Page 188 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

An elevated dais stands at the end of the ballroom. And seated on top of it, overlooking the sprawling crowd, are Augustus and Helen.

The likeness to the Elders in Verdanthia’s town hall is impossible to ignore.

I’ve gone from facing one oppressive group of leaders to another. I can’t help but wonder if this is the way of the world everywhere.

When this is all over, is there anywhere Ferria and I can go and actually be free?

Free to be openly part Fae.

Free to wield our power.

Free to just be.

My heart thumps in time with my footsteps as Leto and I move closer to the dais.

A looming landscape portrait depicting a stunning cliffside overlooking the ocean hangs on the wall. I trace the cresting waves and the treetops on the land with my eyes.

The beauty of Virendrell is undeniable. It’s too bad it’s only surface deep.

A tingling sensation pricks my cheek. I drop my gaze and find Augustus and Helen watching me. Their expressions are unreadable. A check confirms my own mask remains in place.

Leto guides me to a stop just four feet in front of the dais, where the crowd has left open space. Hali stands to our left. A handsome man has moved to her side. Based on the matching hue of his purplish-pink toga, I surmise he is her partner for the contest.

Another couple sidles up on our right. I recognize the man as Gerald, the water wielder who made an impressive lily ice sculpture in the second contest. Only, despite Anders’s assumptions that Helen would dictate his victory, that honor went to Hali and her birdcage.

Gerald’s victory came during the maze contest at the mayor’s country estate. Aside from Rian, he escaped the dangerous hedges in the quickest time, earning him a place in this final contest. In this spectacle.

The woman at his side is petite, shorter than most women I’ve seen in Virendrell. Matching circlets gleam on their left wrists, the polished silver standing out against the crimson bangles that complement their attire. They’re married.

I purse my lips.

Is that an advantage when trying to seduce Jason and Daphne?

Or will their marital status make it harder for them to entice another couple?

I guess I’m about to discover how strong part-Fae marriages in Virendrell are.

A trio of bells chimes behind me. The ballroom falls silent.

Augustus rises from a chair that can only be compared to a throne. The carved back and arms are painted gold, and the velvet cushions look plush and expensive.

He wears a medallion that reminds me of the one that identifies Anders as the palace healer. Only, the mayor’s is adorned with quite a few more jewels and diamonds.

With a glance, I note the sapphires dripping down Helen’s throat, resting on her cleavage. Matching bracelets cover her forearms from wrist to elbow.

Everything about their display screams opulence and royalty, not the subtlety I’d expect from an elected official.

“Welcome, contestants.” Augustus’s voice carries over our heads.

His eyes travel down the line of us before they shift to take in the crowd. His smile brightens.

“And to every Virendrellian citizen, thank you for being here to honor my son and his beloved bride!”

He throws his arm out to the side. Jason and Daphne appear from a doorway tucked along the right wall.

Loud, enthusiastic claps and cheers echo in my ears.

The couple stuns in all white. Daphne’s gown flows around her legs. Diamonds hang from her neck and adorn a delicate headpiece placed into her long, curly hair. She looks angelic. At her side, Jason is all masculinity, with a sharp jawline and toned arms on display in his pristine toga.