The minute the empress announced her list of heirs, everything changed. Elantine's long list of people, 18 to be exact, seemed a bit unreasonable, but many years later, she would find that it wasn't.
One young man paced the room. But he wasn't a man, not really. No one could have described the pale bronze glow on the surface of his skin, nor the fluorescent apple he munched on.
Of the large crowd that had gathered, only 18 would b given the honor of possibly ruling the Meridian Empire someday. For the young gentleman, it was more important than ever to have his name on the piece of parchment. His future depended on it. His very existence depended on it. Or it would have, if he wasn't immortal.
Jacks' breath hitched as the names were called out. One name went by, two, three, until Jacks got nervous he wasn't on the list at all. Four, five, six. Jacks threw his apple core on the ground. Seven, eight, nine. He went back to pacing. Ten, eleven, twelve. Jacks' chest was starting to feel constricted. His panic grew with each passing name. Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. Jacks couldn't breathe. Sixteen, seventeen. Any human would have died by now.
One name left. Only one. Jacks looked up and saw a line of the heirs. "Finally," Empress Elantine said. "Jacks."
Everyone looked confused as they looked around for the addressee. Jacks? No last name, no nothing. Just Jacks.
Meanwhile, Jacks heaved a sigh of relief. He was an heir! It almost seemed inevitable, but it was still different to hear the words out of Elantine's mouth. Still, eighteen? He was the eighteenth?
Jacks walked up to the empress. "Thank you, El," he said in a not-very-thankful voice.
Elantine grimaced at the nickname Jacks had given her. She hurried him off. Of course, he knew he wasn't the most important. He was the eighteenth heir. The eighteenth in the endless race, the one that may hand over the throne someday.
And he was about to be first.
"Sometimes, you have to do whatever you can to get what you want, no matter who - or what - is in your way."
- Jacks
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The 17 Before Him (A Caraval Fanfic)
Fanfiction"She gripped his hand, bracing for the worst. Her entire life had been a lie since he came into it, and now she was going to pay." ...
