Loved by the Princess E-Book

Sadie Waters

• Herausgeber: Sadie Waters
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Sometimes choosing just isn’t an option....
As Princess Katrinetta falls even deeper into love with her Representatives, it becomes clear, she’ll never be able to choose just one of them. Though Yewforian law dictates that, in order to become queen, she must select a mate, Katrinetta begins to formulate a plan that will let her keep her men and the crown.
But she’s not the only one keeping secrets, and the princess soon discovers Eliason has several. Will revelations from his past tear her from her closest friend? Will the love of her other men be enough to catch her win she falls?
Realm of the Chosen follows Princess Katrinetta as she embraces the love of her men and establishes herself as a benevolent ruler, one who will vow to protect her people and do what’s best for them, no matter the cost.
Full of steamy bedroom scenes, romance, love, and intrigue, Realm of the Chosen is a reverse harem romance for mature readers.

Leseprobe

Loved by the Princess: A Reverse Harem Romance

Realm of the Chosen Book Two

Sadie Waters

Copyright © 2019 by Sadie Waters

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Book cover by Sparrow Book Cover Design

Created with Vellum

For April and Kristen. Thanks for your support!

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Epilogue

A Message from Sadie

Chapter One

The sound of music wound its way around Kit as she moved back and forth across the dance floor, not really paying attention to the man whose arms she was in, though she understood she was being impolite. Gavin of Wainsborough was a handsome man, with golden skin and hair to match. He had an athletic frame, though he was more wiry than some of the other men, like Cassius from Warchester Keep, who was currently the only Representative she’d Roomed. Cassius had shoulders broad enough to carry two of her. But Gavin wasn’t currently the man she was thinking of, and neither was Cassius for that matter. She needed to speak with Eli; the sooner the better.

She glanced around the ballroom again. Several hours had passed since he was introduced to her as the newest Representative for her Choosing, and she hadn’t seen him in at least half that time. At first, she’d avoided him because she hadn’t wanted to cause a scene. The other forty-one Representatives knew the history between the two of them. They knew Eli had grown up here at Castle Wrenbrook and that he and Kit had been good friends. The others may have even suspected there was more between the pair. Certainly, Cassius had thought so. She’d spoken to him about it briefly before and could see it on his face when she’d looked into his eyes right after Eli had walked away from her. Cassius looked only slightly troubled, however, and Kit was reminded that he had mentioned to her before that he knew she’d be choosing seven men before she narrowed down the number and selected the one man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with—assuming she didn’t find a way to change the rules. Glancing around and seeing so many faces of men she admired and wanted to get to know better, she had no idea how she would ever make that decision, not even now that Eli was a possibility, something she would’ve never considered until the announcement earlier in the evening.

“You’re anxious, aren’t you, Princess?” Gavin asked, still moving her around the dance floor as if he hadn’t a care in the world. She could tell by the tension in his shoulder he was simple putting on a brave face. “Are you looking for the Commander?”

Seeing no reason to lie to the handsome man who had been nothing but understanding, Kit nodded. “I do need to speak to him. I thought perhaps I could dance with him next. But I don’t know where he’s headed off to.”

“I believe I saw him exit through one of the doors leading to the balconies,” Gavin replied, gesturing with a nod of his head. “It was at the beginning of the song. I don’t think he’s returned just yet.”

Kit wondered what Eli could possibly be doing outside, but then, she wouldn’t fault him for trying to escape. He was never one for attention, used to spending his time on the periphery at such events. As Commander of her guard, he’d been tasked with the duty of keeping her safe, something that he took very seriously. He was capable of moving through a crowd without even being noticed. Now that all eyes were on him, she could imagine he would want to get out of view, at least for a while.

Swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat, Kit thanked Gavin for the information and asked him a question about his childhood, hoping to engage him in some light banter for the duration of the song. She found her mind wandering, though her eyes stayed attached to his handsome face, and by the time he’d finished speaking, she had no idea what he’d said. It was a good thing she was fairly certain he wasn’t one of the gentlemen she’d be keeping. Not that there was anything particularly unlikable about him. But if he couldn’t hold her attention enough to keep her mind off of Eli for even a few moments, he likely wasn’t a good candidate for Rooming.

Before the final chords were even struck, at least a half a dozen hands were offered to her. Kit excused herself from all of them with only a glance at who they belonged to. Most of them were fellows she’d already danced with and no one she wanted to spend more time with that evening, though she would’ve appreciated the opportunity to speak with Pierce of Metfirth if she had a chance. He always had more information than anyone else, even though she’d already danced with him once, and he’d let her know he was just as surprised to hear Eli announced as she was. But any interrogation would have to wait until later because she had to find her Commander.

The crowd parted for the princess despite the fact that so many young men wanted the opportunity to dance with her. With forty-two suitors, it would be hard to give everyone equal attention as it was. Now that she was clearly leaving the dance floor, some were wise enough to know the possibilities of getting a turn with her around the ballroom were even more limited. Yet, they stepped aside quickly as Kit raced between them, her silver gown flowing out behind her. It snagged once on the leg of one of the many tables her mother, Queen Rona, had set up along the periphery. It was a new idea of hers—food everywhere but nowhere to sit--and Kit had avoided eating much of anything because of it. Luckily, when she swiped her garment free, there was only a small snag in the satin and not a rip.

