The Heart of a Wielder (Book One of The Wielders Trilogy) ✔️

Chapter Three

"Now tell me, Donovan, when are we going to get to meet this lady of yours?" his mother asked.

He was at what he had always thought of as "family dinner." Once a month or so, he and his brother had dinner with their parents. Occasionally, his uncle, Prince Corbin, or other visiting relatives would join them. And more often than not, whatever girls were currently in the palace from the Selection would be there as well.

For the last few years, there had been just one girl. Kieran had chosen a girl every year since he had turned eighteen, but was usually the only one to do so. His uncle would Select a girl sometimes, but for the last few years, he had not. (Rumor had it he was courting a widowed duchess, but Donovan didn't know for sure.) His father generally did not take a mistress—at least not one in so public a manner as the Selection. And Donovan—at least until this year—had not participated in the Selection for a long time.

So, it was that the first family dinner after the Selection came, and Donovan did not even think of bringing The Girl—as he had come to think of her. He tried very hard not to think of The Girl. Mercifully, she had stayed put in her suite the entire week since the Selection while he had gone about his days as though nothing had changed, attending council meetings and reviewing reports and the like.

Donovan sipped his wine, trying to buy time to give his mother a reasonable explanation.

"Yes, brother, where is the maiden?" Kieran interjected. "I hear you are quite taken with her."

Well, at least one part of the plan was working properly. He knew he would not be able to hide his complete aversion to The Girl from his housekeeper, so he told Mrs. Whitley a half-truth. He told her that he had chosen her as a favor to her father, but that he had no intentions of touching her. Of course, it wouldn't do to let that become public knowledge within the palace, so would Mrs. Whitley be so kind as to encourage some rumors about a salacious affair?

He wasn't sure she entirely believed him, but was grateful Mrs. Whitley did what he asked. He did not want Kieran to find out he had no actual interest in The Girl.

Unfortunately, rumors among the staff would not be enough to maintain the ruse.

"I shall bring her to our next dinner," Donovan declared, not without feelings of trepidation.

"I wanted to give her a chance to become more settled in before subjecting her to the entire Court. She's never been before, you know," he added by way of explanation.

"Oh, but you will bring her to the ball next week, won't you?" his mother asked.

Donovan had forgotten about the ball. He did not particularly enjoy them and preferred to make a cursory appearance and then retire early. But he would have to attend and bring The Girl.

He gritted his teeth and forced a smile, "Yes, of course, I had forgotten it was so soon."

"Of course, you have, Son!" his father chuckled. "You must be completely smitten with her! Well, enjoy it while it lasts, you'll be married for the next Selection!"

Donovan maintained his forced smile and nodded. He usually ignored the fact that he was intended to marry the eldest daughter of the Duke of Carrington. It was a good match; her family was very wealthy—they had easily paid the tax that kept their daughter out of the Selection for years. Not only that, but the marriage would help the Crown consolidate power over a finicky bit of land in the East. He tried to resign himself to it. At worst, it would be a bland companionship (which was about all one might expect from an arranged marriage), and at best, might prevent a civil war. Nonetheless, he could not muster any great enthusiasm about marrying a stranger. He would have liked to wait until he found someone he actually wanted to marry, but princes rarely had such a luxury.