“Did you get it? Did you get it? Did you get it?” Adelie pounced.
I shut my apartment’s door behind me gently…
A shit-eating grin spread across my features, and I screamed, “I got it! Oh, my God. I’m the Queen Novitiate!”
Adelie squealed right along with me, throwing her arms over my shoulders.
I picked her up and swung her around and around in circles laughing.
Then I dumped her straight on her butt onto the floor, ignoring her initial startled glance, and lowered my voice as low as I could, attempting to imitate the overlords. “Listen, wench, you barely scraped through. You better shape up or you’re out of here!”
She snickered and ducked her head in a mock bow, “Oh, my gracious and fabulous and sexy Lords, I shall endeavor to kiss your precious feet and wipe your fine asses like the lowly female that I am.”
My head tipped back as I laughed. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. I held my stomach as it started to cramp, but I kept on chuckling.
Adelie jumped to her feet and lifted both hands into the air, her voice full of assurance and conviction. “I told you! I knew you had this. You’re going to be the best damn queen ever.”
I raised both of my hands too and high-fived her with gusto. “You bet your ass I am.”
Still grinning like a fool, she flopped down onto the study room’s ornate chair, her hands flying in the air with excitement. “So tell me all about it. Was it everything you thought it would be?”
My head tipped in thought. I took a moment to consider that as I sat on the rolling chair next to the desk. I tapped my foot and wiggled my shoulders. “Actually, it was. It was stimulating and interesting and full of political intrigue. Just like we always guessed it would be. Those fucking overlords are too slick for their own good.”
Her brows rose. “Too much ego?”
“Perhaps. But I believe some of it is well deserved. They are more of a challenge than I thought they’d be.”
A finger point in my direction. “Ah, so too much ego there.”
“Probably,” I conceded. “But they sure as hell know how to get under my skin.”
“And that…,” she threw her hands up into the air, “…is what it’s like to be the official candidate. It’s their job to get you riled up. They need to know what you’re made of.”
“They’re definitely seeing my bitchy side.” My lips twitched.
My friend side-eyed me, her lips thinning. “Do I even want to know?”
“I would say no,” I evaded. I tapped my fingers on my desk, staring at the black computer screen. I hesitated, and then mumbled, “These trials are going to really test me. I have this gut feeling it won’t be good.”
She hummed softly, her brown eyes capturing mine. “It won’t be easy to be queen. You need to be tested.”
“I know.” I nodded. “I’m just a little nervous.”
“Which means you care if you lose or not.”
“You know, when I’m queen, you can’t leave me. Not right away.”
She snickered. “What would I do? I’m old enough that I need some new experiences in my life. And being a queen’s personal assistant would definitely be one. I’m definitely not going back to my jewelry business.”
I blinked. “Wait. You’re doing what this time?”
“Jewelry.” She waved a bored hand into the air. “It helps me express my creative side.”
“You are an amazing artist, my friend.” I sighed and smiled in contentment, resting back in my chair to stare up at the ceiling, pretending I could see the night sky from here. “This is one of the best days of my life.”
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Adelie popped up from her chair. “Hold that thought. That’s not happy knocking.”
I tipped my head, watching as she opened the front door.
“This is for candidate Gwynnore.” An assistant held an envelope out. “She is to read it immediately.”
Adelie grabbed the envelope and merely slammed the door in his face.
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.