Shifter Royals 2: The Uprising Page 5

“But, if no one gets cut… What about the audience? Won’t they be disappointed with such a change? They’re expecting it to be narrowed to the final two girls.” Dae wrung her hands.

  Joely gave me a quick look. Dae sounded disappointed that no one would be going home.

  “The audience is enamored with all three of you girls, as is His Highness. I actually believe this is a blessing in disguise. We cannot talk about the rebels on the broadcast, but with some clever editing and a creative explanation, I believe the series will be improved by this development,” Mira said. “Trust me on this—I’ll make it work. Now, you three candidates have dinner, then straight to bed. You’ll be up early to continue working on your challenge. I expect to see some progress tomorrow.” With a curt nod, Mira dismissed us.

  Once we were out in the hall, Joely gave Dae a searching look. “Why’d you press her about someone getting cut?”

  “You’re the one who brought it up,” Dae said defensively.

  Joely arched an eyebrow. “But you’re the one who wouldn’t let it go.”

  Dae stopped walking. “I simply want the contest to be fair from here on out.”

  “Are you implying that it hasn’t been?” I asked.

  Dae’s expression softened. “Not exactly. But there’s been a history of you getting special treatment, Tamara. I’m just hoping that won’t happen anymore.”

  Something about her tone was different. She sounded upset, as though… As though she had something to lose. I was upset about Dae’s date with the king, but really, I couldn’t blame her. She was fighting to stay in the competition, and she was doing what she needed to survive in the Realm. I would save my ire for Rhys.

  “I told you before. Any preferential treatment I’ve had from His Highness has been because of my political involvement. That won’t happen going forward.” Because I don’t want it to. Because I am no longer interested in being alone with him. “You have my word.”

  Dae nodded. “I don’t mean to be a stickler. It’s just that—”

  Joely nudged her playfully. “It’s just that you had a hot date with His Highness and now you really want to win.”

  Dae’s cheeks flushed scarlet. “Something like that.”

  Joely grinned. “I know the feeling, my friend.”

  I forced a smile at them. “Both of you had excellent showings with the king. I expect great things are coming your way.”

  Joely’s brow furrowed. “And what about you?”

  “I’m not worried about myself at the moment. I can’t get cut, remember?” I shrugged. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

  The other girls nodded but then exchanged a look. I’m sure I sounded different, perhaps a bit detached, and that was fine. I didn’t feel the same about the king. There was no point in pretending otherwise.

  The next morning, knowing that we had a full day stuck in the library with the Contestants’ Challenge, I took the gnomes out early. We headed swiftly through the woods. Elsa and Beast whizzed in and out of the trees—I would never understand how they avoided bonking their heads at such a speed. We’d made it halfway to the Northern grounds when I heard leaves crunching.

  “Tamara?” a familiar voice called. “What the bloody hell are you doing out here? Looking to be taken prisoner by another pack of werewolves? Or are you perhaps hoping to mix it up and be abducted by the rebels instead?”

  “Ha. I just wanted to get away from the Realm for a bit, is all. I need to pretend I’m somewhere else. What’re you doing out here?” I hugged Eve when I reached her. My vampire friend was attired as usual in her leathers, her sword at her side. Her tunic was chilly to the touch, and her curls smelled of cold, fresh air.

  “I’m on patrol.” Her hand flexed against the handle of her sword.

  I eyed her weapon. “Are we in present danger, or are these extra measures a precaution?”

  “At the moment, they’re precautions. But that could change at any time. Listen, even though you’re not supposed to be out here, I’m glad to see you. I have news. Shaye left after the ball at the king’s request—she’s sorry she didn’t get to say goodbye.”

  Shaye was a dear friend; we’d been contestants in The Pageant together. Shaye was also a Goodwill Ambassador and had been staying at the Northern castle.

  “She went back to the settlements?” I felt crestfallen. I would miss my friend terribly.

  “The king had asked her to go back to twenty-four as a Goodwill Ambassador, to make sure the constituents are okay out there. He sent her home with the candidates who got cut.”

  Settlement 24, a poor settlement on the western border, was Shaye’s home. “Is something going on?” I asked.