A few more steps and she reached one of the long streamers of gauze hanging from the ceiling. It seemed with each party, her mother found a way to outdo herself. This streamer was purple, one of the royal colors, and it hid the exit Kit was looking for. In fact, these large fabric adornments hid almost all of the exits. The idea of what the party might do in case of an emergency crossed her mind for a moment, but Kit pushed it aside. She knew how to get out of the ballroom when she needed to. Pushing the door open, she caught the eye of one of her guards who had clearly followed her. Galter—who may actually be her new Commander now that Eli had other business to attend to—was one of her most trusted, and he only nodded his approval as she exited the building.

It was summer, but this high above the velvety gardens, a light wind stirred her hair and a tingle of gooseflesh rose up on her bare arms. She blamed it on the change in temperature, not the man leaning against the balcony, though she was certain it could have been either or both. Eli didn’t turn his head as she took slow, careful steps in his direction. Just as she often knew when he was nearby through her sense of smell or some other unknown ability, he knew it was her. They were all alone with only the stars above them and a waning moon to witness their conversation, and Kit was relieved to have a few moments to discuss the unbelievable turn of events that had brought them to this juncture.

She placed one hand on the cast iron railing beside him but didn’t look over. Ever since she’d gone out on her own small balcony with the man Eli had been selected to replace, she’d had an issue with heights. Jecobian had been reckless in more ways than she cared to count, and it was the fact that he’d been found to suffer from a contractible venereal disease that had cost him his chance with the princess. It had also literally cost him his manhood. Kit pushed those thoughts aside and waited to see if her friend would acknowledge her.

He did. “You should be inside with your guests, Princess,” Eli said, only turning his head slightly to look at her out of the corner of one emerald green eye. “I’m certain there are plenty of Representatives waiting to dance with you.”

“Yes, well, they can wait a bit longer,” she replied resting her elbow on the railing. “How are you?”

Eli slowly turned to face her. Even in the dim light, standing this close to him, the sight of him made her catch her breath. There was a room full of handsome men behind her, but he had always found a way to stall her breathing. Normally, he wore a bit of stubble on his angular jaw, but tonight he was completely clean shaven, and his dark hair was parted on one side and slicked down. She preferred it the more natural, messy way he usually wore it but knew her mother would like it much better the way he was wearing it now. And Rona had never been fond of Eliason Goedwig. In fact, she was the one who tampered with the first election from Eli’s province of Eastbury. If Jecobian hadn’t found a way to get himself eliminated, Eli wouldn’t be in this position. Kit still couldn’t believe her mother hadn’t found a way to prevent this situation from occurring.

“It seems odd to me that you should ask how I’m doing,” Eli said, his green eyes twinkling in the moonlight. “You’re the one who has just discovered the situation. I’ve had a few days to let it sink in.”

“Very well, then,” Kit replied sarcastically. “How am I doing?” A smirk crossed his handsome face as he raised an eyebrow. Kit didn’t pause for long. “Honestly, I’m shocked. I certainly wasn’t expecting this. At first, I wanted to demand you explain to me why you said nothing earlier when you could have. But then I realized my mother would’ve had your head if she would’ve known you’d told me before the ceremony this evening. So I suppose I can’t fault you for that. And then I wanted to ask you how this all came to be. But I determined that if you even had an answer for that question, you probably couldn’t explain it to me without either going against whatever promises my mother may have sworn you to or directives she’s ordered you to follow. So... here we are with the impossible staring us right in our noses.”

Eli held her gaze a moment longer before he said, “Your eyes look like brilliant blue sapphires tonight, Princess.”

A blush warmed her cheeks, and she looked away. “Is that all you have to say then?” She glanced back up at him as the breeze stirred the few loose curls of black hair that hung around her shoulders sending a shiver down her spine that wasn’t completely related to the weather.

“No, but I thought it was noteworthy.” He smiled much easier now than he had when she’d first come out to speak with him. “All I can say is, I was as surprised to hear the outcome of the voting as you were. I was aware that I’d received a substantial amount of ballots in my favor the first time, but as I told you before I left for Eastbury this last time, I fully expected the farmhand I told you about, the one who had come in second to Jecobian in the first election, to be the Representative. When I was announced after the ballots were counted, I nearly fell over and had to be propped up by my sister and her husband.”

“I cannot even picture that,” Kit said, shaking her head. Someone as agile and strong as her own commander needed a shoulder to lean on?

“And yet it happened just the same. I kept waiting for your mother to send one of her own guardsmen in to declare the vote erroneous, but that never happened. When I arrived back at the castle earlier today, your mother wanted to see me, of course. She already knew what had happened. She made me swear to say nothing to you about what we discussed and promised me that she would find a way to... end this. I think you know what that means.”

Kit swallowed hard. She knew precisely what her mother meant. If Kit even began to consider choosing Eli, the queen would make sure that didn’t happen, one way or another. “What do you intend to do then?” Kit asked, each word measured. She held her breath as she waited for him to answer, thinking it would be quite easy for him to bow out, to say he’d play along for a bit and then let her send him home, whether that be back to the guard, to the army where he’d served for many years, or back to Eastbury.

“Kit, I never even let myself think this was a possibility.” His tone was gentle. He stepped toward her, his fingertips brushing against her arm. “All of these years, you know I’ve valued our friendship. But there’s been... more. For my part anyway. I never imagined....”

He stopped, holding her gaze for a second, and Kit felt her breath catch before she let it go in a soft exhale. He didn’t need to say anything else. “You’re not afraid of her?”

“No. I’ve never been afraid of what she might do to me—only of what she might do to you. And it seems that she was unable to prevent this situation from happening. Maybe that’s a sign that the goddesses are on our side, or at least that they feel we need an opportunity to see if there’s more.”

