Page 15 of Dueling the Suitors

He sneered as their gazes met, his lips curling into a smirk. “You win this time, Princess!”

“There won’t be another time, Wizard,” she called back to him with a laugh, cuddling Skylar to her chest. “Good luck with your life as a laughingstock!”

4

The Unyielding Princess

“Princess Astoria is the victor—again!”

The arena erupted into cheers and applause, and their roar was music to Astoria’s ears. She grinned and waved at her admirers with arms flailing in the air. Commoners and peasants were the better choice for an audience than the courtiers, who did nothing below their station.

When her father insisted she find another Mage after defeating Wizard Orion to ensure a union that would magnify her powers, Astoria set two conditions: she would marry, but only after challenging each of her suitors to a magical duel. The one who bested her would become her husband. The other condition was having commoners and peasants as audience instead of courtiers.

Both conditions mortified the king, and he opposed them, but Astoria had no one to fear anymore—in truth, she had never feared her father. Neither did he have her respect or affection.

In the last nine months, she had become an entirely new person. The spunky princess, whose courage didn’t extend outside the castle walls, was gone. In her place was the Unyielding Princess who wanted to be part of the world outside her little bubble. With each tournament, that desire grew. Only, she didn’t know how to embrace it.

“Perhaps if I made my brother the king, not only would I not have to marry, but it would also be far better for the people as well. I just realized I have the power to do so,” she had told her father, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Her father had gulped and sunk back in his seat. “You—you cannot do that,” he stuttered.

“Oh, I can do more than just turn a wedding cake into ice, bring down rain upon newlyweds during their first kiss, make the bride slip during her first dance, or hide rubber snakes beneath the blanket of the newlyweds’ bed.” She rolled her eyes. “You might be the king, Father, but you do realize I am the second most powerful Mage in existence and there is absolutely nothing you or anyone can do to stop me, right? Because provoking me is the last thing you want to do. I said Iwouldmarry, something I despise with every ounce of me, yet I cannot ask for two favors in return?”

He didn’t need to know that her agreement to find a husband was solely because she was confident none of the Mages in the human realm were powerful enough to defeat her.

“Very well,” the king had said at last, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Astoria could tell he was trying to manage a mask of bravery, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of fear at the recollection of the last time he provoked her. “You may do as you wish as long as you marry.”

“That is what I said.”

Thus the king sent word to all the noble Mages within Daliston and the other six unconquered kingdoms. By the timethey arrived to prove themselves powerful enough to make a match with the Mage Princess of Daliston, Astoria and Emmett saw to the preparations of the public arena in the capital where the peasants and commoners could come and watch the duels.

Now, as she drowned in the praises of her people, her heart swelled.

Footsteps approached her from behind. Astoria didn’t have to turn to see who it was, but she did anyway. Emmett had the proud-brother grin on his face that he had been wearing since her first duel. He lifted her off her feet and spun her around twice—their usual celebration after each victory—before setting her back down.

She glanced over his shoulder at the royal box. Her father and Marcia looked displeased as usual—much to her delight—and Silas looked bored. Astoria rolled her eyes. If it weren’t for Emmett dragging him to each tournament, he wouldn’t be there at all.

Though their relationship was rocky, she no longer received accusatory or loathsome stares from him. And that was something.

Astoria turned to her fallen opponent. “Oh, dear, dear,” she tsked, grinning. “Poor Lord Bram. I told you, you are no match for me, but you had to insist. Frankly, I wonder when any of you will finally accept that I am unbeatable—that there is no one powerful enough to make a union with me.”

She laughed, high-pitched and mocking. Oh, how she enjoyed this. Watching her greedy and arrogant opponents squirm under her mockery after their defeat was her favorite part of each duel.

Lord Bram of Emora pushed himself to his feet. He had to be at least a decade older than her, but the long, dark locks of his hair falling over either side of his face made him look much,mucholder.

His nostrils flared as he glared at her. “I challenge you to a second round, Princess Astoria.”

“You louts will never learn, the lot of you!”

Astoria turned toward the voice in astonishment. In all the tournaments before, this was the first time Silas had ever stepped down from the royal box to approach her.

“She is unbeatable. I suggest you pack up your things and leave. If Emperor Cyrus is to attack Emora, as we heard months ago, Princess Astoria will be more than willing to aid you against him. Right, Astoria?” Silas met her gaze.

Astoria and Emmett gaped at him. Sarcastic Silas? In her presence? He had to be an imposter.

“Of course, it would be my pleasure,” she said at last.

“Great, let’s go then.” He clapped his hands and turned. “I have somewhere else I need to be.”

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