  Eve’s blazing aqua eyes narrowed. “These rebels don’t know when to quit. The king’s concerned that they’re reaching out to the poorer settlements in order to recruit people. He wanted Shaye to take the emotional temperature out there.”

  “I’m so sad I didn’t get to say goodbye to her.”

  “She said she’ll write when she can. She’ll be okay—she took an oath and swore it to me.” Eve smiled a little then abruptly frowned. “Speaking of the rebels: precautions or not, you really shouldn’t be out in the woods. I’m surprised that the guards let you through.”

  “I told them the gnomes had to go to the bathroom, and they said I had five minutes. That was twenty minutes ago, of course.” I shrugged. “I’m not really in the mood to follow werewolf orders at the moment.”

  “Are you still upset about the other night after the ball? I wouldn’t blame you.”

  “It’s not just that. It’s a lot of things—the werewolves, the rebels, Rhys. It’s everything.”

  Eve frowned. “Come, now. I’ll walk you back to the Realm so you don’t get into trouble. And you can tell me about this ‘everything’ that has you so upset.”

  “I’m not upset.”

  “You’re frowning, Tamara, which you’ve told me numerous times promotes wrinkling.” Eve started through the trees. “So spill it.”

  “Duncan accosted me again—not in wolf form this time, and not with force. This encounter was more about his disdain for me.”

  “What exactly is his problem?” Eve asked.

  I sighed. “He thinks that I’m dramatic and high-maintenance.”

  “No.” Eve laughed.

  “Ha ha. But seriously, he thinks I’m too fancy for the Realm. That’s his word. And he doesn’t like the fact that I’m famous—he thinks it’s bad for the pack. He doesn’t want the cameras up here once the contest is over. He doesn’t care for the scrutiny. He also mentioned something about the importance of hunting and rutting in private. Somehow, I’m an obstacle to all that.”

  “He’s a charmer, that one. Keep an eye on him.” Eve wrinkled her nose. “And what about Rhys? What’s he done to get on your bad side?”

  “Ugh, it’s… It’s just so mortifying. Rhys came and saw me yesterday morning, and everything was fine. He was upset about what Duncan and the wolves had done after the ball, of course. Other than that, things between us were normal. They were good. And then we had a mini-date for the show, and things were even better than good—they were fantastic. Or so I thought.”

  “What went wrong?” she asked.

  “Our date ended perfectly. The problems didn’t start until he had his other two dates.”

  “Ah, but we’ve had this discussion before. It’s a contest. He has to act interested in all the contestants, not just you.”

  I blew out a deep breath. “Interested is one thing. Having a full-court body press is quite another.”

  “Was he handsy with both of the other girls?”

  “Handsy, lip-sy, grope-sy—you name it, His Highness had his hands on it.”

  Eve grimaced. “That’s rough.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been a fool, Eve. And now, with all the trouble with the rebels, I can’t just quit the contest and leave like I want to.”

  “Tamara, not to undermine what you’re s
aying, but you’re upset. You wouldn’t really leave, would you?”

  “Maybe.” I shrugged. “I keep thinking that he has real feelings for me, that I’m the one, and then he keeps turning around and showing me quite a different side. It’s made me a bit disgusted with myself, to be honest. I can’t trust my own feelings.”

  “Yes you can. I saw you two at the ball. He didn’t look at the other girls the way he looked at you. I’m sure it’s upsetting to have to compete for his affection, especially when it’s divided three ways. But you knew what you were getting into.”

  “He’s not just dividing his affection, though. He’s spreading it around quite heavily.” I tossed a morsel of roast turkey to each of the gnomes, and they whizzed off again. “And the way he was looking at Dae—I’m afraid he has real feelings for her.”

  “That doesn’t mean he doesn’t also have real feelings for you,” Eve said gently.

  “Could you care for Balkyn and some other bloke at the same time?” I scoffed. Balkyn and Eve had been spending lots of time together, and they appeared to be a couple—not that Eve would admit it.

