Page 6 of Iris of the Crowned Flame
Amyra had a sly smile on her face. “Maybe, just maybe, you can make them fight for you. Might as well have some fun with this, right?”
Ivy giggled, “Oh, yes, Lyla, do this! It would be so much fun! We could have trials! We could have them do a fencing competition, or maybe we could try archery, or maybe you can have them wrestle with each other to prove their worth.”
Her eyebrows raised, telling me exactly where her mind was going. I smiled at her implications.
My mind raced. This wasn’t a bad idea. I could narrow down to three choices before the ball even gets here, I’m sure. I could even spend a couple more months getting to know them, and this could be the way I select someone that I trust. And if we get some show boating along the way through some old-fashioned competitions, I could even gauge how my people feel about them. This isn’t a bad idea at all. My eyes fell upon Ethan; he too seemed lost in thought. “What do you think, Ethan?”
“I think that if you do this, we could get to know Egan a bit better and select one or two others who are strategically important or capture your interests. It could be smart and certainly take the pressure off of your choice with this ball. I don’t see any downsides.”
I smiled, and Amyra and Ivy jumped up. They knew my smile meant I was on board, and they immediately started throwing ideas back and forth on what trials they would want to see the men go through.Trialswas a generous word; their ideas kept getting more ridiculous — and far less proper — with each new suggestion.
“What about a test of stamina?” Ivy said, her grin wicked. “We could have them run the palace grounds until they collapse — or make it something a bit more… private.”
Amyra laughed, eyes glinting with mischief. “Or a test of endurance,” she added. “See how long they can last at a dance. Or in a sparring match. Or…” Her voice dropped lower, playful and teasing. She didn’t finish the thought, but her smile said enough.
I gave them a look, fighting back a laugh. “You two are terrible.”
“That’s why you love us,” Ivy shot back with a wink, already onto her next scandalous thought. “We could have them wrestle. No shirts allowed, naturally. We need to see their… form.”
Amyra laughed, covering her mouth like she might actually be scandalized by Ivy’s boldness, though her eyes gave her away. “Or swimming in the palace baths,” she said, struggling to keep a straight face. “It’s not improper if it’s for strategy.”
“Of course not,” Ivy agreed, with a mockingly serious nod. “Purely for the good of the kingdom.”
Their laughter filled the room, bright and a little wild, cutting through the heavy cloud that had been hanging over us all day. And despite their teasing, there was a spark of something real beneath it. Maybe, just maybe, this could be more than a game. Maybe it could be my way out.
I walked my way through the choices again. I could lead with any of these men, if they want what’s best for my people as much as I do. But I just don’t know how I can get into the romantic side of this relationship. One step at a time, I suppose. First, find someone I can trust with my kingdom. And second, just as important, find someone who won’t dare stand between me and the woman I love. I don’t need a husband to rule me. I need a man smart enough to know he never could.
CHAPTER 5
The castle quickly became teeming with people as more and more arrived for the ball, which would have happened tomorrow evening. I was grateful to have the chance to dine with old friends I hadn’t seen since our lessons had to get more serious. But I was constantly pulled into meetings to settle issues these last few weeks. Father meant well, trying to get me acclimated to these issues, but it was all overwhelming. I wished he had waited until after this ball to defer to me on all these decisions. On the other hand, I appreciated not being pulled into some of the bickering the guests kept starting. So many of these men wanted to show off to me, and almost none of it helped them.
I had already decided on two of the three men I wanted to keep around. Prince Egan, of course, was one. Lord Luther’s choice, Prince Frederick, was the second. Ivy kept fawning over him, and Amyra even endorsed him. He appeared to be a safe choice. He was a second-born son in another country with birth order establishing order of succession. His older brother was already married and had a son, so he was unlikely to sit on their throne. However, he has been important to many new pacts with his homelands and has proven to be a great diplomat. I worried about his disposition, though. To be sponsoredby Lord Luther, he likely wasn’t one to see me as an equal. Amyra insists many of the Ladies in his country wish they could be with him, and that he is very kind and generous, so I was open to looking deeper into him.
The third choice eluded me. Part of me wished to choose Spencer, but I worried it was just because of familiarity. He wouldn’t be the most strategic choice, but he would be someone I know I can get along with, and I don’t feel entirely grossed out by the thought of having romantic relations with him, so that’s a bonus, I suppose.
I needed to get one more measurement for Eliza on my dress. She really had a way of getting me excited for this ball by playing this secret dress game with me. I found myself intrigued, since she had never kept her ideas from me. She had planned to meet me in my room for the measurements and had already spent some time there with Ivy. The two of them were planning the accessories to use. I wouldn’t wear a crown yet, as the coronation hasn’t happened. But Ivy insisted on a tiara, and today they intended to choose which of them I would wear.
I opened my door, and I could hear them both abruptly stop talking. I watched them as they glanced at each other, the table between me and them, and tiaras everywhere. They dissolved into giggles, which were so infectious that I also let loose a small laugh as I ask, “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Lyla! But hurry, let Eliza measure you so that you can return to your official queen life, and we can get back to planning your outfit!”
Their excitement for this was infectious, and I could shrug off the worries of the day and engage in their banter for a few minutes. Eliza grabbed her last couple of measurements when someone knocked on my door. This business of coming to my room has got to stop. I really needed to talk to someone about establishing boundaries.
Ivy opened the door and announced the visitor with the same excitement she had with Eliza about the tiaras. “Spencer! I’m so glad to see you. Please come in!”
I shot Ivy a look. She had never invited people in without checking with me. This whole ball business must be getting to her head. Still, I was grateful it was just Spencer, and that I was dressed well enough. “Spencer, it is a pleasure, but also a first to see you in my room.”
As he stepped inside, Spencer’s gaze drifted over me, pausing for a heartbeat too long before settling on my face. His emerald-green eyes held something bright and steady, something that caught me off guard. His dark hair curled neatly above his brow, and his skin, a warm, honeyed bronze, seemed to glow in the afternoon sun. He was striking, really. Somehow, even more so than I remembered. He had been at the castle since Mother’s funeral, but we’d barely spoken. I wish we had.
Mother had included him on her list, so, naturally, he received an invitation to the ball.
“Lyla, I have been most looking forward to talking with you, and it’s been near impossible to get time with you,” he said, his voice warm and easy. “I hope you forgive me for coming here, but I wanted to catch up before tomorrow evening’s festivities.”
When he smiled, two dimples carved into his cheeks, deep and endearing, softening the sharp line of his jaw. Had he always had them? Why hadn’t I noticed before? His eyes seemed to twinkle too, like emeralds catching sunlight. Little butterflies inside me seemed to dance to the silent beat the twinkles created.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.” I returned the smile and noticed Eliza had disappeared, along with the tiaras. Ivy was hiding near the door. She knew the scandal of leaving us alone in my chambers would cause serious problems, and I suspected she wanted to have some juicy gossip to share with Amyra. We caught each other’s eyes, and she nodded towards him, silently telling me to focus on him. “Please, let’s sit and chat. Ivy, could you have dinner sent here?”
Ivy cracked the door open and made the request for three plates. Grateful for making it obvious she was staying; I turned my focus to Spencer. His eyes seemed to have never left myface. I blushed with the attention. “Tell me, how have things been for you? We haven’t seen each other in five years. I’m sure there’s so much to catch up on.”
