Page 15 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“Good. The questions were run of the mill,” Ryker said.

He’d known all the answers. Ryker always knew the answers. It was his job. He’d long since memorized the right things to say, knowing that something as simple as a slip of the tongue could endanger him and his family. No matter what, Ryker would never let anything happen to them.

Especially River.

It was rare for fae to have children so close in age—Ryker was only seventeen years older than his sister. As such, he and River had an affectionate sibling relationship that many fae lacked. The day his little sister was born, Ryker had sworn he would do anything and everything to protect her.

He’d never broken that promise.

Sipping his coffee, Ryker took quick stock of the room. Besides Therian and Philippe, there was another fae, two werewolves, three elves, a witch, and a duo of vampires. All the men wore black suits and red roses on their lapels, like Ryker.

The clock struck the hour, and the door opened. Matron Cassandra entered, her scarlet ballgown swishing around her. Her white hair was elaborately braided away from her face, and she held herself with authority. Each Choosing, the Matrons were selected from the population to help the participants navigate the Choosing. It was an honor to serve the Republic in such a manner.

Cassandra smiled warmly, reminding Ryker of his grandmother, Fannie. She’d Faded when Ryker was six, but before then, she’d always showered him with love.

“Good morning, gentlemen. It’s time for the Opening Ceremony.” She raised a brow, meeting each of their gazes in turn. “Remember, your future wife will be attending as well. Even though you won’t be able to see the women, it would behoove you not to act like animals.”

Staring across the grand ballroom, Ryker gripped the railing of the elevated box where he and the other men waited for the ceremony to begin. Two elevated opera-style boxes spanned the length of the ballroom, one on each side. The men were in one, and the women were in the other. An unnatural wall of shadows that must have been created by a vampire stretched across the ballroom. Even with his elevated senses, Ryker couldn’t see through it.

He tried. No one could blame him for that. After all, one of the women veiled in darkness would be his bride. Ryker would find a match in the Choosing. He’d accept no other outcome.

Shuffling came from the floor below as a crowd filled the seats. There were at least a hundred people, judging by their shadowy forms. Hushed murmurs and quiet conversations rose from the crowd beneath them Several bright lights illuminated the stage, and camera crews stood by, waiting for the Chancellor to take her place.

Minutes ticked by, and anticipation thickened the air. The hairs on Ryker’s neck prickled, and his magic thrummed in his veins. This was unusual, and unusual things were never good.

“Do you think something is wrong?” Therian strode next to Ryker, his large hands gripping the railing. “It should’ve begun by now.”

“I don’t know,” Ryker said honestly.

He reached for his back pocket, where he usually kept his phone, before recalling that it had been confiscated upon arrival two days ago. Damn.

“It’s strange.” The dragon shifter crossed his arms and frowned.

Ryker agreed. All his military training had taught him to be suspicious of anything that didn’t go exactly as planned. He had a bad feeling about this, and his stomach was in tight knots. The last time he felt like this, he had to deal with a family crisis six years ago.

Peeling his gaze away from the empty platform, Ryker methodically searched for trouble. Even though he couldn’t see anything wrong, that sense of unease remained within him.

Another ten minutes passed.

Ryker’s fists were furled at his sides. He gnawed on the inside of his lip. This was a public event, and the tardiness was most unbecoming. Like most aspects of the Choosing, it was broadcast to the citizens of the Republic. People all over the continent would be waiting for the live stream to begin.

Eventually, he could wait no longer. He released the railing. “I’m going to find someone in charge and demand some answers.”

“Alright,” Therian grunted from his position at the railing.

Ryker was halfway to the door when the click-click-click of heels on wood came from below. His shoulders incrementally relaxed as he returned to his position at the railing.

Chancellor Ignatia Rose strode into view. Her blue-black hair was pulled back from her face, silver earrings dangled from her pointed fae ears, and she wore a tailored white pantsuit that looked like it cost thousands of dollars. A small microphone was clipped to her lapel, and she looked directly at the cameras, exuding confidence.

It wasn’t the Chancellor herself that caught Ryker’s attention, but the four soldiers, dressed head-to-toe in black, fanned out behind her. The Republic’s sigil—a scale surrounded by four red roses—was on their chests, and each guard held a massive black gun. Their stern expressions gave nothing away as they coolly looked over the attendees.

Tension thickened, and the air practically crackled. The chatter from earlier was gone, and no one dared speak.

The door behind them clicked, and two guards entered the men’s box.

Ryker walked over, his brows furrowed. “What’s going on?”

The guards exchanged a look that set warning bells off in Ryker’s mind.

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