Chapter 444: The Choosing of Teams

Chapter 443: The Choosing of Teams

Lyria’s POV

The Queen continued, her voice carrying the length of the ballroom.

"The Moon candidates shall be permitted to select their own teams from among the candidates present, proceeding by turns. Furthermore, you shall all depart for your respective destinations upon the very first hour of the morrow. Depending upon which team arrives first after the completion of their task, a considerable mark may be allotted in their favour."

She paused, permitting her words to settle upon the assembled company.

"Let it be known, once more, that every soul involved is expected to give of their utmost. For once this stage of the competition has concluded, two suitor candidates and not one shall be eliminated."

A murmur rippled through the ballroom at this pronouncement, and I felt my own heart quicken. Two eliminations. The stakes had risen considerably indeed.

The King then spoke.

"Once a suitor candidate is called forth, he is to take his place beside the princess who has summoned him."

He turned towards us, his expression giving nothing away.

"I leave the whole of this matter to the princesses."

With that, he and the Queen seated themselves upon their thrones, and the affair was placed entirely into our hands.

Jacinta spoke first.

"I should like Baron Redwick upon my team," she announced.

I confess I was not surprised. I suspected, too, that Jacinta possessed some prior knowledge of this stage of the competition and I must own that Baron Redwick was, in every respect, a fine choice. He was brilliant, and I should gladly have claimed him for my own team, but alas, this was not to be my fortune. He was known besides to have restored his own territory from the very brink of ruin. A loss, certainly, but one I felt confident I might bear.

I was not surprised she had claimed the first pick, which should furnish her side the advantage in numbers.

But I had long since learned that quality mattered a very great deal more than mere quantity.

Baron Redwick stepped forward, coming to stand at Jacinta’s side, a frown marking his countenance.

Jacinta turned to face me, her expression one of open challenge.

"Are you at a loss as to whom you ought to choose, sister?" she asked.

The word dripped with venom, though I judged her unworthy of a reply, and spoke instead, my voice clear and free of every stammer — for, as ever, the words emerged slowly when I took particular pains not to stammer at all.

"Duke Evander Valenridge," I said.

Duke Valenridge smirked, and made his way to my side, adjusting his cufflinks as he came — a gesture of such easy confidence that I might have laughed outright, under other circumstances.

Jacinta’s jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly.

"Count Mathias Greystone," she called.

I had rather supposed she should choose Lucian. It seemed the plainest course, he being brilliant, and her own cousin besides. But since she had failed to claim him, I should do so before she might reconsider.

"Duke Lucian Aurelgrave," I called out.

Lucian stepped forward, his countenance blank, though his lips twitched somewhat. He took his place beside Duke Valenridge, at my own side.

Jacinta’s eyes twitched with evident annoyance.

"Earl Benedict Hawthorne," she called sharply.

Earl Hawthorne did not move at once, and Jacinta turned towards him, her gaze sharp as a blade.

"My lord?" she called. "Did you not hear your name spoken?"

Earl Hawthorne offered his apology at once, bowing low.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness."

He made his way to stand beside the others upon her team, though I marked that his step was rather slower than necessity required, and there was something in his countenance suggesting he was not entirely pleased with the arrangement.

I did not permit my own expression to betray my thoughts, but inwardly, I lamented the loss. I should have liked Earl Hawthorne upon my own team greatly — he was kind, steady, and possessed of a quiet strength I had come to admire a great deal. But there remained another I might call upon — one who, for all his humour, was nonetheless a brilliant man in his own right. And I knew full well that, should I fail to claim him now, I should lose him to Jacinta entirely.

"Duke Alistair Thorncrest," I said.

Duke Thorncrest grinned broadly as he stepped forward.

"Duke Marcellus Frostmere," Jacinta called out.

I paused, considering those who yet remained, then made my choice.

"Marquess Adrian Silverwyn."

Jacinta’s brow furrowed slightly, though she offered no remark upon it.

"Count Elias Thornleigh," she said.

I had rather supposed she might choose Corvin, given their relationship. But she did not, and I found myself wondering whether some falling-out had passed between them. It was, however, no concern of mine, and I did not dwell upon the matter — though I daresay hail might well fall again in the capital before I should choose Corvin for my own team.

"Baron Oliver Fairmont," I called.

Jacinta’s lips pressed into a thin, displeased line.

"Marquess Corvin Hale," she said, the words emerging with no small measure of reluctance.

Corvin stepped forward and took his place beside Jacinta, though neither looked upon the other.

The teams stood formed at last.

The Queen then spoke.

"As has already been said, the competition commences upon the morrow," she said, "and whatever transpires thereafter shall be agreed entirely between the partners directly concerned."

Something in those particular words sent a chill through me, though I could not precisely say why. I resolved to remain upon my guard this night, if only as a precaution.

The King then spoke.

"The two teams stand now formed," he said. "It remains only to determine which towns you shall each attend to."

He gestured, and a servant stepped forward, bearing a tray upon which rested two sealed parchments.

"Each princess shall select either A or B," the King said. "Within these parchments are recorded the names of the towns to which you shall journey."

Jacinta spoke at once.

"A."

The word emerged swift and certain, and I very nearly laughed at the plainness of it all. She had known. She had known from the very first which town she wished to attend.

I wondered whether they took every soul present for a fool.

I gave only a breathless little laugh, and then spoke in turn.

"B."