Kit’s head was moving up and down on its own accord before she even realized she was agreeing. “If you’re not afraid of her, then I would like for you to... stay. To participate. And we can see... what it’s like to be a bit more than friends.” Eli’s lips formed a small smile, and she mirrored the gesture before another thought entered her head, morphing her mouth into a tight line before she continued. “But... you should know... the others—I have begun to form relationships with some of them. I wouldn’t want to just walk away from them now.”

He was shaking his head before she even finished the statement. “Nor would I expect you to. Kit, this is a long process. I know you have feelings for Cassius and some of the others, and I’m glad for it. I told you this afternoon in the library I thought he was a good man. He is. I don’t want to stand in your way. If there’s someone else who is better suited to you, who can make you happier, then I want you to find him.”

“That’s a long way off.” Kit jumped in, stopping him. “I don’t have to decide anything right now.” It was just as much a reminder to herself as it was to him. “I have months, years if I want.”

“Precisely.” He was still smiling, but she knew the idea of this taking years wasn’t appealing to either of them. Still, the idea that she could not choose, not now, not ever, was present in her mind. “All you need worry about now is finding seven. That shouldn’t be too difficult, do you think?”

“Not as difficult as narrowing it down to one,” she replied. She had seven rooms to fill, and only Cassius had been assigned one of them, which left six more. Of the forty-one other men besides the one she’d already chosen, she thought there were ten or twelve that might be suitable for Rooming. The rest, she either hadn’t made a connection with or seemed to be here for the wrong reasons. Yet, her mother wouldn’t let her send any of them home for a bit longer, not until she gave her permission, which was completely against the laws of the realm. Kit had determined to let it be, though, thinking it was one small way to appease the queen of Yewforia without having to go to great lengths in order to do so.

“Then... treat me as you would any of the other Representatives, Princess, and I shall do my best to forget our familiarities.”

A giggle escaped her lips, though she tried to catch it before it filled the night air. “I don’t think that’s possible. I shall treat you as I always have—just with fresh eyes.”

Eli tipped his head in agreement. “You should get back inside.”

“Do you not wish to dance with the princess on the eve of your announcement?” She placed one hand on her hip and stared at him for a moment.

He seemed to ponder the question before he replied, “Of course, I would love to dance with you. I just didn’t want to steal any more time away from the others.”

“You should want to. They’re your competition.”

“I disagree,” he replied. “We aren’t enemies. At this point, you have six of us to choose, and as I said, your happiness is the most important. So... if you want to dance with me, of course, I’d love to have the honor. But if there are others you need more time with, then, by all means, choose one of them instead.”

His sentiments were similar to what Cassius had mentioned only a few days before, and it unburdened Kit’s heart. Knowing that the men were not thinking of each other as competition would make it easier for her to make difficult decisions. Anyone who was thinking of this as a contest had no place here. “I will dance with more of them, but first, I should like to dance with you.”

“Very well, then.” Eli bowed and offered his hand, and she slipped her gloved palm into his. He led her toward the door, but just as he went to open it, a thought crossed her mind, and Kit stopped, pulling him back toward her slightly. “What is it, Princess?”

She took a deep breath, searching for the right words. “It’s just... I thought you should know... I planned to ask Jaterius to my chambers tonight.” He raised his eyebrows, as if he couldn’t quite figure out why she was telling him this, but then nodded. “I think it might be best if you and I take a bit of time before... before we go there together. I wouldn’t want any of the others to think you have an unfair advantage, not more than they already will, that is.”

Eli continued to show his agreement, but she thought she saw a tinge of shadow pass across his face—perhaps disappointment. She couldn’t blame him if that were the case. While he’d mentioned not allowing himself to think about ever being intimate with her since it didn’t seem like it would ever be a possibility once her mother had sent him away right before her three-year-long Exploration began, Kit had thought about him in that way more times than she could count. Now that the possibility was right in front of her, the idea of taking it made her stomach turn over. She wanted him in more ways than she could imagine, but the idea that their friendship would be something else was also a worry, so she decided now was not the time to think on such matters, and if she could use the other men as an excuse to put some distance between them, then she would fully take advantage of that opportunity.

“Princess Katrinetta, this is your Choosing, and you have every right to select whomever you wish for your pleasuring.” Eli’s voice was soft and reassuring. “Now, would you like to accompany me to the dance floor?”

Kit’s breathing evened out, but she was still unsure of her own decision. Nevertheless, she was certain that she wanted to dance with the man she’d been longing to spend her life with for as long as she could remember. Though she’d been in his arms many times, this one would be different. This one would be full of possibilities. “Yes, I’d love to,” she replied, and he led her through the solid wood doors, back into the ballroom not just as a friend but as the something more she’d been longing for as far back as she could remember.

Chapter Two

The song was just ending as Eli led Kit back inside, and as the new one began, he offered her his hand, placing the other on her narrow waist. He could tell that the anxious feeling he had inside wasn’t his alone but that she was also unsure of what this new development would mean for their friendship. In all the years that they had known each other, both of them had been fairly certain that the current predicament could never be—that even if somehow Eli were to be selected by his province, Rona would make sure that something occurred to prevent him from taking his place among the other Representatives. Now that he was here, it was difficult to digest what this could potentially mean.

The scent of honey and lavender filled his lungs as he pulled Kit’s body close and moved her around the dance floor. Her hand was warm, and the light touch of her palm on his shoulder was a comfort. Everything he could’ve possibly spoken to her about his hopes and dreams had been said outside. Now, it was just a matter of trying the situation on for size. The idea of sharing her was much more appealing than a world where she could never be his, and though it never escaped his thinking that she could potentially choose someone else to be with in the end, at least now he’d have a chance.

