6. Today Would Change Everything

CHAPTER 6

Today Would Change Everything

R yker's alarm blared, the obnoxious tone pulling him out of sleep. He rolled over, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. His heart thundered, and he stared at the ceiling.

This was the day he'd been waiting for.

Today, he would meet twelve women. One of them would be his bride.

His stomach, which was usually rock-solid, was a churning mess. It took him a moment to realize what it was—nerves. That was strange. Ryker couldn't remember the last time he'd been nervous. He was a decorated soldier, for the gods' sake. He'd faced down entire armies without a trace of fear.

And yet, he was anxious. Even his magic roiled in his veins. Deep within him, he knew today would change everything.

That thought had Ryker rolling out of bed, quickly showering, and getting dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt. He raked a hand through his hair and headed to the Ruby Lounge.

He wasn't the only nervous one, it seemed. Breakfast was a rapid, loud affair as the men speculated about the women they'd meet. When the Matron entered a few minutes later, Ryker was polishing off a bagel with cream cheese .

Matron Cassandra's eyes sparkled. "Good morning, gentlemen. Are you ready for today?"

A chorus of "yes" rang through the room. Ryker joined them. Breakfast had eased his nerves, and now excitement flourished within him. He was eager for this day to get underway.

Smiling, the Matron instructed them to head to the ballroom when ready. There, they would check in with a woman named Lacey to receive their headphones, a necessary component for the Choosing. After confirming that no one had any questions, she departed.

Less than a minute after the Matron left, the first man followed suit. Ryker stood as well and was in the middle of the group as they made their way through the Hall of Choice.

The walk to the ballroom took a lifetime and a few seconds. Maybe Ryker was still nervous, after all. An armed guard stood at the ballroom entrance, his expression grim. Ryker counted at least three weapons on the man.

His fingers itched for his own gun, or even a knife, but he wasn't a captain here. He was a participant in the Choosing. Unarmed. Defenseless, but for the water magic that was his birthright.

He nodded at the soldier. "Good morning."

"Morning, sir." The guard opened the door. "Good luck, and may the gods bless your Choice."

"Thank you." Ryker had heard the blessing many times, but for the first time, it meant something more. He entered with a spring in his step, automatically scanning the dimly lit room for threats. He marked the exits, tucking the knowledge away in his mind.

The faint lilt of classical string music streamed out of hidden speakers, a backdrop to the quiet hum of conversation already filling the space.

A woman Ryker presumed was Lacey stood at a table nearby. Half a dozen white headphones were spread on the surface before her, and she held a clipboard as she spoke with Therian.

Two guards stood behind Lacey, and a dozen others were scattered through the room. They had their backs against the walls and were attempting to be inconspicuous. It was a nearly impossible task. The soldiers were dressed in black and had large guns holstered on their belts. They were a stark contrast against the ruby theme that surrounded them.

The rebel threat must have been more significant than Chancellor Rose was letting on. Ryker was aware of an undercurrent of unrest in the Republic. In the past, he'd even been part of quelling riots. However, this was his first time being on the other end of things. He didn't like it.

Therian and Lacey were still speaking, so Ryker took in the space.

The ballroom had undergone a complete transformation. The stage and microphones were gone, and in their place was a giant wall that stretched from floor to ceiling. It stretched down the middle of the ballroom, splitting it in two.

Instead of a typical partition that might be found in an office, this one featured a slow-moving walk-through of a garden at night. Vines dangled from trees. Night-blooming roses blossomed amid dark bushes. Fruit trees dotted the garden. The moon glowed above it all.

The visual wall wasn't the only change. Several people had gone to great lengths to make the ballroom as comfortable as possible. Ruby couches and crimson armchairs were spread across the expansive room. A long black bar stretched across the back wall. There was even a temporary kitchen set up, where a pair of chefs were busy plating some delicious-smelling snacks. Dim lights dotted the ballroom, the dark ambiance reminding Ryker of the high-end restaurants in the Western Region that his sister loved to visit. She would've called this lighting romantic.

A pang of longing went through Ryker at the thought of his sister. For as long as he could remember, even in hiding, he'd seen River multiple times a week. They met for training, and for the weekly family dinner their mother insisted on holding.

This separation would be the longest Ryker had ever gone without seeing his family. He'd known participating in the Choosing would mean he couldn't speak to them, but it was different now that he was in the middle of it. Ryker had instructed Atlas and Nikhail to watch over his sister while he was gone, but he'd rather be there in person. Between his father's illness and the Incident six years ago, Ryker's family responsibilities were heavier than ever .

