Maren's breath caught in her chest at the sound of her friend's name.
The crowd parted somewhere off to the far side of the room, allowing Lexi to move to the stage.
But Lexi…Lexi is a woman, Maren thought. This is against tradition. The houses of Carbouran will never allow it.
Suddenly, King Varron stood.
"What is the meaning of this!?" He exclaimed, his voice booming in the space. "You mean to tell me you intend to marry three women!?"
"I assure you, your Highness — your son will have a chance to wed the Princesses," Thirteen shot back, her tone even but her temper audibly wavering.
"And what of the sanctity of marriage!?" King Varron replied, his eyes wild. "What of the rest of our young boys who have been trained to rule their whole lives for even just a chance at ruling our Empire!?"
"And what of the children of the dead Starblessed!?" Thirteen cried, losing her temper completely. "You royals seem to have forgotten where the children go and who they live as!"
King Varron huffed, not taking her words seriously but Thirteen continued on, her voice filled with venom and loathing.
"Or perhaps you simply turn your heads to the truth since none of you live long enough to question why us members of the Star Court have been around all this time!?"
"I WILL NOT HEAR OF THIS!" The King boomed, screaming in her face. "NOT ON MY STAGE! NOT UNDER MY ROOF!"
The room fell completely silent.
Not even a rustle of silk disturbed the silence.
The whole room held their breath, save for Thirteen's ragged, unhinged breathing beneath that dreadful mask.
Cora squeezed Maren's hand, steadying her in place and Maren squeezed back.
Suddenly, Thirteen's arm jerked upwards, her gloved fingers tightened around her mask.
And then, the damn thing clattered to the ground.
Sharp gasps rippled through the crowd at her reveal.
Thirteen was inhuman.
She practically glowed.
Her skin held a warm tint, lit by an ethereal under glow that felt almost deceiving. Her eyes were large and wide, gold-spun and glowing like that of the last Gold Starblessed — Empress Korryn of Gold.
But her features were ethereal and striking, like her body could not decide whether it was of this world or another.
"I am Imperial Princess Orla Vox — daughter of the fourteenth Empress of Carbouran, Korryn Vox of Gold. And I have served the Empire for ninety years."
Whispers moved around the crowd, unnerved by the sudden public announcement of a long-hidden secret of the Empire.
Maren understood the shock.
It was natural for people to speculate over what happened to the children of the Starblessed. She'd heard many rumors over the years — that they were trapped within the palace, sent away to live with extended family or disposed of the moment they were born.
The most accurate though — forced into a life of servitude to the Empire.
Who better to serve the best interests of the future Starblessed than the children of the past?
But their speculation of the populace was buried under bureaucracy and time. Humans did not live long enough to truly question the length of the Star members' lives, nor were they able to lay eyes on their true forms.
"We, the members of the Star Court, are the shadowed children of the Starblessed — discarded and forgotten by history," Thirteen exclaimed, her voice filled with torment.
Suddenly, the others began to strip their masks, discarding them to the floor with clattering that echoed through Maren's heart.
Only once in her life had she seen a member without their robes. She remembered that day so clearly.
Twelve's pain turned to wrath.
The broken porcelain.
And her sapphire light, hidden away beneath that dark, heavy cloak.
Maren was stunned, but also in awe at the beauty that her predecessors had created.
They were an array of colors — their hues, though slightly different from their siblings, matched the Starblessed Empress they were born to. They lit up the room in glorious shades of purple, gold, silver, green, and red. They were each different shapes and sizes, but their light blazed like gods of another world.
"I will not deny you an honest match, King Varron," Thirteen proclaimed. "But I will also not sit idly back while more of us amortals[1] are born — cursed to walk this earth in service of people who wither and die around us until someone does us the justice of death…or our own lives become tragic enough that we do it ourselves."
Slight gasps escaped members of the crowd, and that's when Thirteen turned to face them once more.
"Though it is unorthodox, the rules of the trials do not specify that a prince candidate must be a son. It proclaims that one must only be a descendent of a single royal bloodline out of the ten of Carbouran."