It was hard to look her in the eyes. Hers flickered about as well, as if they were somehow learning each other all over again. In a way, they were. The dance they’d been engaged in for so many years as friends wanting what could never be was different than this new entanglement they’d embarked on as something more, and Eli feared he didn’t know the right steps and would end up making a mess of everything if he wasn’t careful. He knew she needed space and time, and he was willing to give that to her. Eventually, he hoped she would come around to the idea that he was no longer forbidden, and perhaps they’d learn to move together in harmony once again.

Since he wasn’t capable of looking directly at Kit, his eyes gazed past hers, and he noticed Cassius standing in the center of a group of other Representatives. It was no surprise to see him there; everyone genuinely liked him, or so it seemed, at least the ones who were worth their salt. Eli thought back to the beginning of the ball when Cassius had approached him, congratulating him for his victory and welcoming him to their little group. He’d said, “You’ll fit in with those of us who are here for the right reasons straight away,” and shook Eli’s hand.

It was a kind gesture, one that hadn’t been necessary, but Eli appreciated it just the same. Even though he’d played a game of slingball with some of them just before he’d been sent back to Eastbury, he certainly didn’t feel like one of their group. Knowing that Cassius welcomed him would make fitting in all the easier.

Kit stirred in his arms, and Eli looked down at her. The soft candlelight glistened off her tiara. She was easily the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. “Is everything all right, Princess?” he asked, coaxing a smile out of her.

“Yes, thank you. It’s just...” she turned to look over her shoulder, “the song will be over soon, and then I shall have to choose a new partner. I’m weary of making such difficult decisions.”

A chuckle caught in his throat. “I’m afraid you’re in the wrong line of work then, dearest.”

Pink tinged her cheeks. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.” Kit let out a sigh. “It’s so difficult when there are so many. I do wish mother would let me send some home already.”

“Why won’t she?” he asked, avoiding another couple who smelled of wine and were laughing so hard they weren’t paying careful attention to where they were going. He thought the man was one of Kit’s Representatives, one she didn’t much care for, and the woman was an invited guest of the queen.

“She wants to make sure all of the provinces believe they’ve had a fair shake.” Kit scrunched her lips to one side of her face in thought. “I am certain there are at least eight or ten I would like to never see again, but she won’t let me send any of them on their way just yet.”

Eli thought through the candidates he’d met while he was still serving as Commander of the Princess’s Guard. He could think of at least that many who didn’t deserve to be here. “Perhaps you should compile a list of those you’d like to send off, make sure you spend at least a small amount of time speaking to them, and then once your mother agrees, go ahead and dismiss them. That way, you only need to think on them once, and then you can put them out of your mind.”

A smile formed on her beautiful face. “What a perfect solution. See, I knew having you around would be beneficial. Although, this isn’t quite what I had in mind before. Not that I’m complaining.”

He knew what she was speaking of. Before he’d left for the election, she’d ask him to help her, to get to know the Representatives as her commander, and make recommendations based on his observations. “I can still do that, you know. You have six more gentlemen to choose. I certainly don’t mind helping you narrow it down.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You’d do that?”

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I? Naturally, I will recommend myself.” He winked at her, and Kit giggled beneath her breath. “But seriously, I want you to find the men most suited to you, Kit, so I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

“You already tried to warn me about Jecob, and I didn’t listen.” Her eyes fell to the floor for a moment. “I should know better than to let something like that happen again.”

Eli shrugged. “It’s not as if you were seeing him the same way that I did. Our families have known each other for a very long time. Yours was not the first Choosing where Goedwigs and Noblewoods have competed for the same woman.”

Puzzled, Kit tipped her head to the side. “It isn’t?”

It occurred to him that he may say too much if he wasn’t careful. “Our families have a long history of disliking each other.” He hoped that would be sufficient. Now was not the time to get into the history of Choosings. His eyes skittered over to Rona for the first time since he’d taken Kit out to the dance floor. The queen was staring at him, an angry glower on her face, and he wasn’t surprised in the least. If she knew he would begin to unwind the secrets he’d been carrying for so long, she would shoot darts at him with more than just her eyes.

Kit was looking around again, and the song was ending. “Perhaps you will be able to tell me all about it—some other time when we have more privacy.”

“Yes, of course.” It would be easier to agree to it now and then put her off later than protest at the moment.

The musicians played the last notes of the song, and as Kit had predicted, they were swarmed by gentlemen beckoning the princess to let them be next to swing her around the dance floor. Kit looked overwhelmed, not sure who to choose, and he imagined the choices would only get more difficult from here. Unsure what to do, he continued to keep his hands on her, waiting to see if she’d made her selection or if she needed assistance getting to the periphery of the dance floor.

Kit glanced past the row of men, over toward where Cassius was still standing, and Eli assumed she wanted to dance with him again. By his estimates, that would be at least the third time that night, though he may have missed a round. But it wasn’t Cassius she was looking for. “Jate!” Kit cried, pushing between two of the larger men who had asked her to dance. They parted for the princess, and she crossed the dance floor. Eli lowered his hands, resting them on his hips and watching her. She had slipped away so easily.

He only watched her for a moment to make sure she arrived at her destination before disappearing back into the shadows. Rona’s eyes were still heavily focused on him, and he didn’t want to draw any more attention to himself at this point. She’d already given him a stern talking to, and there was no point in generating a reminder. For now, at least he’d had the opportunity to speak with Kit, and they seemed to agree that from this point on, their relationship had changed. Whether or not that was for the better remained to be seen, but as the princess chose her new dance partner, Eli felt something bubbling up inside of him that he hadn’t experienced before—hope.

