Dark Castle (The Dazzling Court Book 1)

by Fawn Bailey

  I bowed to the Prince and Queen again after the servant had placed the collar around my throat. I felt Olivier’s gaze following me as I took my spot amidst the other girls. His gaze lingered on the slit in my dress, appreciatively admiring my legs. My heart was beating so fast I could hardly breathe.

  Throughout the ceremony, I felt Olivier glancing at me, but I did my best not to acknowledge it. It would be best if I pretended not to notice. He shouldn’t be playing favorites this early on.

  Once the introductions were done, I looked at the other girls standing beside me.

  There were so many different women, but all of them were beautiful beyond belief. I knew I stood out like a sore thumb in my ripped dress, but I was past the point of caring. Olivier had chosen me for a reason and I had every right to be there.

  The Queen stood up from her throne, and we all bowed as she stepped to the front of the staircase, addressing her subjects.

  “Today the court has been introduced to thirteen women vying for my Prince’s affection,” she said, her smile warm. “From princesses to heiresses, to educated scholars and beautiful daughters of my dear friends.”

  She looked right at me as she delivered the barb of her speech.

  “Of course, there are always some duds,” she smirked, eliciting a laugh from the audience and a blush spreading over my décolletage. “But we’ll sort out the weeds from the flowers. I trust my son to make the right decision.”

  I stared at the floor as she went on, wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole. But inside me, a decision had been made.

  I would fight for my place on the throne by Olivier, despite that Freya and the obvious barbed remark aimed at me from the Queen. I had every right to be there, and in the end, I’d prove them all wrong.

  I will be the last girl standing.

  4

  Olivier

  I couldn’t believe she was there.

  The second I saw Amber descending those stairs, I knew I’d never be able to devote as much attention to the other girls as I would her. She’d managed to mesmerize me yet again, and I found myself scouring the crowds at the after-party in hopes of seeing her again. I was desperate to catch up, and most of all, to feel her silky skin beneath my fingertips again. But I needed to wait, or my mother would be pissed I’d ignored all the other women in Amber’s favor.

  She was already angry with me, knowing that Amber had only become part of the selection because of our shared past. I’d met some of the other women before, too, but Amber was the one that stood out – the special one.

  As the introductions wrapped up, our servants put the finishing touches on the ballroom for the after-party. I felt annoyed thinking about it, knowing my mother would try to force the other women on me when I only had eyes for Amber.

  The ballroom sparkled in all its glory. The enormous crystal chandelier hung above us, with candlelight making the room feel special. The candles were scented, and the ballroom was filled with the scent of refreshing pine. With deep red decorations adorning the room, it almost felt like Christmas, even though it was still a month away.

  I’d busied myself by chatting to the people of the town and some old friends, who all admired the divinely decorated ballroom. I took their compliments with a smile, knowing full well it was my mother’s work.

  I didn’t have time for decorations and picking candle scents. I had a wife to find.

  I excused myself from the group of subjects I’d been chatting to and picked up a crystal champagne flute from a passing waiter in a black-and-white uniform. He bowed at me and I smiled in response. I felt every pair of eyes in that room on me. After all, my decision in the selection would change these people’s lives forever. My wife would soon enough become their queen.

  I couldn’t see Amber anywhere, but the other girls started filling up the room, and before I could help it, I was caught in an utterly boring conversation with a stunning woman named Zara.

  She was gloriously beautiful, wearing a deep purple sari with embroidery in gold thread. Her hair was dark and thick, and her eyes were lined in kohl, making their sea-green color stand out even more. While she was an exquisite beauty, she seemed nervous as hell, her eyes dancing over my features and her words catching with every sentence she spoke to me.

  While I was impressed with her beauty, she seemed a little starstruck by my presence.

