Page 23 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“I was born and raised here, in Central Region.”

“Oh.”

Ryker blinked at the wall. Were all the conversations going to be this stilted? He hoped it was just first-date jitters. Otherwise, this would be a very long day.

“My mother is a Representative of the Fae,” he told her. “She took over the position from her mother before she Faded.”

“Did your parents meet during the Choosing?” Hallie asked.

“They did.” Ryker sipped his coffee. “They took part in the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth Choosing.”

Fae were long-lived, thanks to their Maturation, and of all the different species that made up the Republic, they had fewer children than most.

Hallie laughed. “Wow. That must be strange, although maybe comforting in a way. My parents met through old-fashioned dating. All this is new to me. I mean, I watched the last Choosing, but I never imagined I would take part in this one. My sister applied for me. Imagine my surprise when I was Selected.”

“That must have come as a shock.”

“It was. I fainted, which my sister found supremely funny.” She giggled. “Do you have any siblings?”

“One.” Ryker smiled. “River is the light of my life.”

“That’s wonderful.” Hallie seemed more relaxed now that the initial jitters were wearing off. “I have two sisters and a brother at home. All younger than me.”

“Tell me about them?”

“I’d love to. First, there’s Harlowe. She’s three years younger than me, and she’s the one who thought it would be funny to apply for the Choosing. She’s…”

The more Hallie spoke about her family, the more she relaxed. The pair eased into a conversation, and time started slipping by.

Eventually, another chime sounded in his headphones. “This is your one-minute warning, Captain Waterborn,” Celeste said pleasantly. “Please say your goodbyes. You will have a five-minute break before your next date begins.”

Another chime.

“Well, Hallie, it was a pleasure to meet you.” Ryker meant it. The Fortune Elf was shy, but she was kind, and he’d enjoyed getting to know her.

“Likewise,” was her soft response. “I hope the rest of your day goes well.”

The rest of their date passed quickly.

When the gods-awful waiting room music returned, Ryker stood and stretched. He made his way to the bar, intent on refilling his coffee.

Philippe, the brown-haired Earth Elf, met him there. He tugged his headphones off one ear and raised a brow. “How did it go?”

Ryker leaned against the counter as the server filled his mug. “Good. She was a little shy but very nice. I’d talk to her again.”

The Earth Elf grinned. “Yours was shy? Mine was anything but that. She was loud and spoke her mind.” Philippe leaned in close. “She was a fae, like you. I want to speak with her again.”

He kept talking as Ryker added some cream to his coffee.

“Thirty seconds, Captain Waterborn,” Celeste warned.

Ryker wished the Earth Elf good luck before he grabbed his coffee and returned to his couch.

He’d just settled into his seat when the music cut off again. This time, he was the first to speak. “Hello, my name’s Ryker. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Full, proper syllables. This date was already starting better than the last.

A smooth inhalation of breath was followed by, “Hi, Ryker, I’m Esme. I’m glad we’re getting a chance to chat.”

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