Jaterius had been aware of Princess Katrinetta all night, but it wasn’t until he actually heard her speak his name that he turned to acknowledge her for the first time. While he would’ve loved to have had the opportunity to dance with her, it just wasn’t in him to throw his hand in her face every time a dance ended as it seemed so many others were doing. He wished he could be as confident as Cassius, strolling up to her and demanding the others move aside through the power of his presence, but that wasn’t who Jate was either, so when he heard her soft voice calling his name, he was startled to see she was demanding his attention.

The men moved aside for her, though some of them seemed reluctant, and she came to stand before him, looking up into his hazel eyes. “Jate, how are you this evening? I haven’t had a chance to speak to you at all.”

Jate glanced at Cassius (whom had been in the middle of a story about dodging a stampede of frightened wild horses once when he was younger) and saw an amused look on his friend’s face. Cassius had danced with Kit a number of times, which seemed fitting on the night the Representative from Warchester Keep had been Roomed. The fact that Cassius was so nonchalant about the woman he was clearly in love with dancing with the other men—and taking them back to her room—left Jate in awe. While Jate was more than willing to share the princess, sometimes he found it slightly difficult to do so. Cassius made it seem so easy.

“Jate was just listening to me rattle of a story about a herd of angry horses. But I think it’s about time the pair of you took a turn on the dance floor.” Cassius literally nudged Jate in the shoulder, causing him to move forward slightly, toward Kit.

A nervous laugh escaped his lips, and he lifted his hand to his light brown hair. “Uh... yes, of course. Princess Katrinetta, would you like to dance?”

“I truly thought you would never ask,” she replied, a twinkle in her blue eyes.

Jate looked back at Cassius briefly, but long enough to see a look of amusement on his friend’s face. He offered his hand to the princess, and they moved onto the dance floor. The song was a mid-tempo waltz, and Jate was hopeful they’d have the opportunity to converse a bit while they danced. The first time he’d spoken to the princess, his words had flowed freely enough. At the time, he had absolutely no expectations, thinking she’d likely send him away within a week or two. But then, she’d seemed to take a liking to him. She’d sought him out a few times. After he’d won the archery contest, she’d kissed him in front of all of the others. He’d been so nervous, he’d pulled away from her, and he was certain that would be enough for her to think him strange and not want to have anything more to do with him. Yet, here she was, approaching him for a dance. However, if she found out the truth, the secret he was hiding, there was a good chance she wouldn’t want to have anything more to do with him.

A dark thought crossed his mind; perhaps Katrinetta wanted to dance with him so she could break the bad news. She’d announced her first Rooming earlier that night. Maybe she was also looking to begin sending Representatives home. A lump formed in his throat, and he did his best to choke it down. She was stunningly gorgeous tonight, as always, her long, dark hair wound around her head and pinned so perfectly. Her blue eyes sparkled even more than the gems in her tiara. While he was still getting to know her, she’d proven herself to be both kind and sweet, though she also had a fire burning inside of her. When she’d spoken to the crowd at Jecob’s trial and begged for mercy, Jate had stared at her in awe. If there was a more perfect woman in the realm, he couldn’t imagine who she might be.

“How are you enjoying your evening?” she asked, smiling at him. “Have you danced at all?”

“I’ve enjoyed myself, but I haven’t danced. I’m not much for dancing most of the time.” Her eyebrows knitted together, and he rephrased. “That is, I love dancing with you, of course, but selecting a different partner just for the sake of dancing isn’t something I’d be too interested in.” She nodded, an amused look about her pretty face, and he drew in a deep breath. “Have you been enjoying yourself?”

“I have,” she replied quickly before he turned her in step with the dance. When she came back to face him, she added, “Although, I must admit, I wasn’t expecting the surprise I got this evening.”

“No, none of us were,” Jate admitted. When Eli had walked in with the party from Eastbury, all of the Representatives had looked around in confusion. Realizing that the Commander of the Princess’s Guard would now be one of them was a little difficult to swallow. It seemed quite obvious he would certainly be Roomed and had the best chance to be her final Chosen. However, speaking to Cassius about it shortly after the announcement, Jate began to see things differently. Cassius reminded Jate and some of the others who were standing nearby—Landon, Danyen, and Reeve amongst others—that this was far from over. All they needed to do was let the princess know their own merits. There was no need to fear anyone else, at least not in this stage. Jate had let those words ruminate in his mind for some time and finally concluded that Eli could actually help him, if he let him. Although, none of that would matter if Kit had asked him to dance because she intended to send him home.

“I have a question for you,” the princess said, narrowing her eyes slightly. Once again, Jate found it hard to swallow, hard to breathe. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not. Ask me anything.” His answer wasn’t completely sincere. There was certainly one thing he wouldn’t be willing to tell her—but then, she may find out for herself soon enough if he wasn’t able to find a way to continue to hide it from her. Again, that wouldn’t matter if the question was would he like to leave tonight or in the morning.

“After the archery contest,” she said, leaning in, and he reluctantly nodded, “you didn’t seem particularly happy with the prize. Why was that?”

He twirled her around again, glad that this portion of the song would allow him the opportunity to think for a moment before answering. Her eyes were penetrating blue orbs when she turned back to face him. “Pardon me for that offense, Your Majesty,” he said with a bow of his head. “I’m afraid I’m not used to getting that sort of attention.”

“Is that so?” she asked, tipping her head back in surprise. “Someone as handsome as you, not used to kissing girls?”

