Page 50 of Forsaking All Others

“Beautiful, fabulous,” the director gushes, “fantastic, Clyde. Really great work.”

“I know, I know,” Starlen snorts. “One take do? Perhaps I needed a little more flair in the initial intro?”

“No, just perfect. When you’re ready to read the rules...”

Starlen nods and waves away the make-up woman who’d been patting his face here and there with a powder puff and brushing the odd invisible strand of hair from his jacket.

“And…Action!”

“So, viewers, what happens today? What challenge must these fine contestants navigate in order to prove they have what it takes to be a royal wife? Well, once upon a time the very spot where we stand was a place that challenged thousands of women to be the best they could be. The Spanish Inquisition! Were they witches? Were they good women worthy of living out their lives in this beautiful land? The trials decided, just as they will today!”

A small collective gasp ripples through the competitors as we all try to discern just what he means.

“Are they going to torture us?” Thorun whispers.

“I don’t know,” I whisper back, “but these ropes and weights can’t be a fucking good thing.”

“Sink or swim,” Sona whispers back.

“Dio Santo!”

“Oh, don’t say that, Cat,” Thorun whispers urgently.

“Don’t call me that!” I hiss back.

“What? What did she say?” Evelyn nudges Thorun with her elbow.

“You should have listened more to our language training,” Thorun whispers. “She said oh, my God.”

“You’re supposed to only say that if we’re in deep shit,” Evelyn growls.

“We are in deep shit,” I snap, “listen.”

We all turn our attention back to Starlen.

“Tonight will involve a series of tests of endurance, teamwork and, as ever, moral turpitude,” he grins. “Contestants will need to solve puzzles under time pressure, survive gruelling and arduous physical tests, face torturous trials of honesty and integrity, fight off competitors, and somehow not come last across that finish line. Along the way there will be obstacles and opportunities for individuals and teams. Some,” he laughs darkly, “will truly show the character of these beauties. Others will shed light on secrets and dark places. As always, the challenge aims to bring to the fore the characteristics necessary for success as a royal vampire bride. And of course, our bachelor is here to witness it all. Viscount,” he spins to face the bachelor and shoves the microphone into his face, “your thoughts?”

The bachelor raises his eyes from where he’d been scowling at the weights and ropes pooled at our feet and pushes the microphone away brusquely before answering.

“I’m sure this challenge will reveal just as much as it did the first time your ancestors performed such trials, Starlen,” he says, his voice carrying all the weight of the world, “and just as many innocent lives will be lost.”

“Yes,” Starlen grins and spins to the camera, completely misunderstanding, or perhaps deliberately so, the message behind the Viscount’s words. “Yes, our bachelor is so right. Tonight will be a night of hope, of despair, of loss and of pride. Of those who are worthy, and those who are found wanting. The first team to cross the line will win a group date with our royal bachelor and continue to pursue the opportunity to live their best lives. The last team will lose theirs. And in between, there will be surprises. Don’t leave your seats, don’t bother holding your breath, you’ll suffocate. Just sit tight and hope your favourites make it through the night!”

“Let the Games begin!”

38

I watch, sickened, as the contestants line up by the Guadalquivir riverbank ready for me to outline the first trial in this contest.

Apparently Starlen will be on the scene the whole time commentating on how it’s going, but I have to outline the task.

“For show continuity,” he’d said.

I stand where bidden and consider where we are.

This section of river, illuminated from beneath by lights and cameras, is a murky dark green, putrid with man’s filth washed into it over a millennium. Once, though, it had been clear and fast-flowing. Full of fish and life. Once, it had been a pleasant place to idle away an evening watching the stars reflect upon the surface as the cargo ships sailed into port.

Not now. Now I’d rather be anywhere else on earth. And from the look on the innocent little Icandler’s face, she concurs.