  “No, when it’s real, when it’s really real, there is only one person you can love,” I said. “It can’t be otherwise. That’s why there are so many tales of star-crossed lovers, people who suffer because they can’t help who they love. If there was a choice about it, people would choose otherwise. Because who wants to suffer?”

  I stopped my diatribe to find Eve staring at me. “What?” I asked.

  Eve’s aqua eyes blazed. “As I live and breathe, Tamara Layne, I never thought I’d see the day.”

  “What day?”

  “You’re in love with him,” she said.

  “Shut up, Eve. I am not.”

  She stopped walking and crossed her arms against her chest. “That’s not what I just heard.”

  “Then you need to get your hearing checked. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.” I stormed back toward the castle.

  “I hope you have a good day,” Eve called. She sounded amused.

  “I hope you get frostbite and your curls freeze off,” I called back. I could hear her laughter floating through the forest as I kept going, muttering to myself the whole way.

  I hustled through the hallway, eager to escape to the privacy of my chambers. A guard stepped out of the shadows, blocking my way. “Lady Layne. Hold on for a moment.” He peered inside my tote, and Elsa and Beast’s large eyes stared back up at him. “You just had your pets out for a walk?”

  “Yes.” I raised myself to my full height. “I had the permission of the perimeter guards, of course. They knew exactly where I was.”

  “Of course, Lady Layne. It’s just that His Highness has issued a direct order that you’re not to be outside without a personal guard.”

  “His Highness has a lot of nerve assigning one of his pups to babysit me,” I said, narrowing my eyes at the guard. “As far as I’m concerned, His Highness can go jump in a—”

  “What’s that, Tamara?” Rhys appeared out of nowhere, materializing next to his sentinel. He wore no shirt and no shoes, and his long hair flowed past his shoulders. If I hadn’t been so pissed at him, I would’ve thought him handsome, if thoroughly uncivilized. Or maybe handsome because he was thoroughly uncivilized. Anyway, it didn’t matter—I was pissed at him.

  “I was saying that you should go jump in the pond. Perhaps you can wash that unruly hair of yours while you’re at it.”

  The guard’s face turned red, and Rhys scowled at me. “Why, Lady Layne, are you offering to accompany me on a romantic swim?”

  “Certainly not. You might not be familiar with it, but the human phrase ‘go jump in a lake’ means that you should go and fu—”

  “Ah Tamara,” Mira Kinney also appeared out of nowhere and took my arm. “There you are. I need a word. Thank you for locating her, Your Highness.” The vampire immediately swept me down the hall, away from the others.

  Once we were out of earshot of Rhys and the guard, I disengaged myself from her icy grip. “I’m sorry if this is rude to say, but I’m growing quite tired of you supernaturals and all your stealthiness! I was trying to complete my sentence to the king. I’d appreciate the opportunity to go back and give him a piece of my mind.”

  “Tamara.” Mira smiled at me. “You need to calm down.”

  “Oh no I do not. I need to tell His Highness that he’s loathsome and vile, and that he should attempt to keep his bodily fluids to himself.”

  Mira surprised me by laughing.

  I scowled at her. “I don’t find any of this amusing, Mira.”

  She cleared her throat and collected herself. “That makes one of us. It’s interesting to see you like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Angry. Jealous. Unsure of your footing.”

  I took a deep, steadying breath. “I’m honored that my discomfort is humorous to you; however, it’s not fun to be me at the moment.”

  Mira gave me a long look. “I’m sorry. I’m sure it’s not. But as much as you have my sympathy, you cannot act like this for the show. As much as I’d love to film you and His Highness bickering, I can’t—it’s not appropriate. You’re going to undo all the hard work you’ve put into building a relationship with the king. The audience can’t see you putting him down for being with the other girls. Jealousy is fine—it’s actually good for ratings—but you cannot demean His Highness. His position and his footing are new. As such, he needs to be built up, not torn down. We’ve enough trouble at the moment.”

  “Are you encouraging him to get physical with the candidates?” I asked.

  “Yes, of course I am. You know how this works—we have only two challenges left, and then he needs to make his choice. The show is about his feelings and his chemistry. Of course all of you want to win. He’s the king, and a handsome one at that. The drama is in his decision.”

