Page 17 of Fae Crown

“The rules of the Nuptialis Probatio are few,” Azariah continued in an even, regal tone. “Contestants are allowed to use any and all weapons at their disposal to win. Whether it be magic or a tool of our physical worlds, none are off limits thanks to the great generosity of our queen.”

Generosity, my pretty ass…

Now that I had finally been fully unbound, I, like every other fae, was possessed of innate magic. However, unlike every other woman at the table with me, I was the only one new to my powers, the only one at an enormous disadvantage in that I scarcely knew how to access them let alone direct them.

I hadn’t expected the queen to be fair—of course Ihadn’t. She was entirely too aware of how limited my understanding of my magic was.

“Only the Drake Rush Vega is forbidden from using his magic,” Azariah added.

“That’s right,” interjected the queen. “We wouldn’t want him to use his powers of persuasion to influence the outcome of this trial in the favor of his preferred contestant.”

While looking straight at me, the queen asked, “Would we, Natania?”

Was … was the bitch implying thatNataniawas Rush’s favorite? Not me? Not his fuckingmate?

Natania trilled a giggle so fake I wanted to rip it free of her stupid throat. “I wouldn’t mind, Your Majesty. There’s no need to apply that rule on my account.”

The queen laughed as if that were the funniest fucking thing in the entire fucking world. Braque giggled along with her. Ivar simply glared at me some more.

“Perhaps the other contestants would mind, however, Natania,” the queen said. “We must do what we can to make sure the outcome of the Nuptialis Probatio is fair and impartial.”

As fucking if…

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Natania replied too sweetly.

Her eyes trained on me alone, the queen said, “Continue, Azariah.”

He bowed his head in her direction, and again thatmajestic horn came in range for the winning thrust. Despite my silent urging, he still didn’t make a move to harm the awful woman.

“The Nuptialis Probatio will be composed of four individual events, each to be held on a different day and running for as many days as needed for every contestant to be properly judged. The judge will be, of course, Her Majesty.”

“There’s no one better suited in the entire kingdom to determine the quality of future royalty than our queen,” said Braque, the suck-up, gazing at her with open adoration.

“That’s right,” added Natania.

These were going to be very,verylong days. Of that I had no doubt.

“Her Majesty will award points to the contestants at the conclusion of each event,” Azariah went on. “At the end of the fourth and final event, whoever has the most points wins. Of course, as contestants die along the way, they will become disqualified and they and their points removed from the trials.”

“Of course,” I muttered under my breath.

The assumption that competitors would die—he’d mentioned noifs—should have been alarming, terrifying. But whatwasn’tterrifying about the queen’s court? I could scarcely believe it, but I was growing used to the constant threat of death that shadowed me everywhere in Embermere.

“No contestant is to leave the palace for any reason. Indeed, the twenty-two crown princess hopefuls will besequestered together in chambers designed for this purpose so that no outside interference will taint the results of the trials.”

No competitor commented, not even the overly confident Natania. Our collective tension, however, was heavy in the air.

Not only would I have to overcome whatever four events the depraved queen could conceptualize, but I’d also have to survive close quarters with twenty-one women out to get me. Well, maybe not Octavia Lily Rose. So twenty.Dandy.

“The events will take place on the day and time Our Majesty appoints, beginning tomorrow. And she’ll provide entertainment for all parties at nighttime.”

“That’s right,” said the queen. “Starting tonight.”

Like one of her feethles licking its whiskers after a meal of warm blood, she grinned and waited for the tension to build. Knowing her, soon it would crackle through the air.

To jolt through my veins.

When I couldn’t stand another moment before discovering what cruel torture she’d engineered this time, she announced, “Rush will join me in my bed.”

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