  “Look,” I said, cutting her off in the middle of her stuttered sentence. I reached for her arm, gently wrapping my fingers around her wrist and circling her skin gently. She let out a little gasp, her eyes going to mine and drinking me in hungrily. “Don’t stress so much. This is only the beginning. Try to relax around me. I can see you’re good-looking. Attractive. I’d just like to get to know you better. What makes you, you.”

  She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat and giving me another nervous glance.

  “The weather is beautiful,” she chirped. “So perfect for this time of the–”

  “Darling,” I growled from deep in my throat. “I don’t give a shit about the weather. I want to know about Zara. That’s the only way I can make a decision.”

  I let my fingers wander to the inside of her wrist, feeling the warmth there, her pulse hammering against my fingertips as I grinned at her.

  She really was a stunner. If only her mind would match those looks… I had enough time to find out more about her. She wouldn’t be going home that night. There was something special about her.

  “Understood?” I asked in a low voice, and she was eager to nod again.

  “Excuse me.”

  A tall, icy-eyed and light-blonde woman appeared in front of Zara and me.

  Another heart-stopping beauty, so starkly different to the girl I’d been chatting to she made me grin to myself. She looked like a Nordic goddess, all silver hair and bright, clear blue eyes. Her skin was pale, sparkling from being dusted with a shimmering powder. She looked good enough to fucking eat, aided by the delicious vanilla scent surrounding her like a cloud of intrigue.

  “I’d love a word with the Prince,” the lovely woman purred without so much as looking at Zara. “You wouldn’t mind, would you, Prince?”

  “Not at all,” I replied with a polite smile. I wasn’t eager to get away from Zara, but I did want to know more about this stunning fairy-like creature. “Let’s chat.”

  She smiled coquettishly, and I offered Zara a smile, following the Nordic beauty onto the balcony. She kept looking over her shoulder, her eyes playful once we stopped on the balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens below us.

  The night was balmy, unusually warm for October. The gardens below us were glorious in the moonlight. It was getting dark outside so early on now.

  “You’re one of the women competing, aren’t you?” I asked the girl, trying to recall her name while appreciating her exquisite beauty at the same time.

  And fuck, she was a looker. That mass of pin-straight, nearly white hair, those icy eyes, and those full lips… She had an unusual appearance, but she was sexy as hell, and I could feel my dick twitching at the sight of her.

  “Yes,” she replied with a confident smile. I could tell it wasn’t fake, either. This girl was very sure of her abilities, making me intrigued. “I’m Freya of Bardland.”

  “Of course, of course.” I kissed the hand she’d outstretched for me, letting my lips linger for just a second on her pearly skin. “And what a beauty you are, Freya of Bardland.”

  “Thank you, my Prince,” she replied, obviously pleased by my comment. “I was so contented to be invited to Luxuria this fall. It’s truly the event of the season and I want you to know how honored I am to be here tonight.”

  “I’m happy to hear that, Freya,” I replied. It would’ve been my worst nightmare knowing some of these women had been forced to attend the selection. I wanted them to be willing participants and to enjoy the games we’d planned for them. Only then would they be fun for me… and oh, how fun this could be if I played my cards right.
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  “I have to say, you’re the most handsome prince I’ve seen so far,” she giggled, and I cocked my head at her.

  “How so?”

  “Well,” she leaned closer. “My parents tried to marry me off to a Bavarian Duke… let’s just say he was only seventy but looked about a hundred.”

  “How horrifying,” I replied with a grin playing on my face. She had a sense of humor. A very important quality in a partner. “We wouldn’t want you to end up with some old man, would we?”

  “No, not at all,” she replied, winking at me. “I would much prefer a younger, handsome prince… Someone like you, Prince Olivier.”

  Her fingers brushed the buttons of my jacket embossed with the herald of the royal family, and I gave her a strained smile.

  Doubts started to fill my head as I stared down into Freya’s cool blue eyes.

