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My mother’s patience was being tested. She had been wary herself of allowing the Dumont Clan to come. She had dealt with the worst one when she’d first come into this world, but with the intention of inclusion, she did not want to leave the clan out. Over the years, they had gained power again, reaching their boundaries out to include all of Australia where they were exiled after their uprising and attempt to overthrow my grandfather.

I smiled at the man looking up at me. “You do not have to show us a skill if you do not wish to. In fact, you do not even have to be here if you do not wish to.”

“Then how am I supposed to earn your favor, Princess?”

His demeanor said it all. He came to laugh at this. “Why do you wish to earn it, when all you have done is mock it?”

He tapped his chin, loving that all this was playing out in front of everyone. “I did not come here to laugh, I came here for answers. The invitation, though lovely, was a little less than forthcoming. Why ask us here so you can take several mates?”

My fingers curled into the armrest again. “It is my wish,” I replied, barely keeping the anger out of my voice.

“I do not wish to insult the Princess.”

“Of course not,” I said, smiling at him.

“But,” he said, letting the pause draw out. “I still stand by my questions.”

“Interesting that you didn’t think to ask these questions before you arrived. Was there not plenty of time to reach out to my clan?”

“It is interesting, isn’t it? Why several mates?” he asked again.

“Because that is what I wish.”

“Why choose from us?”

“To bring the clans closer together.”

“Why ask us to show our skill?”

“Enough,” Alexei said, standing now. “What’s the reason for this? If you do not wish to be here, leave.”

“I didn’t say—.”

Calen MacDougall stood too. His muscles looked far larger than they did earlier from the rooftop. He was an imposing force just to look at—and hear. His booming voice swallowed the room as he spoke. “I agree. Some of us are here for a chance to serve the Princess without knowing all the answers. We trust her position, as well as her clan. Has her family not done enough for us? Must we endure this…” he sneered, his accent deepening. “…vampire’s outrageous remarks.”

The crowd’s voices of anger rose up at this. Felix looked all too happy to have been the cause of such an outburst. He reached out his hands and pressed them down repeatedly as if he could will the crowd to lower their voices. They did so. “I am sorry for any misunderstanding,” he said. “I meant no disrespect. Truly. Only that I am expected to want to mate with you when I know nothing of you. You cannot deny that your very existence is mysterious, and that though you have grown up in front of us, you have been kept largely a secret from us all.”

No one could deny that. They all looked at me expectantly. Forget that I, too, was choosing from among these group of men that I did not know much of. That had been my choice to do so. I wouldn’t let Felix Dumont win this one though. He had raised questions that couldn’t be ignored. I went to stand. Mother placed her hand on my knee, but I gave her a quick shake of my head. This had been all my idea, so I would have to answer to the questions at hand.

“If you will sit, Felix, I will answer your questions to the best of my ability.”

They could not know about my vision yet. That was for me to know and to prevent. But they could know of my true thoughts behind this.

“If my intentions were not clear, I apologize. No one should have felt a duty to come here as I would not want to take a mate upon duty. My parents have ruled for some time now. Their relationship is no secret. I want that for myself. I could’ve let fate bring my mates to me, but I am not one for that.” I stepped away from the table and walked around, down the steps, to stand in front of the guest tables. “I saw this as an opportunity to do what my mother has done for us, bring the clans closer together. As I choose from you all, you will also need to choose me in return. I do not wish to give my heart to someone who does not want it.” I looked at the men from the different clans in turn. “You may leave at any time. Duty does not keep you, nor does my, or my clan’s, wishes. No repercussions will follow if you choose to leave. In turn, I will also participate in the events this weekend, so that you may make the best possible choice for yourselves as well. If neither my character nor my skill affects you in any way, you have my heartfelt appreciation for coming, and you may leave as you want to.”

I turned to Felix whose face burned red. He had not thought me capable of “lowering” myself to join them. He was sorely mistaken.

“I wish to have partnerships with all my mates, individually and as a whole. Perhaps you do not see it as I do since you did not grow up with my parents. While you’re here, take the time to watch them, to see their interactions, their love. That is what I wish for, and if you do not want the same, I give you leave to return home. But please, watch and listen. Sometimes it is wise just to be an observer before opening your mouth.”

I turned and headed for the stairs. Papa Nicolai was on his feet. Papa Christian’s hands were around his wrist as if he had to stop Nicolai’s initial reaction. That was forever happening. Papa Christian, always the voice of reason no matter if we wanted to hear it or not.

“Well said,” my mother spoke, rising to her feet. “I will reiterate her wishes. If you came here based on your loyalty to us and for no other reason, you have my permission to leave.”

She sat down again, and I waited for the telltale signs of seats scraping against the floor. I got to my seat again and sat. No one had moved.

Mother nodded at the guard again and he called the next clan up to show their skill as if none of that had happened.

I kept my face steady, but inside, I was twisting and turning. I knew I was strong enough to handle all this, but this was when it became apparent that it was nice to have the reassurances of those close to you. I sought out Alexei. He smiled at me and then mouthed, “That was good.”