Page 21 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

The rebel threat must have been more significant than Chancellor Rose was letting on. Ryker was aware of an undercurrent of unrest in the Republic. In the past, he’d even been part of quelling riots. However, this was his first time being on the other end of things. He didn’t like it.

Therian and Lacey were still speaking, so Ryker took in the space.

The ballroom had undergone a complete transformation. The stage and microphones were gone, and in their place was a giant wall that stretched from floor to ceiling. It stretched down the middle of the ballroom, splitting it in two.

Instead of a typical partition that might be found in an office, this one featured a slow-moving walk-through of a garden at night. Vines dangled from trees. Night-blooming roses blossomed amid dark bushes. Fruit trees dotted the garden. The moon glowed above it all.

The visual wall wasn’t the only change. Several people had gone to great lengths to make the ballroom as comfortable as possible. Ruby couches and crimson armchairs were spread across the expansive room. A long black bar stretched across the back wall. There was even a temporary kitchen set up, where a pair of chefs were busy plating some delicious-smelling snacks. Dim lights dotted the ballroom, the dark ambiance reminding Ryker of the high-end restaurants in the Western Region that his sister loved to visit. She would’ve called this lighting romantic.

A pang of longing went through Ryker at the thought of his sister. For as long as he could remember, even in hiding, he’d seen River multiple times a week. They met for training, and for the weekly family dinner their mother insisted on holding.

This separation would be the longest Ryker had ever gone without seeing his family. He’d known participating in the Choosing would mean he couldn’t speak to them, but it was different now that he was in the middle of it. Ryker had instructed Atlas and Nikhail to watch over his sister while he was gone, but he’d rather be there in person. Between his father’s illness and the Incident six years ago, Ryker’s family responsibilities were heavier than ever.

Clenching his fists, he forced thoughts of deadly storms out of his mind. He couldn’t focus on that right now.

Thank all the gods, it was his turn to approach the table.

“Name?” Lacey picked up a clipboard.

He cleared his throat. “Captain Ryker Waterborn.”

She dipped her head, checking something off on the paper in front of her before grabbing a labeled pair of headphones.

“Here you go, sir.” She handed him the headset along with a red notebook and pen. “These are noise-canceling, and they’re matched with that of your first partner. The system will automatically connect you with your date in five minutes. We suggest grabbing a drink and getting comfortable before that happens.”

“Thank you, I’ll do that.” Making his way to the bar, Ryker fit the headphones over his pointed ears, appreciating how the custom set molded around them perfectly.

As soon as the headphones were on, a chime sounded within them.

“Greetings and salutations, Captain Waterborn,” a disembodied, robotic feminine voice said. “It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Two Hundredth Choosing.”

Ryker jolted, stopping in his tracks. “Uh… thank you?”

“You are welcome, sir.”

He blinked. “Who am I speaking with?”

“I am a Computer Engineered Logarithmic Support Technology Expert. You may call me Celeste. I am here to assist you through the Choosing.”

An AI. Like the moving visual partition, this was technology that the army had access to, but Ryker had never seen it used by civilians. This must have cost a small fortune to set up, especially since he’d noted a multitude of blinking lights embedded in various surfaces. The hidden cameras were small but certainly powerful as they recorded and broadcast the Choosing to the world.

Not for the first time since Ryker’s arrival at the Hall of Choice, he wondered how much money was being poured into this event. As the son of a Representative, he was somewhat aware of the Republic’s financial situation. Even though he wasn’t privy to the finer details, he knew the government had fallen on harder times of late.

Where were the funds coming from?

“Captain Waterborn, you have three minutes before your first date,” Celeste said.

“Thank you.” Arriving at the bar, he ordered a coffee and grabbed a plate. Several different pastries were laid out before him, and he perused them.

As he did, Celeste spoke quietly in his ear. “This is your moment, Captain. Remember, the purpose of the Choosing is to find a wife without worrying about societal pressures. While you are in the Hall of Choice, nothing else matters. Over the next twelve weeks, you will narrow your choices until you are left with your perfect match.”

Adding a lemon pastry, two apple turnovers, and a hand-held berry pie on his plate, Ryker moved towards a couch stationed halfway between the entrance and the door marked with a glowing “EXIT” sign. “What if people don’t find love?”

He was fairly certain he knew the answer but wanted to hear the AI’s opinion.

Celeste paused, then sighed. The reaction was strangely mortal for what was essentially a robot. “The Choosing is focused on unity and love, sir. All participants are encouraged to Choose a partner.”

“I see. Thank you for explaining that to me.”

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