  Only a few months ago, I was sure I’d found what I’d been looking for. Amber, beautiful, sexy Amber who charmed me with her innocence, and with those eyes that spoke of something else troubling her, a mystery I was eager to uncover. To reveal every layer of my toy, peel back everything until I had her in the palm of my hand, trembling and vulnerable, yet eager to be exposed.

  Was I ready for this? Would I be able to pretend this game was what I wanted, when the truth was, I wanted nobody but Amber?

  Once again, my eyes combed the crowd, trying to find her. It didn’t escape Freya, and I could feel her eyes on me, but I didn’t care. I needed Amber, sooner rather than later.

  And there she was – a glimpse of her creamy, exposed thigh, a flash of that fiery hair she’d worn sleek on the first day. Amber had arrived, and suddenly, I didn’t have any patience left. I needed to speak to her there and then.

  “Would you excuse me, pretty Freya?” I asked, and the platinum-haired beauty’s face fell, but rose for another second when I touched her slender, porcelain pale arm. “There’s someone I must see. But it has been lovely to chat. I hope to see you again soon.”

  “And you, my Prince,” she muttered, curtsying and pouting just a little as I took my leave.

  It pleased me. I couldn’t lie to myself – having the attention of thirteen women for the next few months would be like a dream come true for my younger self. But since my heart knew what it wanted – and that was only one of those thirteen women – I knew I was letting myself in for a world of trouble.

  I followed the flash of red hair to its source and found Amber standing in a corner all by herself. When she saw me, her eyes lit up instantly, and she smiled wide. I let my eyes wander over her sensual body, loving the way that dress looked on her and exposed every curve she had to offer. It was suggestive, perhaps too much so for a royal event, but I couldn’t blame her for wearing it, especially when it made my cock as hard as it did, straining against the fabric of my pants.

  “Looking absolutely incredible tonight, Amber Jonathan,” I told her with a grin, taking another step closer.

  She curtsied for me, a shy little smile playing on her lips as her gaze connected with mine. There was hope in those gorgeous eyes. Hope I didn’t want to deny but knew I would have to, at least a few times during the duration of the selection.

  “Thank you, Prince,” she replied, her voice a little shaky. “I’m so happy to see you again.”

  “Likewise,” I replied, glancing at the people around us.

  Everyone was staring, probably anticipating something would happen between us, watching for that frisson of exhilaration to flow between us when our skin connected. These people were vultures, eager to see Amber fail. After all, my mother had made damn sure to let everybody know Amber was just a commoner, a girl I’d chosen personally to be part of the selection process, and one she most definitely did not approve of.

  But I saw it as a challenge for Amber. My mother was a difficult woman to handle, but my woman wasn’t going anywhere. If Amber wanted to become my bride, she’d have to learn how to live with the Queen.

  “There’s no privacy here,” I muttered to Amber, leaning in closer under the pretense of grabbing another champagne flute from the table next to her and using the opportunity to touch the small of her back. “I want you all to myself. Where no one can see.”

  “You didn’t seem to feel that way last time,” she retorted, and I glanced at her to catch a self-satisfied little smirk on her face. “You wanted everyone to see me.”

  I remembered the last time we’d been together. How I’d pushed her, made her best friend watch her getting used. How she fucking loved it, responding with such eagerness I thought she would come from a single flick of my fingers against her hardened, rosy pink nipple.

  “Everyone’s seen enough already,” I winked at her, gesturing to her revealing dress. “Quite the outfit choice for a royal event, don’t you think, chérie?”

  At the mention of the nickname I’d used for her before, she flushed, but I could tell it was with pleasure.

  “I had a minor mishap with one of the other girls,” she admitted.

  “Sabotage has already started?” I raised my brows, taking a sip of the golden bubbly. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Those girls must see you as a strong competitor to already be picking on you.”

  “I suppose,” she shrugged. “But really, Prince Olivier, I–”

  “There you are!”

