The overlords didn’t need to know that though.
I cocked a hip and continued to hold my arms over my chest. This was embarrassing. My skin heated even further.
I just knew my blush was rising to my hairline, little beads of sweat dotting my brow.
Lord Pippin stepped forward, his eyes cast to the other Lord. “It makes sense. Let Adelie stay. It’s not breaking any laws.”
Lord Otto drummed his fingers against his legs, studying my sullen expression.
“Good grief,” Lord Cato grumbled. “Make up your damn mind. I’d rather not be up all night watching you two stare at one another. Unlike you, I enjoy my sleep.”
Lord Otto flicked a glare in his direction but swiftly returned his regard to my person. He bent forward and hissed, “If she does anything wrong during this Challenge, I will kill her myself. Do you understand, candidate?”
I quickly nodded. “Understood, Lord Otto.”
“About fucking time,” Lord Cato growled. He barged straight between us, heading to the door. Grumpy and irate. Over his shoulder, he barked, “Let’s go, people. I know you can move faster than that.”
I turned and quickly followed after my horrible father.
Adelie leaned toward me, whispering softly, “What pissed him off?”
Lord Xenon answered—directly behind us, “His favorite chattel was taken before we came here. And he doesn’t like using his position as overlord to make a feeding vampire give up his meal just because that blood is one of his favorites.”
“I can hear you!” Cato bellowed, far down the hallway.
My eyes narrowed on his back. Those actions were of an individual testing their own limits. I knew that game well. I played it all the time with my own willpower.
Bile rose in my throat with the thought that we were anything alike.
Sensing my discomfort, Adelie broke the silence. “Lords, where will the Challenge be held?”
Lord Pippin replied, “In a ceremony room not directly attached to the stronghold. We have to go outside to get there.”