The final day of the hunting competition had arrived. Thank God! I was practically vibrating with impatience, counting down the seconds until we could pack up and head back to the estate. My mind was already there, obsessing over Sierra's diary. My gut was screaming that the missing puzzle piece I needed was buried somewhere in those pages.
Mary was hovering nearby. The Duke had insisted she follow us to the palace to 'personally attend to me.' I think he just doesn't trust the royal maids, and considering my track record of self-sabotage, he probably thinks I'll accidentally fall off myself if left unsupervised.
Since Mary is a walking encyclopedia of local lore, she broke down the day's bizarre itinerary for me. Apparently, the actual hunting is a 'boys only' club. The women? We get to sit around, drink tea, and 'build connections.' You know, high-stakes networking for status and potential husbands. But the real kicker is the grand finale. The men return to parade their kills and dump the biggest, bloodiest carcasses at the feet of the lady they fancy. The woman with the most impressive pile of dead animals gets crowned the 'Hunting Fairy.' It's basically a popularity contest, but instead of prom votes, you get dead deer. Romantic, right?
"As you know, Lady Soleil garnered the lion's share of offerings last year," Mary chirped while her fingers deftly weaving my hair into a neat bun. "But I am quite persuaded, my lady, that this year shall prove a different result! You shall assuredly receive a plentiful bounty of offerings as well, perhaps even more than your sister. You shall see!"
"It honestly does not matter, Mary," I rifled through a jewelry box that cost more than my entire college tuition. The navy gown definitely needed silver. I had to admit, for all my complaining about this archaic world, the playing dress-up part was a serious perk. The exquisite gowns, the delicate shoes, the kind of jewelry you usually only see behind bulletproof glass, it was high-end retail therapy on steroids. I wanted to soak up every second of this luxury before I hopefully return to my real world.
That is, if I even had a life to go back to. The thought killed my mood instantly. If I'm here driving Sierra's body, what happened to mine? Was it rotting away in my shoebox apartment? How long had I been gone? Days? Weeks? God, had anyone even noticed I was missing? I didn't have family, and my work friends were strictly 9-to-5 acquaintances. They probably just assumed I'd pulled an Irish goodbye and ghosted the job.
The idea that I could vanish and the world would just shrug was a terrifying thought.
"But your face says otherwise, my lady," Mary murmured, giving my reflection the kind of sympathetic look usually reserved for kicked puppies. She clearly thought my sudden sadness was because I'm nervous about the competition. There was no way I could explain that I wasn't worried about losing a popularity contest, I was worried about my original body decomposing in an apartment eight stories up.
Before Mary could psychoanalyze me further, we heard a gentle knock. "Sister, are you prepared to depart?" It was Soleil. I stood up and gave Mary a reassuring smile before opening the door. Soleil's blinding smile instantly greeted me. She was decked out in a perfect pink gown, her usually straight hair styled into bouncy curls. She looked ready to defend her title as 'Hunting Fairy.'
"Shall we?" She hooked her arm through mine. She's practically bouncing with excitement. If I didn't know about Soleil's seriously self-centered streak, I'd probably find her bubbly personality charming.
"Papa went ahead to the hunting grounds," she stated as we walked through the grand corridor. "He had some urgent matters to attend to."
"Is he participating?" I asked.
Soleil let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh no, dear sister. Were the kingdom's most skilled swordsman to join the hunt, none would stand a chance of victory."
Fair point. Plus, with no wife to impress, he didn't really have anyone to dump a dead bear in front of.
We rode in the carriage together, and the trip to the hunting ground felt like forever. It was pretty far from the main kingdom, which is just good urban planning. That forest was apparently crawling with beasts, definitely not something you want too close to the castle.
When we finally arrived, the place was like a music festival. Ladies in silk were gossiping under a canopy of parasols, while the men strutted around flexing their crossbows and swords. As soon as we stepped down, Father was there to greet us, and a swarm of servants immediately rushed over to block the sun, treating us like vampires who might burst into flames.
"My dearest daughters, how fared your journey? Did you encounter any vexing inconveniences along the way?"
"We are quite accustomed to it, Papa. Indeed, we have held the hunting competition in this very place for countless years," Soleil responded.
Unfortunately, my eyes eyes landed on the Crown Prince. He seems to be in deep conversation with the royal guards. He was also in full combat gear, so he's definitely in the competition.