  A voice I knew very well interrupted us, and Amber and I both glanced in the direction of it. My mother approached us with a wide smile on her face, her attention focused solely on me. It was as if Amber didn’t exist.

  However I felt about my mother, I was well aware I couldn’t openly defy her, especially at a social function.

  She ruled not only over the country, but over me as well, and oftentimes I despised her control over my life.

  But this was one aspect of my life she wouldn’t be able to control forever – after all, my father told me to pick a bride that would suit me, not the Queen.

  And goddamn, was I grateful for that.

  “My son,” the Queen went on. “I’ve been looking all over for you. There’s someone I’d like you to meet. Will you please come with me?”

  “We were actually in the middle of something,” I replied, motioning to Amber who was cowering in the corner. “Mother, this is Amber Jonathan, the woman I–”

  “Oh, Olivier,” mother waved her hand dismissively without giving Amber the time of day. “I’m sure there will be plenty of time for introductions to the… others… at a later time.”

  Now, she finally glanced at Amber, giving her a severe onceover. I could tell right away she didn’t approve, but I didn’t really give a damn. Amber was the one who was going to stay here until the very end, and I didn’t give a flying fuck what my mother thought of her. Still, I had some obligations to follow, and I knew if she requested my presence, I could do little to dissuade her.

  “Come now, Olivier,” she called out, reaching for me. “I want to introduce you to somebody very special.”

  I shot Amber a glance, but knowing I didn’t have a choice, I fell into step behind my mother, following her to the other end of the room. Displeasure bubbled under my skin. Being a prince had its benefits, but once I was king, I wouldn’t stand for my mother’s whims.

  The Queen took my arm in hers, greeting people as we made our way through the room. She was the picture of nobility and grace, just as beautiful as she had been when my father met her.

  Yet she managed to hiss at me, “I really don’t know what she’s doing here, that girl. It’s so obvious she doesn’t belong.”

  “She does belong, Mother,” I replied coldly. “Because she’s the end-fucking-game for me.”

  “Language,” she hissed, then put on her perfect royal smile as we closed the distance between us and a pretty, timid girl wearing a lavender-colored gown. “Olivier, I’d like you to meet Stephanie Lalonde, the daughter of the Lalonde jewelers Marcia and Stefan.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” I murmured, shaking the cautious beauty’s hand.


  She barely responded, just nodded and curtsied. Either she was incredibly afraid, or she had no manners to speak of, but my bet was on the former, judging by the fact she could barely stand to meet my gaze for longer than a second.

  Stephanie was a petite girl, her height almost warning me about her vulnerability. She had long strawberry-blonde hair that had been styled to perfection, warm brown doe eyes and a smattering of freckles over her nose. In any other situation, I would’ve found her adorable. However, being forced to interact with her put a dampener on things.

  Mother stared at us like we were circus animals and I never wanted to be elsewhere more than in that moment.

  Sharing a bed with Amber, touching her luscious body, seemed like a much better option than meeting women I had absolutely no interest in.

  Yet, as so many times before, I was reminded of the promise I’d made to my father. I owed it to him and to my country to see the selection process through, to see where fate took me and to see which woman was strong enough to stand the court’s trials and tribulations.

  This girl, Stephanie, seemed barely capable of holding my gaze, let alone competing for my attention.

  “So,” I started awkwardly. “You are a Lalonde. That must be so thrilling.”

  She stared at me blankly and I fought back a sigh. I wanted to escape. To get as far away from it all as possible, with Amber in my arms. But my mother drove her elbow into my ribcage, forcing me to keep the conversation going.

  “You look beautiful tonight, Stephanie,” I offered lamely, and she blushed so fiercely I thought she would ignite. “Would you excuse me for a moment?”

  I tried to leave, but my mother was right behind me, spewing nonsense in my ear.

  “How can you just walk away from her like that? She is a top prospect! She has everything it takes, Olivier. Class, beauty, and a fortune. Everything we need! You can’t just walk away from that.”