Rating System

I see Kassian again at lunch. Twice in one day.

"You will be happy to know that both of your plans are progressing splendidly," he says to me while a servant brings a fresh bowl of soup for the king. "The people of Jadea have cast their votes for representation on the council. The newly appointed voice of the people is being followed discreetly everywhere he goes. We will know all the ringleaders of the revolt soon enough. As for the bandit, he struck this morning and took the freshly stamped coins. We will begin searching nearby towns for the gold first thing tomorrow."

Kassian's leg bounces underneath the table. He's in a very fine mood. A wave of pleasure washes over me at his words.

"Excellent. I would be very interested to remain informed on both situations."

"Of course. I'm beginning to realize there is nothing I care to keep from you anymore."

An amiable silence sits between us as we enjoy the food. At one point, I find Kassian watching me out of the corner of my eye. When I turn my head, he only grins when caught staring.

"What are you looking at?"

"That should be obvious. Perhaps you'd like to ask me what I'm thinking instead?" His eyes are liquid fire, and I wonder just how dangerous it might be to ask that very question. But I do anyway.

"I'm thinking," he answers, "that you are quite beautiful, and every man at this table wishes he were me right now."

My stomach starts to flutter. "You are king. Every man does wish he were you."

"No. Every man wishes he had you at his side."

"You said I wasn't beautiful enough to be tempting," I remind him.

He takes his napkin from his lap and brushes his fingers against it. "I lied. You're the most stunning thing to ever set foot in my palace."

Our eyes hold. I'm helpless but to maintain the connection sizzling between us.

And though I know he won't break the law—not yet—for me, knowing that I have some hold on him brings a slow smile to my lips.

He stares down at them, at the red stain that graces my skin.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask finally. And then I realize, "You don't want me to spend any more time with Kastien."

He admits, "I want to keep you all to myself."

I shouldn't be surprised at all that a king would be selfish, demanding, even cruel at times. But he is other things as well. He is intelligent, handsome, and giving. And he is not entirely unchangeable. He is changing his ways already for me.

"I think, Your Majesty, that all this talk of past indulgences is getting to your head."

"Perhaps I am simply in a good mood. Everything is going quite splendidly."

And it is all due to me.

Really, everyone should be quite glad when I am the one ruling all the kingdoms.

When Kassian excuses himself sometime later, his back hasn't even disappeared around the exit of the great hall before Hanisa and Risana take the empty seats near me.

"I heard the king dined in your rooms this morning," Hanisa says with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"He did. But that was all. Breakfast."

"No new gossip for me, then?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Oh, very well. We shall have to turn to less exciting gossip to occupy our afternoon."

"How about we talk of all the dancing you did at last night's ball?" Risana asks. "With Lord Paulos."

With everything else that's been going on, I neglected to ask my friends about the event I missed. It seems things went very well for Hanisa.

"It was only a couple of dances," Hestia says. "It was nothing. Truly."

"If that's the case, then why is he watching you right now?"

"What?" Hanisa swivels her head around in time to catch the man who must be Lord Paulos quickly look away.

He's a bit older than she is, with a little gray at his temples, but still quite handsome.

I grin.

"See?" Risana continues. "And I happened to overhear him tell his friends how you smelled like a berry patch in spring. Men don't say things like that unless they're smitten."

"They don't?" Hanisa looks down at the wood grain of the table and grins shyly.

"And he obviously very much enjoyed the conversation you shared. What did you talk about?"

"Well, I started by discussing the latest fashions in the palace, but somehow the conversation morphed into talk of gaming."

"Gaming?" Risana repeats.

"My father loves to play cards, and he taught me. Lord Paulos and I were rehearsing some of our favorite moves seen played in the game of hach. We both are obsessed with the strategy of the game. I know it wasn't very ladylike of me to discuss such things, but it was so terribly fun."

Sometimes Hanisa can be quite silly, but I know she is an only child, with an absent mother and a father who wasn't quite sure how to raise a daughter. She may be trying to imitate me in the extreme, but part of me wonders if she is so afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing that she thinks imitating others is the only way to be safe. Then it's not her who is the one being rejected.

