Chapter 2The Lottery Consort

I turned. It was Kaelan.

His fists were clenched, his expression dark.

“Is there something you need, my lord?”

He gave a stiff bow. “I have already given my heart to another. I pray you will grant us your blessing.”

I laughed. “Kaelan, do you truly believe I would choose you?”

He faltered. “You are the Princess. You have so many choices. Why must you insist on forcing someone who does not love you?”

I looked down, a bitter smile touching my lips. “Rest assured, I will not bother you again. You are free to pursue your ambitions, to be with the woman you love.”

He frowned. “Your Highness, what do you mean by that?”

Just as I was about to tell him I had chosen Lysander, a clumsy figure stumbled and crashed into me. I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

Before I could even react, Lady Seraphine was on her knees, begging for mercy.

“Forgive me, Your Highness! I… I didn’t mean to! Please, forgive me!”

I rubbed my bruised arm, looking at her in confusion. Seraphine was the niece of a powerful court duchess, from a prominent house. Yet every time she saw me, she acted like a mouse cornered by a cat, even when I had done nothing. Kaelan often shot me dirty looks because of it, assuming I had been bullying her.

Seeing her knock her head on the stone floor until it was red, Kaelan rushed forward, his voice laced with pain. “That’s enough, Seraphine. It was a small accident. There’s no need for this.” He helped her up, then shot a warning glance in my direction.

I watched the scene with a scornful silence.

Seeing this, Seraphine immediately dropped to her knees again, tears streaming down her face. “Your Highness, I deserve to be punished. Please, just forgive me this once.”

I pushed myself up from the ground and looked down at her.

Kaelan, thinking I was deliberately tormenting her, lost all composure. “Aurelia! It was an accident! How can you abuse your power like this? How do you expect to rule this kingdom one day if you cannot even show basic decency?”

Abuse my power? She was the one who had run into me. I hadn't said a single word, and he was already accusing me. Had I been too kind to him for too long? Had he forgotten his place?

He wanted to see me abuse my power? Fine. I would show him.

I yanked Seraphine to her feet and slapped her, hard, across the face. “Remember this,” I said, my voice dripping with contempt. “This is what it means to abuse my power.”

Kaelan’s eyes widened, but he was too slow to stop me. Seeing the red handprint blooming on Seraphine’s cheek, he pointed at me, his voice trembling with rage. “Aurelia…”

CRACK!

I slapped him too.

“You will address me as Your Highness.”

He was stunned into silence. I had spent years trying to win his affection. He had never imagined I would treat him like this. He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles cracked.

“Fine,” he seethed. “Just fine.”

“Seraphine, let’s go.”

Watching them leave, a wave of melancholy washed over me. He hadn't always been like this. When we were seven, I fell into the palace lake, and he saved me. After my cousin Gareth, he was the one I was closest to. He would help me with my lessons, encourage me when the Grand Tutor was harsh, and even share my punishments.

It was only when we grew older and understood the meaning of our arrangement—that everything he learned, everything he did, was to prepare him to serve me—that he began to change. He couldn’t accept a life he hadn’t chosen. He felt trapped. Then, he met Seraphine at a poetry gala and was captivated by her.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh. He would probably be thrilled to learn I had chosen Lysander.