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seat. Mom and Dad were beaming proudly at me, and I tried to tell myself that their reaction was enough, though I felt like my blood was trembling in my veins. I couldn’t help but think I’d missed something, that there was a gaping hole in the net I’d set up to catch myself.
    But there was nothing I could do. I’d just thrown myself off the ledge.

CHAPTER 5
    I KNEW WE HAD AN arsenal of staff working at the palace, but I was convinced the majority of them had been in hiding until today. As the announcement of this unexpected Selection spread, it wasn’t simply the maids and butlers running around in preparation, but people I’d never even seen before.
    My daily workload of reading reports and sitting in on meetings shifted as I became the focal point of the Selection preparations.
    “This is slightly less expensive, Your Highness, but it is still incredibly comfortable and would work well with the existing decor.” A man held out a very large swatch of fabric, which he draped over the previous two options.
    I touched it, enchanted by the texture of cloth as I usually was, though this was clearly not intended to be worn.
    “I’m not sure I understand why we’re doing this,” I confessed.
    The man, one of the palace decorators, pressed his lips together. “It has been suggested that some of the guest rooms are a bit feminine and that your suitors might be more comfortable in something like this,” he said, pulling out yet another option. “We can make a room look entirely different with a simple bedspread,” he assured me.
    “Fine,” I said, thinking it was a little unnecessary to get this worked up over some sheets. “But do I need to make this decision?”
    He smiled kindly. “Your fingerprints will be all over this Selection, miss. Even if you don’t choose, people will assume you did. We might as well get your authority on all things.”
    I stared at the fabric, more than a little exhausted thinking about how all these silly details would point back to me. “This one.” I chose the least-expensive option. It was a deep green and would be perfectly acceptable for a three-month stay.
    “Very wise, Your Highness,” the decorator complimented. “Now, should we consider adding new art as well?” He clapped his hands, and a stream of maids walked in carrying paintings. I sighed, knowing my afternoon was lost.
    The following morning I was summoned to the dining hall. Mom came with me, but Dad couldn’t be pulled away from his work.
    A man I assumed was our head chef bowed to us, not able to go very low because of his wide stomach. His facewas closer to red than white, but he didn’t sweat, which made me think that all the years in the kitchen had simply steamed him.
    “Thank you for joining us, Your Majesty, Your Highness. The kitchen staff has been working day and night to find appropriate options for the first dinner once your suitors arrive. We want to serve seven courses, obviously.”
    “Of course!” Mom replied.
    The chef smiled at her. “Naturally, we would like your approval for the final menu.”
    I groaned internally. A true seven-course meal could take six hours from the first sip of a cocktail to the final bite of chocolate. How long would it take to sample several different options for each course?
    About eight hours, it turned out, and I had a dreadful stomachache for the rest of the day, which made me less than enthusiastic when someone came asking about music selections for the evening of the first dinner.
    The hallways were like crowded streets, and every corner of the palace was noisy with speedy preparations. I endured it as best I could until Dad stopped me in passing one day.
    “We were thinking about making a special room for the Selected. What do you think about—”
    “Enough!” I sighed, exasperated. “I don’t care. I have no idea what a boy would like in a recreational space, so I suggest you ask someone with some testosterone. And as for me, I’ll be in the