Suddenly, our eyes met across the crowd, so I quickly looked away and pretended that I found a very interesting spot on the ground to look at. I was hoping he'd continue his conversation with the guards, but I was wrong. He started heading right for us. For the first time ever, I was actually grateful for Soleil's main-character energy. She intercepted him like a pro linebacker, holding out a handkerchief like it was a sacred relic.
"Your Royal Highness, I took the liberty of embroidering this myself last night. May it serve as a small token of good fortune for you today."
The Prince accepted it with a smile that probably melts hearts daily. "Thank you, Lady Soleil. I shall guard it with the utmost care."
Seriously, if I didn't know about my Soleil's secret boyfriend, I'd actually buy into this fairytale romance. They looked like they belonged on a magazine cover, and every eye seemed fixed on them... including Elios. Man, he must be gutted, watching his girlfriend hand a personalized hanky to her fiancé. Not that I felt truly sorry for him. It was his gamble, his choice to entangle himself in an illicit affair with the future Crown Princess.
But I couldn't get a read on him. His face was a total blank, like he was completely used to this whole spectacle. I guess I stared too long, because the next thing I knew, Elios' eyes had found mine. His blank expression shifted into a slow, knowing smile that creeped me out.
The Crown Prince never even got a chance to talk to me because the Duke immediately swooped in and invited him to his tent, probably to talk strategy. I doubt the Prince really wanted to chat with me anyway. Soleil and I merged back into the crowd of ladies. Surprisingly, a few girls came up to be friendly, though there were definitely some 'Mean Girls' giving me the side-eye. I don't really care though. As long as I didn't trip or set anything on fire, I counted it as a win.
Finally, the hunt began. The King fired the starting gun, and the men galloped into the dark forest like they were in an action movie. I felt a tiny twinge of guilt for not wishing the Prince luck. Whatever. I'm sure he has a whole fan club for that.
While waiting for the participants to return from the hunt, I figured I'd join the tea party. Of course, everyone was still swarming around Soleil at the other table. She was the undisputed star of the show, after all.
"We are delighted you have graced our table with your presence, Lady Sierra. Yet, might I inquire if it is quite proper for you to be seated separately from your sister?" Lady Ella began. She introduced herself to me earlier as the daughter of a count.
"It is perfectly fine, I assure you. I confess a preference for less crowded company." And by that, I mean I don't want to be a background extra in Soleil's story book.
"I saw you at the ball, Lady Sierra," Lady Elise chimed in. "And I must admit, your gown truly captured my admiration. You appeared most radiant that evening,"
Elise is the Marquess Schmidt's second daughter. Which makes her Elios' little sister. I looked at her innocent face and wondered if she has any idea that her brother is the male lead in a messy cheating scandal.
"My sincerest thanks, Lady Elise," I put on my best aristocrat mask. "It is a regrettable oversight that I was not well enough to discern your own beauty that night, for I retired early due to indisposition. I am quite certain you were equally captivating."
Nailed it. I was actually getting pretty good at this verbal fencing.
"Oh, but are you quite recovered now, my lady? This climate is rather warm, and we would be most distressed if you were to feel poorly once more," Lady Violet interjected, her concern seemed genuinely sincere.
"I have quite recovered, ladies. And I truly wouldn't wish to miss this annual occasion where our gentlemen so splendidly demonstrate their skills."
The other women nodded, and we shifted to a two-hour discussion about silk and gemstones. Thank God I did my homework on this season's trends, I was practically reciting a fashion magazine.
By the time the hunters finally emerged from the forest, I'd downed five cups of tea and run out of small talk. Then, the most anticipated part of this competition began. The gentlemen started offering their kills to the ladies they favored. There were deer, foxes, rabbits, and other small animals. Even my tablemates got some roadkill. If this were the 21st century, it would definitely be considered animal cruelty. But here? it's the height of romance.
Then the Crown Prince rolled in, casually dragging three lions and a bear. Talk about overachieving. I scanned him for scratches, my heart doing a weird little flip, but he seemed untouched. The blood on his armor was definitely from the wildlife, not him.
"Excellent sport, Crown Prince. Now, pray tell us to which fair lady you dedicate these magnificent beasts?" the King inquired.