Clenching his fists, he forced thoughts of deadly storms out of his mind. He couldn't focus on that right now.

Thank all the gods, it was his turn to approach the table.

"Name?" Lacey picked up a clipboard.

He cleared his throat. "Captain Ryker Waterborn."

She dipped her head, checking something off on the paper in front of her before grabbing a labeled pair of headphones.

"Here you go, sir." She handed him the headset along with a red notebook and pen. "These are noise-canceling, and they're matched with that of your first partner. The system will automatically connect you with your date in five minutes. We suggest grabbing a drink and getting comfortable before that happens."

"Thank you, I'll do that." Making his way to the bar, Ryker fit the headphones over his pointed ears, appreciating how the custom set molded around them perfectly.

As soon as the headphones were on, a chime sounded within them.

"Greetings and salutations, Captain Waterborn," a disembodied, robotic feminine voice said. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Two Hundredth Choosing."

Ryker jolted, stopping in his tracks. "Uh… thank you?"

"You are welcome, sir."

He blinked. "Who am I speaking with?"

"I am a Computer Engineered Logarithmic Support Technology Expert. You may call me Celeste. I am here to assist you through the Choosing."

An AI. Like the moving visual partition, this was technology that the army had access to, but Ryker had never seen it used by civilians. This must have cost a small fortune to set up, especially since he'd noted a multitude of blinking lights embedded in various surfaces. The hidden cameras were small but certainly powerful as they recorded and broadcast the Choosing to the world.

Not for the first time since Ryker's arrival at the Hall of Choice, he wondered how much money was being poured into this event. As the son of a Representative, he was somewhat aware of the Republic's financial situation. Even though he wasn't privy to the finer details, he knew the government had fallen on harder times of late.

Where were the funds coming from?

"Captain Waterborn, you have three minutes before your first date," Celeste said.

"Thank you." Arriving at the bar, he ordered a coffee and grabbed a plate. Several different pastries were laid out before him, and he perused them.

As he did, Celeste spoke quietly in his ear. "This is your moment, Captain. Remember, the purpose of the Choosing is to find a wife without worrying about societal pressures. While you are in the Hall of Choice, nothing else matters. Over the next twelve weeks, you will narrow your choices until you are left with your perfect match."

Adding a lemon pastry, two apple turnovers, and a hand-held berry pie on his plate, Ryker moved towards a couch stationed halfway between the entrance and the door marked with a glowing "EXIT" sign. "What if people don't find love?"

He was fairly certain he knew the answer but wanted to hear the AI's opinion.

Celeste paused, then sighed. The reaction was strangely mortal for what was essentially a robot. "The Choosing is focused on unity and love, sir. All participants are encouraged to Choose a partner."

"I see. Thank you for explaining that to me."

That evasive answer was essentially what he had expected. A Choice couldn't be forced, but it was strongly recommended. Marriage was the only option for Ryker, though. He couldn't let his father down. He sat on the crimson couch, placing his notebook, coffee, and snacks on the table before him. A blanket hung over the back of the couch, and he pulled it onto his lap, getting comfortable.

"Of course, sir. That is my sole—" A high-pitched bell chimed in his headphones. "Your first date is incoming, Captain." Celeste's voice returned to the same sickly-sweet robotic tone from before. "Please stand by. If you require my assistance, say my name. If not, I will give you privacy."

The AI's voice switched off, leaving Ryker staring at the garden wall. Waiting-room music began playing in his ears, the slow pop song one he'd heard hundreds of times before.

It was him and his thoughts. He was actually here, in the ballroom, about to meet his first date. He'd known he would participate in the Choosing his entire life, but knowing something and experiencing it were two very different things.

He tightened his hold on his pen. "Get a grip, Waterborn," he muttered under his breath. He counted back from five in his head. "You're a gods-damned soldier. This won't be difficult. You'll ask some questions, meet the women, and find your wife."

Failure was not an option, especially when it came to those he loved.

The music came to an abrupt halt. The silence was so loud that Ryker's heartbeat was a drum in his ears. He straightened his back and stared at the virtual garden as he waited.

Three long seconds went by before a sharp inhale echoed through the headphones.

"Hello?" a soft, feminine voice whispered.

That one word was all it took to make Ryker feel like a youngling again. He palmed the back of his neck. "Hi."