Maren blinked, Then that would mean that —
"Lexington Raine is a direct descendant of the Royal line of the Darkwood's of Grimvald, now known as Toberville" Thirteen said.
She gazed at the crowd, her golden stare pinned everyone down.
Darkwood, Maren thought, her lashes fluttering at the name.
A name that had struck such fear into Nemaine that she was willing to travel across Kingdoms just because it was rumored that the army was moving.
And Lexi --- her friend and longtime confidant --- a descendant of that bloodthirsty house.
"The Darkwoods wreaked havoc on our lands!" Prince Darrin spoke up suddenly, "You want to marry a couple of women — fine. But you want to put into power one of the last descendants of the most malicious, ruthless rulers of the old world!?"
"If I remember correctly," Thirteen said, narrowing her eyes, "The royals of Forsyth and Garyn both were allies to the Darkwood crown, and both lines regularly compete in the trials."
"Yes, but they had little choice–" Prince Darrin shot back, but King Varron put his arm between him and Thirteen.
King Varron's gaze pierced his son, shaking his head no.
That struck Maren as odd. For someone who had been so against this change in tradition, the King of Forsyth seemed rather shaken by his son's words.
What information could his son have spilled that would have shaken such sense into the old bastard?
"Just as the original Royal line of Forsyth still battles in the trial," Thirteen said, her voice low and commanding, "so should Lady Lexi Raine be allowed — as the champion of the Empire, and not the Dark Country."
The Academy never taught anything from before the Empire's reign, nor had Thirteen ever brought it up.
So why now?
And what more did she know?
"This is vile!" Prince Elio Bronson of Inaha spoke up. "Do you remember what the Darkwoods did to Inaha's Sanctum of Peace!? To our icon of the Goddess!?"
"Or how they stole the Holy Sword of Justice from the Southern Hall of Warriors!" Valen interjected, his voice deeper, more tonal.
Thirteen straightened, her expression wavering, yet she remained still.
"I understand your concerns, Princes of Carbouran," she said. "But the Darkwood Legacy is broken — their methods lost to history. Lexi Raine is not Lexi Darkwood, but the last living descendant of a cruel people that died out before the Goddess blessed us with her vessels. She is royal blood that deserves to champion with the nation. I stand before you today — not to ask that you allow a conqueror to take over the empire. But that you allow a child of royal blood to prove her worth."
"Nonsense," Hayden spoke up. "Asking our people to marry off women together!? Are you mad!? You're right to not want to create yet another abomination but what you're asking is MADNESS."
Behind the crowd of Star Members, Three'd had enough. He uncrossed his arms, his purple tint glowing vibrantly as he stepped forward menacingly.
Even with the robes, you could tell Three and Four were massive, but Maren had never laid eyes on either of their true forms. Three was the eldest between the two of them, and significantly larger than his younger brother. Where Three was huge in both frame and bulk, Four shared the same frame, with leaner muscle and a more disinterested expression. To call Four small would be an obvious lie.
Hayden's eyes went wide and he stepped back.
Thirteen raised her arm, telling Three not to interfere.
With a grunt of disapproval, he backed off.
Maren wasn't sure what would happen next, but what Thirteen had chosen to do was not at all what Maren expected of her.
Thirteen tossed her head back and let out a cold, sarcastic chuckle. She then cut her laughter short and peered down at him, her golden eyes glowing with ferocity.
"Ah," she said, her tone dark and antagonistic. "I expected some initial push back but I never expected the prince candidates would be so threatened by a woman joining the mix that they'd go this far."
The Prince Candidates straightened, some of their eyes narrowing in annoyance, and some shocked by Thirteen's sudden claim.
"Have you all forgotten who you're fighting for?" Thirteen asked. "How do you know the Princesses will even accept Ms. Raine as a romantic partner? Has your prejudice warped your brain so much that you've forgotten your true goal?"
Maren watched the faces of the prince candidates. She knew what Thirteen was getting at, and how she was going to flip this on them.