Jate could feel the heat rising in his face. If only she knew the truth.... But then, he had done his best to hide it thus far and wasn’t about to divulge all of his secrets now. “Well, not in front of a legion of her suitors.”

Kit giggled, and he hoped that meant she accepted his explanation. Perhaps he had a chance at staying a bit longer after all. “So... it wasn’t because you did not wish to kiss me?”

“No, my Princess. That was not the case at all.” He might not be completely truthful about everything, but he was certainly being honest now.

“Good,” she said, twirling around one last time as the song came to an end. “Because I would like for you to join me in my chambers this evening.”

Jate froze, completely caught off guard. He missed the next step, causing the couple next to them to bump into his side. He sheltered the princess from the impact by pulling her around at just the last moment, but Merek of Calster, a big brute of a man, barreled into him, almost knocking them all to the floor, including the scrap of a noblewoman the other Representative had in his arms.

“Hey, where did you learn to dance? Did your one-legged nana with tits too heavy to lift off of the floor teach you?” Merek shouted at Jate before his eyes shifted to the princess. “Oh, beg your pardon, Princess. I didn’t realize....”

“You are an insipid cow, Merek of Caster!” Katrinetta shouted, glaring at him. “If I hear you use that word again, I’ll send you back to your own nana, do you understand, you filthy beast?”

Merek’s bushy eyebrows shot up toward his dome of a balding head, and for a moment, Jate thought he might actually say something ugly to the princess. If the bastard dared to do so, Jate would step in on her behalf. Merek might have fifty pounds on him, but the man was mostly lard, and Jate was certain there would be others who’d like to have a piece of the rowdy, dirty-mouthed jackass.

“Yes, Princess,” was all he said before he slowly began to back away.

It seemed like the entire crowd was staring at them now, though a glance around told him that it was mostly just the couples nearby. And the queen; Queen Rona was looking at him like she thought he was a bumbling idiot. Once again, Jate’s face turned pink.

A new song began, and several other couples danced around them. Jate was surprised to see no one else was at the ready, begging the princess for her hand, but perhaps the other Representatives had the good sense to give the woman a moment. “Are you all right?” she asked him, and Jate nodded, thinking he should be the one asking her that question. He’d nearly gotten her run over, after all.

“I apologize, Princess. I hope you haven’t been injured.”

Once again, Kit giggled. She rested her hand on his shoulder, and he realized how tense he had been. The warmth from her palm soothed his muscle, and he felt himself begin to relax. “I’m just fine. So sorry my question threw you so off guard. I thought, perhaps, you knew what it was about when I’d requested your company.”

“Not at all,” he admitted, though he didn’t go so far as to tell her he thought she’d been about to send him home. “I never would’ve guessed that.”

It was difficult to tell in the dim lighting of the ballroom, but he thought perhaps she was blushing a bit herself. “Well, my sweet Jaterius, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“I haven’t?” he asked, shaking his head to clear his mind. “No, I guess not.”

“You guess not?” Kit’s eyes were wide, and she tipped her forehead toward him in disbelief.

Hurriedly, Jate tried to back track. “I mean... that is to say... not that I won’t. I will. I guess I haven’t answered you. About your question. From earlier. I will.”

“You will answer me... or you will join me?” Kit still looked slightly confused, though the amused expression in her eyes was a clue that she had deciphered what he was trying to say well enough to no longer be offended.

“Yes—Princess. I will be there.” He drew in a deep breath, satisfied that his answer was clear now, and she smiled at him, which might’ve set him at ease if the reality of what he’d just agreed to wasn’t pressing so heavily on his chest.

“Wonderful,” she said, taking a step backward. “I shall let you know when I wish to retire.”

Jate nodded, and as if the rest of the Representatives suddenly realized his turn was over, they descended upon the princess, hands extended, even though the song was half over.

Happy to have a chance to gather his wits about him, Jate twined through the dancers, making his way quickly back to where he’d been standing before. Cassius was still there, though Reeve had moved on, and he thought he’d seen Danyen over with the others hoping for a turn to dance with the princess.

“You all right, my friend?” Cassius asked, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Yes, fine. Just fine,” Jate replied, wishing he had a stout drink in his hand and thinking he’d best find one sooner rather than later. If only Cassius was the sort of friend he knew well enough to talk about private issues with, perhaps the other man would be willing to assist him with his problem. But he didn’t know Cassius well enough to admit to him the secret he’d been hiding from the princess. Hopefully, even though he would be joining her in her chambers shortly, she still wouldn’t find out, though Jate had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to fool her for long.

He kept his eyes glued to the princess as she twirled around the ballroom floor on Danyen’s arm and tried to steady his breathing. Regardless of whether or not the princess discovered what he was hiding, at least he’d have the opportunity to pleasure her—or try to anyway—and that was more than a simple miner from Rockdale would’ve ever dreamt of. Though it might end up costing him his chance at being Roomed, it would be worth it to spend the evening with the princess.

Chapter Three

Kit’s feet were beginning to hurt, despite the comfortable shoes she had on, and she knew she’d consumed a bit too much wine. Though she hadn’t quite danced with every single Representative, she’d at least spoken to all of them, so she decided it was time to call it a very long night.

