had become a tem

bearing the royal crest-dragons with a flame -hung from towering columns,

a golden diadem glinting beneath her headscarf. Her gaze was sharp, her poise commanding. She held no scr

ds. Clad in muted grey and navy, her silver hair tightly bound,

twenty young women, dressed in thei

l ran

," the herald'

the tri

or healing traditions from their home villages. The Queen Mother never clapped, never smiled. On

the middle of the list,

date E

ls. She clutched a small wooden lute to her chest. Her steps were sl

ion, Your Royal Majesty," she s

Mother sai

gan to

slightly over the strings, and though her voice was pleasant, she mi

mo

rena's eye

urned to her place, her chee

date F

ture was flawless, her expression composed. She wore a sapph

dress in the old tongue of

ted pauses, and rehearsed elegance. She was the

d, there was

other gave

Irena blinked

the line with a sm

ate Eig

shade too plain compared to the others, but her eyes shone with so

ssing of the Forgotten Vale," sh

upright. Several gi

ther said. "Are you awar

Majesty," Neria sa

. The rhythm broke. Her hands shook.

th echoed ac

isuse what you do not understa

's voice cracke

oug

raised her hand

speak again, Mistress

irl is young. She may have been misguided, no

her piercing gaze on Ire

wered her hand. "One cha

eturned to her pl

exchange felt... rehearsed. Familiar. Her

there. Something n

ate Sev

i

own-deep burgundy-clung to her waist and hips, flowing into a soft, whisperi

chandelier lights, and the roo

sty," she said. "I will perform a trad

ow, haunting,

ved lik

ngth. Her arms curved like branches in wind; her eyes glistened with unspoken e

ce fo

her stared at

ered across her face

rd, lips parted

er head, studying the Q

hing wa

ed back to her pla

Sc

had performed, the Quee

read from

didate Fifteen: Ca

Candida

Candidat

te Seventeen: Li

ndidate Eleven:

ate Eighteen: Neria

the shar

– Candidate Ninete

nic. "Please, Your Majesty-please-I was

eamed dow

nd. "Elegance begins with composure

ed her away as sh

other said

t the next tri

h in the

bed dramatically. "Thirteen

"Some of us wer

eeds to be perfec

someone who

ght. "What is

rning, "is being grouped with

a. "Especially the ones

aid. "She made a mi

e next, sweet Amara. The we

ween them. "This isn't a w

e stre

h

hhh!

m is be