  It took some self-control, but I didn’t voice an objection as she went on.

  “He needs to know what he’s signing up for—it’s not as though werewolves can get an annulment, Tamara. He’s choosing his mate for life. I understand that you’re upset, but you may not insult him like that in front of one of his men ever again. What you say behind closed doors is your business, but you don’t want the pack to turn on you.”

  “About that…” I hesitated, unsure of how much I should tell her. “I think perhaps I’m already in disfavor with the pack.”

  “I’ve heard a few things.” Mira watched me closely. “But it’s the same with the pack as it is with the other girls—you cannot let them put you off. You’re a fighter, Tamara. If you want the king, if you want the crown, you must fight for it. You need to make peace with the pack and prove your value to them as a leader. Use the Contestants’ Challenge to show them what you can bring to the Realm. Earn your place as the leader of the other girls. I know you have it in you to win Rhys’s heart, Tamara. I’ve seen him with you. I know he cares.”

  “Well, I saw him with Dae and Joely earlier, and he appeared to care for each of them quite a bit.”

  “I’m not going to lie to you: you do have stiff competition.” Mira chucked me under the chin. “But the Tamara Layne I know and love would never give up what she wants so easily. So fight for him. And for the record, I’m rooting for you. Do not make me wish I’d wagered on another girl.”

  “You’re betting on me?” I cried.

  She wagged a finger as she strode down the hall. “A true lady never tells. But it’s for quite a sum, so do not fail me.”

  I stared after her, wondering how on earth I could function when there was so much riding on the competition—and I didn’t mean Mira’s ill-advised gamble. It was much more personal than that.

  Live From The Realm

  I finally had an idea for the Contestants’ Challenge, a good one. I wasn’t thrilled about it. It meant that I was going to have to speak with people I didn’t want to speak to—and help them. That was the problem. I wasn’t feeling at all ge
nerous toward the wolves at the moment, but my ingenuity knew no loyalties, and as the clock was ticking, I got to work.

  I started with a to-do list. Even though I didn’t want to help the wolves, it felt good to focus. It let me forget about everything else, at least for a few hours.

  Dae and Joely were similarly situated. Joely was bent over her table, sketching and muttering to herself. Dae’s shoulders were hunched and her gaze faraway as she tapped a pencil against her lips. I wondered what each of them had planned, but we’d been expressly forbidden from talking to each other about it. I highly doubted either of them would venture into the territory I’d carved out for myself. Still, I wondered what they were up to.

  We broke for a quiet lunch in the kitchen. Sandwiches of roast turkey, fresh cranberry sauce, and stuffing were enough to keep us occupied.

  “I know we can’t speak of specifics,” Joely said, “but how are you doing with your work? I’m off to a bit of a slow start, I’m afraid.”

  Dae nodded. “I have some ideas, but planning the logistics is difficult. We can’t get any supplies from the settlements, so we can only use what’s here. I’m not sure how my idea will fare with that limitation.”

  “I finally have an idea, so I’m grateful for that.” I poured some more water into my glass. “It’ll be interesting to see what Mira thinks of our proposals.”

  As if I’d summoned her, the vampire host burst into the room, wearing a pinstriped black sheath dress and patent-leather knee-high boots. “Ladies, a quick word, please. I’ve decided to host a cocktail hour this evening. I need you dressed in formal gowns. We’re testing our production bandwidth, and it’s going to be a live telecast.”

  “Live?” Joely asked.

  Dae’s eyes glittered. “Tonight?”

  I frowned. “With His Highness?”

  “Yes, yes, and yes.” Mira beamed at us. “His Highness and the members of his advisory council will be present. The pretense is that they’re starting new traditions, and this cocktail hour is one of them. But really, it’s another chance for the king to spend some more time with you—and there’s no better opportunity than when you’re dressed in your finest and the punch is flowing freely. So please finish your meals, spend another few hours on your work, and then go and see your maids to be dressed. We’ll see you promptly at six p.m. in the formal salon.” She turned on her patent-leather heel and was gone.