She glanced around the room and saw Jate, still standing near Cassius, where he’d been positioned most of the evening. They were both so handsome, yet so different looking. Cassius’s mop of dark brown, curly hair went in every which direction. His shoulders were so broad, and he had to be at least four inches taller than Jate. The Representative from Rockdale, however, had much lighter hair, though a darker complexion. His perfectly sculpted hair always came up in the front in the same swoosh over his left eye and never seemed to move. He was much more reserved, much softer spoken, than Cassius, but strong and lean. Kit hadn’t stopped to ponder why she was drawn to these two particular men, or some of the others that had caught her fancy, rather than some of the Representatives who were also good looking but hadn’t made her think twice about choosing them—yet, anyway. There was just some innate quality about those she preferred she couldn’t quite put her finger on. For now, she’d continue to go with her gut, and despite Jate’s reaction after the archery contest, she was looking forward to getting to know him better. Right now.

Crossing the ballroom floor was never an easy task, so she made her way to the periphery and skirted around the tables her mother had requested be positioned there. In Kit’s opinion, the idea of dancing while eating, or standing at the tables and picking at table food, which is mostly what had transpired that evening, had been a disaster. So many of their guests had stains on their gowns and shirt fronts, and she heard several people complaining that they were still hungry or had indigestion. Kit hoped Queen Rona would go back to the more traditional meal before the ball for their next occasion, which would be soon. Kit saw many a ball in her future.

“Princess Katrinetta!” a familiar voice called, and Kit felt her elbow being snatched away from her. “Pardon, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

She turned to see Pierce from Metfirth’s blue eyes staring down at her. “Oh, no it’s fine,” she assured him, wondering what he could possibly want. She had danced with him twice earlier. “I was just about to retire.”

“That’s too bad. I was hoping to have a chance to speak with you. I found out some information I thought you might want to know.”

Instantly, Kit’s ears perked up. Pierce had been a wonderful source of intelligence she otherwise wouldn’t have received. She glanced around and saw that her mother was paying her no mind. “What is it?”

“It will take longer to explain than we have here, I’m afraid, particularly if you were going to retire. Perhaps we could meet tomorrow? In the garden?”

The schedule was open tomorrow. Her mother hadn’t planned an event for every single day, thank goodness, or else Kit would’ve been exhausted and rushed through the entire Choosing. “Yes, that sounds fine. What time?”

“After the morning meal?”

Kit glanced in Jate’s direction and a tingle went up her spine. “Better make it after the midday meal. I may want to sleep late in the morning.”

If Pierce caught her drift, he did not let on. “Very well. I shall see you then. Enjoy your... night, Princess.” She could hear the jealousy in his tone now and felt momentarily sorry for him. He was trying his best to be valuable to her, she realized that, and in so doing, he had insured he would be allowed to stay indefinitely, but Kit did not have romantic feelings for Pierce. He would fit in the category she’d been thinking about earlier—attractive but not someone she’d consider.

Nevertheless, she did appreciate him. She patted his shoulder and smiled. “Thank you, kindly, Pierce. I look forward to speaking with you.”

He bowed and walked away, and for a moment, Kit wished she had said she’d stay long enough for him to tell her, but then her eyes fell on Jate’s face again, and the tingling she’d felt earlier morphed into something more, a desperation, a hunger, and she was on her way again.

Jate saw her coming, despite the fact that he was theoretically listening to Cassius. He ran the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip, and Kit felt a surge of adrenaline course through her. During her Exploration, the three year period before her Choosing, she’d come to see her first time with a new partner as an exciting rush. Sometimes, she was met with disappointment, but most times, she learned something new about herself and gained a memorable experience. Something told her Jate would not disappoint her, despite his previous admission that he wasn’t one for attention.

She came to stop in front of him, also before Cassius, who stopped midsentence to say, “If it isn’t the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Kit couldn’t help but turn her attention to him as she felt her cheeks pink. “Pardon me, I didn’t mean to interrupt your story.”

“You can interrupt me any time you want to, gorgeous,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye, and if Kit hadn’t already spoken to Jate about her plans for the evening, she very well might’ve grabbed Cassius around the collar and dragged him out of the room.

“Have you enjoyed your evening, Princess?” Danyen, a man who had also recently caught Kit’s attention, asked. He wasn’t nearly as tall as Cassius and practically faded away in the other man’s shadow. But he was lithe and limber and had a wonderful sense of humor. His hair was a dark blonde, and he had chocolate brown eyes that she found herself melting into earlier while in his arms on the dance floor. Surrounded by these three, along with Reeve, whom she’d already been with and enjoyed as well, Kit found her heart racing.

“I have had a wonderful evening, thank you, Danyen. I hope you have as well.” He smiled and nodded.

Kit glanced over at Reeve and gave him a reassuring grin, hoping he would know she was thinking of him. He was the closest to Cassius’s height, with dark brown hair and unassuming eyes. He had a scar that ran most of the way around the left side of his torso, and she remembered how he had confided in her that he’d been attacked by a big horned sheep on his parents’ ranch when he was a child. She had a bond with Reeve as well, and she knew she’d be asking him to her chambers again soon. In fact, she had even considered Rooming him, but she needed to make sure of a few things first. There were only seven rooms, and she still had forty-one men to choose from.

“Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I am quite tired and have decided to retire to my chambers now.” A bit of awkwardness settled around them all, and she wondered if anyone other than Jate and Cassius knew why she had come to be standing there. She hoped so, but it didn’t matter. This was her Choosing, and she had to be assertive.

A crooked grin spread across Cassius’s handsome face as he clapped Jate on the shoulder. “Then... the pair of you should be off. Have an enjoyable evening—but not too enjoyable.” He winked at her with those last words, and Kit felt her face heat up.

Jate stumbled forward under the power of Cassius’s giant palm. Kit looked up to see the color draining from his face and realized just how nervous he was. He wouldn’t look directly at her. “Thank you,” she said to Cassius, shaking her head at his orneriness, which only made him chuckle. “Jaterius, are you ready?”