By the Obsidian Sands, that was an awkward response. Internally, Ryker chided himself for not being more suave. One would think he wasn't a Mature fae nearing his fourth decade of life with monosyllabic responses like that.

The woman on the other side of the wall chuckled, apparently unconcerned by Ryker's lack of linguistic prowess. "This is… weird, right?"

"I'm staring at a wall and talking to a woman I've never seen." He leaned forward and grabbed his coffee. "Yeah, it's fucking weird."

She huffed a quiet laugh, and instantly, Ryker felt more at ease.

He'd been on his fair share of dates, but knowing he would end up participating in the Choosing, he'd never sought anything serious.

Sensing his partner was shy, he asked, "What's your name?"

After a moment, she said, "Hallie. You?"

He jotted her name down in his notebook, underlining it twice. "Ryker. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She exhaled, and he could almost feel her nerves as she spoke. "Same. This is… a lot, you know?"

Hallie sounded sweet, and Ryker smiled. She must not have been expecting to be here. Filing that tidbit of information away, Ryker stretched his legs before him and settled in comfortably. A glance to his left and right confirmed the other men were doing the same.

Therian was on the next couch over, the dragon shifter's large form taking up the entire piece of furniture. Beside him, Philippe drew green threads of magic absentmindedly through his fingers as he spoke to his date.

"Yes, it is," Ryker agreed. The attack yesterday hadn't helped matters, either. "Tell me about yourself, Hallie. Where do you live?"

A rustling sound came through the headphones, and Ryker imagined that whoever this faceless woman was, she was rearranging herself. Was she on a couch like him? Or perhaps she was pacing back and forth in front of the wall like Luca? The werewolf didn't seem agitated, but clearly, he couldn't sit still. He sipped from his red goblet, his mouth moving as he spoke to his date.

"I grew up on the tip of the Southern Region, near the Sandy Flats," Hallie replied after a minute.

"It must be hot," was Ryker's reply.

He mentally slapped himself for such an awkward response. He needed to shake that, and soon.

She giggled. "Very."

"How are you finding the more moderate climate of Golden City?" Summer was nearly half over, and the nights were rapidly getting colder. While it didn't get as cold in the Central Region as it did in the north past the Koln Mountains, the four seasons were pronounced. "It must be a shock after the desert heat."

Nikhail was from the Southern Region. The fae often complained about the changing weather in Golden City and lamented the lack of his homeland's prolonged, dry heat. Personally, Ryker found the idea of living in a desert unappealing on several fronts, but he could understand why some people enjoyed the warmth it provided.

Hallie paused. "It's… alright, I suppose. I don't think I could live here all year round. How about you?"

"I was born and raised here, in Central Region."

"Oh."

Ryker blinked at the wall. Were all the conversations going to be this stilted? He hoped it was just first-date jitters. Otherwise, this would be a very long day.

"My mother is a Representative of the Fae," he told her. "She took over the position from her mother before she Faded."

"Did your parents meet during the Choosing?" Hallie asked.

"They did." Ryker sipped his coffee. "They took part in the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth Choosing."

Fae were long-lived, thanks to their Maturation, and of all the different species that made up the Republic, they had fewer children than most.

Hallie laughed. "Wow. That must be strange, although maybe comforting in a way. My parents met through old-fashioned dating. All this is new to me. I mean, I watched the last Choosing, but I never imagined I would take part in this one. My sister applied for me. Imagine my surprise when I was Selected."

"That must have come as a shock."

"It was. I fainted, which my sister found supremely funny." She giggled. "Do you have any siblings?"

"One." Ryker smiled. "River is the light of my life."

"That's wonderful." Hallie seemed more relaxed now that the initial jitters were wearing off. "I have two sisters and a brother at home. All younger than me."

"Tell me about them?"

"I'd love to. First, there's Harlowe. She's three years younger than me, and she's the one who thought it would be funny to apply for the Choosing. She's…"

The more Hallie spoke about her family, the more she relaxed. The pair eased into a conversation, and time started slipping by.

Eventually, another chime sounded in his headphones. "This is your one-minute warning, Captain Waterborn," Celeste said pleasantly. "Please say your goodbyes. You will have a five-minute break before your next date begins."

Another chime.

"Well, Hallie, it was a pleasure to meet you." Ryker meant it. The Fortune Elf was shy, but she was kind, and he'd enjoyed getting to know her .

"Likewise," was her soft response. "I hope the rest of your day goes well."

The rest of their date passed quickly.

When the gods-awful waiting room music returned, Ryker stood and stretched. He made his way to the bar, intent on refilling his coffee.