The Star Court had guided both of them throughout their lives, but when it came to choosing a prince candidate, much was discussed. Maren remembered a conversation she'd had several years prior.
Maren hardly ever saw Thirteen like this — spirited and fiery. But years before, Thirteen had warned her of what happened to Princess Adelise of Amethyst. How she was seduced by Prince Candidate of Macon and was found wrapped in a garden bed, a nightdress and a damning scandal.
Thirteen had told her that Adelise shook off the horrible rumors that spread about her because she thought at least the scandal involved the man she loved. Someone so affectionate and enamored with her that they'd simply fallen into a scandal.
But that did not turn out to be true.
Once the knot had been tied, Adelise realized how grave her mistake truly was.
Mathias had worked that hard for her affection because he simply didn't care to endure the trials.
And Empress Adelise became trapped in a loveless, faithless marriage.
Maren realized then that these men were the children of Empress Adelise of Amethyst.
Thirteen wasn't simply lashing out.
"Although, that seems fitting," Thirteen scoffed. "You aren't fighting for the love of the Princesses. You're fighting for the most powerful seat in Carbouran, and it shows. All I see are a bunch of spoiled little brats, cowering behind the excuse of tradition."
She was reminding the crowd what many of the prince candidates were truly fighting for.
Reminding them that their points about marrying a few women were moot.
All of this — the dates, the dresses, and the trials — weren't about love, but instead — power.
Suddenly, Prince Hayden ripped the sword from the Knight standing beside King Varron. The Knight reacted instantly, pushing himself between Hayden and the King. But instead of turning toward the King, the blade swung, aimed right for Thirteen's throat.
Hayden wore a wide grin on his face as he stared her down over the shining steel.
"Tell me, Thirteen," he chuckled, "does the tip of my sword look afraid to you?"
Maren's heart lurched, her hand at her chest.
This is just talk, right? Maren thought. He won't actually…
Thirteen's eyes were wild, her head tilted back — unafraid.
"A blade has never looked duller," Thirteen replied.
Hayden lunged.
Steel flashed under the decorative lighting.
Maren didn't have even a moment for breath.
"NO!"
The cry tore from her throat, muffled with the gasps and cries from the crowd.
Then, steel clashed with steel.
Lexi was there, her blade knocking Hayden's away from Thirteen.
He stumbled back, shocked at the force of her strike. But he quickly rooted himself to the ground, readying for another attack.
The other prince candidates moved back, completely unarmed.
Maren hadn't seen Lexi move.
Where had she drawn the sword?
Another Knight on the royal perch?
And her speed…
Maren had seen Lexi's skill during training, but she'd never seen her in action before.
Suddenly, Hayden lunged once more. The crowd gasped, and a few members cried out in shock. Lexi retaliated, knocking her blade into his with the ease and speed of a tried and tested warrior.
Maren tried to keep up with the fight, but she didn't know where to look. Lexi was in the line of fire, but Thirteen had stumbled back. Hayden had not reached his blade to her flesh, but still, Thirteen was rattled. The Star Court members moved from the stage, Three's large arm wrapped around her, helping her down.
The sound of steel tore Maren's gaze from the Court. Her eyes darted between the battle, the court and the other prince candidates. Fear gripped her — whispering terrible things to her heart that a prince candidate would choose a side, join Hayden and Lexi would fall.
Then, Cora gripped Maren's shoulder.
Maren turned, her face so close their noses nearly touched.
"We have to go," Cora whispered, her eyes deathly serious.
"No," Maren replied, her eyes large and full of worry. "I can't. Lexi–"
Then, Cora pointed and Maren's gaze snapped to the far window. Out past the balcony, hidden deep within the gardens, was a shining sapphire light.
The same color as Twelve's light.
[1] Fun Fact: This is not a misspelling of "immortal." To be amortal is to exist between life and death, like Greek Gods in mythology. They do not die naturally, but they can be killed. In this case, Thirteen uses the term Amortal loosely. They can die naturally, but it takes a very, very long time for them to age.