“Yes, my Princess,” he said quietly, still not looking at her, and Kit forced her arm beneath his since he did not offer it. He seemed to remember himself immediately and rested his other hand on top of hers. “Gentlemen.”

Most of the others bid Jate good night, but Cassius only continued to laugh, and Kit wondered for a moment if he wasn’t laughing to keep from being upset. She had a feeling he tended to hide his true feelings beneath jokes and laugher. She couldn’t blame him. She could only imagine how upset she would be if the situation was flipped on its head and she were watching Cassius walk away on the arm of another woman.

For a moment, Kit considered glancing around the room one last time, but she knew no matter how nonchalant she tried to be, she would only be searching for one face. And she didn’t truly need to see him, not now, not on Jate’s arm, not on their way to her pleasuring chamber. If she allowed herself to consider how ridiculous it was that on the first night she could choose Eli she hadn’t, after all of these years, she’d begin to question everything. So she went ahead with her plan, the one she’d had before she even knew Eli was a possibility, and led Jate out into the hallway. A pair of guards fell into step behind them, but she didn’t have to look to see Eli was not among them. She would’ve known it if he were, both by his distinguishable scent and the sound of his familiar cadence.

They walked down the hallway together in silence, only the sound of the men’s heavy boots on the marble floor making any noise at all, other than Kit’s heart thumping in her chest. Wrenbrook Castle was an enormous structure, so vast it could take up to a half an hour to walk from one side to the other, depending upon which halls were used, and walking from the ballroom to the hallway where Kit’s chambers were located—both her regular chambers and her room specifically for pleasuring—took a few minutes, even though they were on the same side of the castle. She thought about how exuberant this trip had been when it was Cassius taking her away from the ballroom. This was much different.

The door became visible in front of them. They’d already passed her other room, and she’d considered letting him off the hook, sending him on his way, and ducking in there for the night. Clearly, he didn’t seem ready for this. She’d had the same fear with Reeve, though, and once she’d gotten him into the room, he’d come to life. She’d had a wonderful experience with him, both the night she’d asked him to come in and the next morning. Jate would be the same way, she told herself. He did care for her. She could tell by the beads of sweat on his upper lip and the way he kept biting his lower one that he wanted her. Kit knew she was missing something, though, as she had overlooked Reeve’s self-consciousness about his scar. She would have to find out what it was that had Jate unsettled so that they could move past it.

Before she pushed through the door, she turned to face him, glad the guards were giving them plenty of room. “Is everything well?” she asked, placing her hands on his chest. She could feel his heart thumping through his crimson jerkin. “You seem... leery.”

Jate wasn’t looking directly at her as he drew in a few deep breaths. “I’m fine, Princess Katrinetta, thank you for asking.” His tone was not convincing, and neither was the fact that he wouldn’t look her in the eyes.

“I believe we agreed that you would call me Kit, and I would call you Jate, remember?” They had discussed it when he’d first arrived at the castle. He’d been different then—more confident, easy going. Not the tangle of nerves she saw before her now.

Her remark got a smile out of him, and he did look up at her then. “Yes, my princess. I remember.”

“Good. Well, then, are you still sure you want to come in? If you want to bow out for some reason, I won’t hold it against you.” She wanted her words to be true, but she knew it would be difficult not to be offended if he ran away right then without an explanation. There were dozens of other men who would give anything to be standing in his place right now.

“No, I want to be with you, Kit.” He nodded and held her gaze for a moment. “Forgive my anxieties. It’s just... you’re you, and I’m only a simple miner from a far off province, that’s all.”

“For a simple miner, you sure an amazing archer,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. Kit ran her hands up his biceps so that her palms were resting on either side of his neck. The feel of his taut muscles against her palms had the eagerness welling up inside of her again. “If you can handle a bow that well, it makes me wonder what else you can handle.”

He was still having trouble meeting her gaze, but he did let out a soft chuckle. Without a word, he motioned toward the closed door with the crown of his head, and Kit reached behind her to find the knob.

Once again, the chamber was prepared. She assumed her ladies had taken care of that earlier, or left the ball for a bit to make sure everything was in order. Both of her cousins, Avinia and Isla, who also served her, were fond of Jate. They had taken care to pull the royal blue and gold bedcovers down, set the sheath he was required to use on the nightstand, as well as the lubrication the Royal Physician, Armant, concocted to help further ensure no unwanted pregnancies interfered with Kit’s Choosing, and the ladies had left a dim lamp burning as well. The curtains were pulled tightly on the window near the bed, but a stream of moonlight still found its way in. The room looked inviting, but when Kit returned her attention to Jate, she could tell he was even more apprehensive than he had been before.

Clearing her throat, Kit took a step toward the bed, pulling him along behind her. His footsteps dragged after hers, but Kit tried to ignore it. Once again, she placed her hands on his chest and smiled at him, trying to ease his concerns. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable, Jate?”

“No, Your Majesty.” Even his voice was quaking slightly. His breathing was labored and shallow.

In an attempt to put him at ease, Kit slid her hand around to the back of his neck and pulled him toward her, leaning up slightly on her tiptoes to reach his lips. She didn’t press him to part them, only held her mouth against his, hoping he would loosen up. But just like after the archery contest, he was rigid.

Her impatience was growing, but Kit was not one to give up so easily. She kissed him again, this time running one hand down to smooth his chest while the other went to tangle in the back of his hair. This time, Jate softened slightly. He set his hands on her hips but didn’t move them at all as Kit continued to explore his pectorals beneath his clothing.