"Hanisa," I say. "Do you know how I was able to catch the king's attention?"

She shakes her head.

"By being myself. By discussing what I wished to discuss and behaving how I wished to behave and wearing what I wished to wear. It is not conforming to a standard that drew His Majesty's attention. If you wish to make a happy match, I think you should do the same. Don't be afraid of who you are. Say what you wish. Be who you wish. Don't try to be someone else. You don't want to catch a man who wants me. You want to catch a man who wants you."

Hanisa blinks a few times before looking down at the clothes she's wearing, the ones that resemble my close-fitted dress from last week. She takes a full minute to think while staring at the smooth fabric about her waist. Suddenly, she rises, walks over to Lord Paulos, and takes the empty seat right next to him.

Risana takes up her empty seat, so we can converse more easily. "I've been trying to tell her the same thing for years. I think it just needed to come from the future queen."

"Do you expect we'll hear news of an engagement soon?"

"I expect we will."

We both lean back in our seats, letting our eyes trail down to Lord Paulos, who is now laughing at whatever Hanisa has just said.

"What of you?" I ask. "Any progress on your search for passion?"

"Oh, I'm having a dreadful time of it."

"How can that be?"

She brushes a black curl over her shoulder. "I have come up with a ranking system for men who are in the running. But none of them are quite what I want."

"You must tell me of this system you've devised!" I say, thoroughly intrigued by the conversation.

"I have come up with three different categories by which to judge men. They are looks, manners, and personality. Each category is ranked from one to five, one being a low score, and five being a high score. Now take Lord Toles, for example. With his sculpted features and dark complexion, he is an easy five ranking in looks. He's fairly polite and thoughtful, resulting in a three in manners. But personality? Oh, he's as dry as a lake during a drought. Overall, he ranks only nine out of fifteen."

"How fascinating! What would your ideal future husband rank overall?"

"At least a thirteen, don't you think?"

I ponder it a moment. "Definitely. If we were only talking of bedding men, I would say you need to look only for fives in the good-looks category. If you were looking for a friend, all you would need is a five in the personality department. If you're hoping for an escort to an event, then you would need only a five in manners, perhaps looks as well if you're trying to leave a good impression. But for a love match? Definitely at least a thirteen."

Risana nods. "I thought Lord Cosse would be the one after the last party. Did you know he and I danced three times together? Not in a row, of course. But three in total! He's a four and a half in looks and a\ three and a half in personality. But manners? When I begged a break from dancing because I was thirsty, he didn't bother to offer to grab something from the refreshment table. He only went in search of a different dance partner. Can you believe that?"

"An outrage," I say.

"My thoughts exactly. Lord Doukas has been after me for a while, but he's only a two in looks. If we're being kind," she adds in a whisper. "The man is a five in both manners and personality. So it's a real shame. I don't like to think of myself as being shallow, but surely I should find a man I think is attractive if I'm to pursue him?"

"I agree."

Risana sighs. "Sometimes, I don't think there are enough men at court. And I'm convinced the perfect man doesn't exist."

Without prompting, Kassian's visage rises to the front of my mind. The perfect symmetry of his face. The dark volume of his hair. His intelligent and bright green eyes. The view of his bare chest and bare … other things.

I think of our teasing and joking. Our discussions of bedding and reaching for the things we want. I think of the way he waited for me to arrive before starting on his dinner, how he waited up for me when I went out with Kastien.

Kassian has his flaws. Oh, so many flaws. I think of his temper. Of his selfishness to keep me to himself. Even though he doesn't want all of me.

Mouth dry, I say, "I don't think it's necessarily about finding the perfect man but finding the perfect man for you. One person may rank a man far differently than another, even if they are both using your ranking system. But…"

"What?" Risana asks.

"The king is a fifteen. Perhaps not for everyone. But he is a fifteen for me." And it's the starkest truth.

She quirks her mouth to the side. "I assure you, Loralie. It is not just you. The king is most assuredly a fifteen. Perhaps I should have rephrased it. No attainable man is fifteen."

How very right she is.

But I'm far from giving up just yet.