Chapter One

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I suck in a deep breath as the servant pulls the straps tightly against my spine. I can't let the breath back out. I hold a hand to my throat as I start to suffocate.

"Sorry," the servant says, loosening the straps. "I always do that."

"It's okay, dear," my mother says from the armchair beneath the window. "Just try not to kill my daughter before she bears the potential's child."

I narrow my eyes at her in the mirror. She clocks it and scowls back at me, bringing the cup of wine back to her lips. She's been drinking for the past hour. I'm surprised she's not blind drunk. The servant ties the final loop and declares herself finished. The dress is beautiful. Light blue with thin straps and sparkling gems that reflect from every dime of light. It's pulled across my chest so tightly that my breasts look much bigger than they are. I've never seen my bare chest look so womanly.

"We don't know that he will choose me yet," I say, patting down the tight, blue dress.

"Of course he will choose you. Look at you." My mother stands, dangling the cup from her fingertips as she walks and scoots the servant away. She cups her hands underneath my breasts and smiles. "Your chest is full. Your skin has that post-summertime glow. You will be the most beautiful woman to have ever looked him in the eye."

"Hardly."

"And your hair," she says while enthusiastically trailing her fingers through my wavy, mousy blonde locks that is pulled back with butterfly pins. "So soft and vibrant. You are magnificent."

"If you say so."

I meet the servant's eyes in the mirror as she looks at me sadly. I've never met her before today, she is the potential's servant. We are in his palace. All of the candidates arrived last night and we spent the night here preparing for this important and life-changing morning.

The potential King, Lyle, will choose one of us to take as his bride. The King's only son died from a disease a few years ago and without a blood heir the King decided to pick out four high-born males for the role instead. It's absolutely ludicrous and hardly anyone in the kingdom agrees with his decision but he is the King and we are his subjects. Whatever he decides, we accept, even if we do not accept it.

The new world order happened over a century ago after a devastating global war wiped out most of the population. The survivors made an agreement to banish all travel including: planes, boats, ships and anything that can cross borderlines or oceans. For a century, our people have been confined to strict areas. Some areas have Kings while others have small governments. Our King, Harrison, took over from his father ten years ago. His kingdom is huge, one of the biggest in the country. His rule has been fair but Lyle is another thing entirely.

I am high-born. In this world, that means something big. It means that I have never had to work a day in my life, that I have servants that do everything for me and a family that remind me every single day that I should be grateful.

It has been their dream for me to marry Lyle ever since King Harrison announced that he'd be a potential. Along with three other high-borns, Lyle will have to prove himself. It is no secret that Lyle is his favourite and is far ahead of the other three. They will all have to go through a series of tests that the King sets but Lyle is the only one choosing a bride today. Marriage will only make his chances greater.

"Remember your manners," my mother says. "Smile, do not stop smiling. Your father and I will be very disappointed if you mess this up."

"How can I possibly mess this up?" I say. "All I have to do is stand there."

"He has to like your attitude too," she says. "Make eye contact and keep it until he looks away. He likes confident girls." She grips her fingers into my shoulders and stirs me towards the doorway. "We have been working hard for this. Do not ruin this chance for us."

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