My eyes widened, and my heart did a traitorous little flip when the Prince's gaze landed directly on me. Why? Did I have spinach in my teeth? Was my wig crooked? Wait, I don't wear a wig! Why on earth was he looking here? It felt like he held the stare for a solid minute, just long enough to make me sweat, while every other woman in the vicinity held her breath.
"I offer this to the daughter of Duke Castillo," he finally announced.
A ripple of giggles swept through the crowd. I glanced over at Soleil, who was already being poked and prodded by her fan club. I mean, let's be real, this is a novel. The plot revolves around three people—Soleil, Elios, and the Prince. The script doesn't change just because I made eye contact.
"Lady Soleil Castillo."
Soleil's smile was so wide I was genuinely concerned for her facial muscles. Of course it was her. They're engaged. If he'd offered a dead bear to anyone else, it would've caused a huge scandal. The real Sierra would have been gutted watching this. But I'm just a tourist in this body. I don't have feelings for him. I definitely don't feel a weird hollowness in my chest.
Right?
Soleil didn't waste a second. She floated toward the Crown Prince with the grace of a swan, a swan that knew it was winning. She dipped into a perfect curtsy, accepting the lions and the bear as the crowd applauded the golden couple. It was the picture-perfect ending to the chapter.
"Oh no, brother..."
Elise's gasp broke the cinematic moment. I followed her gaze to the edge of the clearing. Elios had emerged. He'd dragged back a black bear and three tigers, but unlike the pristine Prince, Elios looked like he'd gone a few rounds with a cheese grater. His arm was bleeding sluggishly. I looked at Soleil, and caught a fleeting flash of concern in her eyes before she expertly masked it with indifference.
"I offer these formidable beasts to the daughter of Duke Castillo..." Elios announced, his voice cutting through the applause. The crowd quieted down. He was looking straight at Soleil. I mentally prepared myself for the inevitable dual-victory speech, until his eyes slowly shifted to me.
"...Lady Sierra Castillo."
The silence was instant and absolute. I don't know what my face looked like, but Soleil looked like she'd been slapped with a wet fish. Her composure didn't just crack, it shattered.
I instinctively looked at the Crown Prince, expecting him to be watching his fiancée. Instead, he was staring at me. His brow was furrowed so deep you could park a car in the crease.
Lady Elise's hand suddenly closed around mine. The firm grip pulled my attention away from the intense staring contest I was having with the Crown Prince.
"I cannot believe it! My brother is finally offering his quarries to another lady!"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you not remember? He has been offering his kills to me every hunting competition since he has no other woman to offer it to."
Oh. So he uses his sister as a shield to avoid suspicion, and now he's upgrading to me? That's low. He was publicly declaring favor for me to hide his affair with my sister. The audacity.
I turned my gaze back to the presentation area, the murmur of the crowd now a loud buzz. Elios hadn't moved. He simply waited for me to approach and formally accept his offerings.
I hesitantly began to walk forward. I could feel every eye following my movement. I wasn't accepting his offer because I appreciated it, I just wanted to see exactly how much Soleil could hold her composure as she watched her secret lover show blatant public affection toward her own sister. I wanted to see how far Elios would continue this petty act, simply because he was too afraid to publicly acknowledge the woman he actually loved.
Most importantly, I wanted to observe the Crown Prince. How much longer could he stay completely blind to the hidden feelings and power games happening right in front of him.
I curtsied in front of Elios and his dead zoo. "I thank the Marquess's son for his generous offerings."
As I stood back up, I quickly glanced toward the tables. Soleil was losing control of her emotions. Her knuckles were white where she gripped the folding fan. The Crown Prince was still watching me. He had a look of complete bafflement on his face, like he was trying to piece together a situation that made no sense to him.
The competition results were finally announced. Although the counts of kills were equal, the judges declared Elios the overall winner. They explained that his tigers were considered more difficult and prestigious to hunt than the lions caught by the Crown Prince.
Because I accepted Elios's animal trophies, I was given the title of the Hunting Fairy. This honor was meant to celebrate the day and my supposed role in bringing good fortune to the hunt.
The crowd cheered. I looked around for Soleil, but she had vanished. Instead, I saw the Duke beaming at me, chest puffed out with pride. He had no idea his daughter wasn't a winner, she was just the best prop on the stage.