Chapter 138

It wasn’t difficult to convince the queen that Kit was in a foul mood. All she had to do was think about all of the awful things her mother had done to the people over the years, and Kit was nearly shaking with anger. Redirecting that angst against something she could voice wasn’t even too trying since both Seph and Eli made good targets, not to mention there was the situation with Merek. When her mother asked her what was troubling her, Kit had said, “What is there to be happy about?” and thought she caught a small smile on her mother’s lips.

“Your labyrinth maze is tomorrow,” Rona reminded her, cutting into a roasted lamb chop. “You must be excited for that.”

“I would be if I wasn’t thinking about how some of my men might be overly anxious to have a chance to kiss my ladies instead of me,” Kit pouted.

“I doubt most of your men would even consider it.” Rona set her fork aside and took a drink from her wine goblet. “That is part of the fun for them, though. It’s not as if you could possibly give all of them enough attention on your own.”

Kit wholeheartedly disagreed with her mother’s statement. It was difficult to juggle the thirty-four men she had left, but most of those Representative she didn’t even consider to be hers. Of that number, there were only about fifteen she was still considering. Still, she knew that once she had them whittled down to seven, she could manage. One way or another.

She didn’t argue, though. “I wish I would’ve sent a few more of them home,” Kit said with a sigh. “There are at least five or six I could cut right now.”

“Then let’s do so,” Rona said with a shrug. “We can call them in, and you can dismiss them tonight. And they will leave the castle tonight. No more staying in one’s rooms and seething all evening.”

Kit turned to look at her mother, not sure she could believe what she was saying. “Would you actually let me do that?”

“Yes, so long as you’re not still angry at Pierce. I don’t think it was his fault he wasn’t able to defend you last night. He was trying.”

It was no secret her mother had a fondness for the Representative from Metfirth. “Very well, I shall keep him. But there are others I can send away.”

“And is your commander on that list?” There was a lilt to Rona’s voice that made Kit’s stomach suddenly seem overly full. “He did try to seduce your lady, after all.”

Kit bit back the curse lingering on her lips and said only, “I haven’t had the chance to speak to either of them. Seph was reluctant to say much in front of the others.”

“Yes, well, I spoke to him. I told him I believed Sephorina, and if he was to continue in this Choosing, he had better follow the rules precisely. I know he has no chance of winning, and I’m certain he is aware of that as well.” She paused to cut off another piece of lamb. “But that doesn’t mean he can make a mockery of our traditions. It’s a wonder the council didn’t see to have his head after he took Merek’s.”

Her grandmother, who was sitting on Kit’s other side made a tsking sound, and for the first time, Kit realized Junno was listening in. “I will need to speak to Eli before I determine what to do with him.” Kit did her best to keep her voice even. “For now, I would like to dismiss Rowan, Leif, Dane, Huet, Havron, and Quent.” She didn’t think it necessary to list their provinces along with their names since her mother was likely aware of where they came from.

Rona mulled over the list for a moment before she nodded. “That sounds acceptable. As soon as the meal is over, we shall have them in.”

Despite feeling no connection to any of the men, Kit did hate the part where she had to send them home, especially since she could only assume they were all looking forward to the labyrinth maze event the next day. But narrowing the field was part of the Choosing, and if she was going to give the illusion that she intended to follow the rules, she may as well get her participants to a more manageable number.

“Do you have plans this evening?” Her mother’s voice sounded almost jovial, as if she were happy her daughter was making connections with the other men. “It isn’t fair that Pierce was interrupted.”

She realized then why her mother was asking. It wasn’t Kit she was concerned about, it was the man from Metfirth. “Actually, I’d already asked Jate to join me this evening before I knew that Pierce wouldn’t have a turn.” She watched as the queen’s disposition shifted from jovial to annoyed. “I’m sure he’ll have another opportunity.” There was no reason to mention to her mother she didn’t plan on ever asking Pierce to join her again, and if he were to somehow manage to win a contest, she’d have to find a way to keep herself from being the prize. She couldn’t foresee him winning the maze the next day, though she supposed it was possible. A night with the princess had already been announced as the reward for being the first Representative out of the labyrinth with one of the princess’s ribbons. She’d just have to make sure Pierce wasn’t that fellow.

“I’m not exactly sure what you see in Jaterius, but I suppose there are worse men for you to have chosen. Do you think you will want to Room him soon? After that last Rooming, I would like to approve all of them far in advance.”

She knew her mother had been reluctant to agree to Reeve, but what was done was done. “Yes, I would like to Room Jate soon, Mother, if it please you.”

“Perhaps you can make that announcement after the maze?”

Kit saw a flicker of something in her mother’s eyes, something conniving. She couldn’t quite figure out what it might be, but it couldn’t be good. Seeing no harm in announcing Jate’s Rooming after the labyrinth, Kit said, “That sounds lovely.” She found a forced smile and returned her attention to her full plate as she noticed her mother stifling a giggle. Whatever it was Kit had just agreed to, she had a feeling she’d regret it the next day.