Philippe, the brown-haired Earth Elf, met him there. He tugged his headphones off one ear and raised a brow. "How did it go?"

Ryker leaned against the counter as the server filled his mug. "Good. She was a little shy but very nice. I'd talk to her again."

The Earth Elf grinned. "Yours was shy? Mine was anything but that. She was loud and spoke her mind." Philippe leaned in close. "She was a fae, like you. I want to speak with her again."

He kept talking as Ryker added some cream to his coffee.

"Thirty seconds, Captain Waterborn," Celeste warned.

Ryker wished the Earth Elf good luck before he grabbed his coffee and returned to his couch.

He'd just settled into his seat when the music cut off again. This time, he was the first to speak. "Hello, my name's Ryker. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Full, proper syllables. This date was already starting better than the last.

A smooth inhalation of breath was followed by, "Hi, Ryker, I'm Esme. I'm glad we're getting a chance to chat."

He smiled. "Likewise. Your name is beautiful, by the way."

She huffed a laugh, and he leaned forward, intrigued. Their date flew by far faster than his date with Hallie. Soon, Celeste was back in his ear, warning him their time was almost over.

After Esme, he met several more women in quick succession. His notebook soon filled up. By the time Celeste informed him they would have an extended break for lunch, he'd already met more than half of the twelve women.

There were a few he already knew wouldn't be a match for him.

The energetic Yvette was kind, but they wouldn't be properly balanced. Their date had been less of a romantic first meeting and more of an interrogation. She'd had a lot of questions for him. He'd been exhausted by the time the music returned .

The soft-voiced shifter named Isabella seemed to lack all confidence. That wouldn't do for his wife. He needed someone strong and capable of standing up for herself. He was certain she would make someone a good partner—she was kind and smart—but it wouldn't be him.

A third, Demetra, was another fae. He hadn't met her before but had heard of her through the grapevine. She was powerful, which his mother would certainly approve of, but early on in their date, Demetra made an off-hand comment about one of the other women's weight.

Right then and there, Ryker had stopped taking notes. They wouldn't be working out. He didn't need a partner who made snide comments about other women. He'd been polite until their date ended, but that was it.

Of all the women he'd met so far, one stood out above the rest. Valentina Rose. Ryker knew who she was, of course. It wasn't as if hundreds of eligible fae were running through the Republic with that unique name. Her position of power wasn't what drew him to her, but her sharpness as they spoke. From his first impression, she seemed like a worthy companion. He'd enjoy spending evenings verbally sparring with her. Their date had been the most enjoyable so far.

Lunch was in the Ruby Lounge, and it was a light, airy affair as the men gathered and shared tidbits about their dates. Most seemed to have made at least preliminary connections, and a few men were already talking about setting up second dates.

Tonight, they would submit lists to the Matrons about which women they'd like to speak with again.

Ryker didn't contribute much to the conversation. He was focused on the two guards stationed at the entrance of the Ruby Lounge. They spoke quietly, shifting from one foot to the other. Their jaws were hard, their eyes like steel as they searched the room for threats.

Discretely angling his body towards the soldiers so he could hear better, Ryker listened intently.

"… another threat," said the guard with a sharp nose.

"Did they catch them?"

"Yes, but… there are more…" Sharp Nose scrubbed his face. "There was a protest in the Western Region yesterday, and today, there was another riot in the North. "

"Fuck. Do you think they'll cancel?—"

The doors opened, and Matron Cassandra entered. Instantly, the chatty soldiers split apart, their backs straightening as they returned to their stations.

Turning back to the table, Ryker shoveled mediocre pasta into his mouth. He barely tasted it, his mind working overtime to process the information he'd heard. There was always unrest in the Republic. After all, it was an enormous continent that housed millions of people.

But between the shooting yesterday and now this…

Ryker would remain on his guard.

Thank the holy Obsidian Sands, he still had his magic. Even weaponless, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Finishing his lunch, Ryker pushed back his plate and summoned a sphere of water to his palm. It gathered in a translucent orb, waiting for his next command.

He didn't have time to play with his magic. Matron Cassandra announced the end of lunch, and they returned to the ballroom for an afternoon of dates.

Ryker replaced his headphones and headed for a red hammock closer to the entrance. When the music turned off, he was studying the night-blooming roses on the virtual wall.

Having undergone this process several times already, he knew what to expect. He crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. "Hello, my name's Ryker. What's yours?"

A sharp inhale was the only response.