The Bride Tournament (Hexed Hearts Book 1)(33)

Fruitcake.

Her little gemstone buzzed angrily under her plain cloak and wool gown. Ellie dipped a hand into the neckline of her dress and gripped the pewter, hiding the blue light.

“That’s nice,” Ellie said in reference to the MAM comment.

“Is your mother a member?” the woman asked politely.

“Uh, no.” Ellie glanced around, searching for an exit strategy. Such a shame too. The young lady was nice, non-confrontational, and not in it for the win.

That last bit shouldn’t matter at all. I am not jealous of the women here, vying for Gerard’s attention, trying to be his bride.

After Gerard’s—ugh, the royal prince’s lack of honesty about his true identity, she wasn’t sure she liked him all that much anymore. A flutter of movement swam over the woman’s shoulder. Think the man’s name and he appears. She frowned as Gerard repositioned himself to get in her line of sight. He raised his chin in greeting.

She checked the response to stick out her tongue.

“Oh, that’s too bad. But I suppose it doesn’t matter if she’s an official member or not. Obviously she possesses magic, you wouldn’t have made it otherwise.” She smiled at Ellie, continuing the conversation.

Feeling skuzzy and rather like she was consorting with the enemy, Ellie took a step back. Gerard walked forward. Strutted, actually, like a confident male to the center of the dais.

“Ellie, what’s the matter?” She patted her arm. “You’ve gone all flushed as if you have the fever.”

“Pox perhaps?” She worried her bottom lip as Gerard refused to sever eye contact. Look away, do not draw attention to me.

He cleared his throat.

The woman stepped back. “I was told it wasn’t contagious. Oh dear. I must go warn the others.”

Ellie panicked and grabbed her bare wrist as she twirled away. Her other hand gripped her gemstone with maddening strength. “Don’t. You can’t.”

“I can’t what?” she asked, confused and frightened. Eyes wide, she tugged against Ellie’s hold. “Let go of me.”

The crowd shifted and moved toward the dais, absorbing the woman’s hiss. The necklace burned in Ellie’s palm but she held on tight, reacting. I wish you’d forget this conversation! Light surged down her arm and slammed into the woman. She stumbled backward, hand to heart.

“What was that?” Eyes wide behind her mask, the lady shook her head. “Wait, who are you? Have we met?”

“Uh, no?” It worked?! Ellie pointed toward Gerard. “The crown prince is starting his speech.”

“Oh.” She turned and walked away.

That was close…too close.

“Ladies, gather near.” Gerard smiled and spread his arms.

She joined the crowd, while avoiding Olivia, her stepsisters, and the lady she’d just encountered. “The scores have been counted. As per tradition, our future queen, my future bride—”

Ellie wriggled.

“—must possess intelligence, wit, and the ability to maintain calm under pressure. As such, this test was created to weed out those who did not possess these aforementioned traits. Those who scored in the top fiftieth percentile will continue. The rest of you, thank you for entering, I wish you the best in your future endeavors.”

He flicked his fingers, and the scores streamed across the great hall to pose above their respective mistresses.

Ellie swallowed, knowing she passed on to the next competition, not liking how it thrilled her. Half the scores caught flame and dissipated in a shower of golden ash. The rest glimmered and sped across the room to take spots along the back wall like crested flags. She counted twenty-five twinkling scores. Interesting that the two women who still lay abed, recovering, were absorbed into the lower half of the scores.

She’d assumed with their absence, the halved score would have brought the competitors’ numbers down to twenty-four. Giving a shallow bow, Gerard strolled back whence he came and left a huddled mass of squealing and crying women. She looked away from the fluttering scores to find Lady Olivia’s angry gaze pointed in her direction.

Ellie ducked behind a few of the taller competitors and made a bee-line for the same curtain Gerard had disappeared behind. Lady Olivia guarded the only other exit and she would rather take her chances with Lying Gerard than Hexing Olivia.





Chapter Nine



“Who is the cloaked woman you kept staring at?” Pierce asked.

Gerard shrugged and hoped his brother couldn’t see through his evasion.

“Some girl.”

“Brother, I know all the girls. But not her…” Light flashed in Pierce’s eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’re interested in her?” Gerard punched his brother’s upper arm. “Hours ago you were puppy-dog-eyed for Veronica.”

“She’s a friend, that’s all.” Pierce straightened his shoulders. “I was concerned, as a friend.”

“Yea, whatever. I saw the relief on your face when I told you she was doing better.” He peeked back into the great hall. Ellie cowered behind a set of six-and-a-half foot-tall twins. What was she doing?

“I still can’t believe it.” Pierce sighed, once more the love-struck lad. “Why won’t you let me see her?”