"She's been more trouble?"

Peter was chewing on a plate of bacon, and self-righteously buttering some toast. How he managed to make the motion seem smug, Asher would never know. But he was certainly looking very happy with himself.

"No." Asher lied, shrugging. He was nursing a strong cup of coffee, and he grimaced at the taste as he swallowed it back. He shouldn't have taken that trip into the city last night, the hangover just wasn't worth it.

"Liar." Peter accused around a mouthful of food. "My father has already told me. She was caught on camera stumbling back to her rooms drunk and singing just last night. A soldier had to be sent to escort her safely."

He sighed. He'd received the same report this morning, and it had been General Ledger and not uncle Aspen who'd reported it. There was a firm difference in those two people, despite them inhabiting the same body. He'd made his note brief and sharp, letting Asher know the severity of the situation. Aspen then noted that a woman with so little etiquette was not entirely suited to the role of a Princess.

A quick decision. An obvious choice. Uncle Aspen seemed to think so. As did his mother after the bad influence Eris had had on Amber this past week. As did his father, after the incident with the Education Minister. As did near everyone else who happened to hear the name Eris Black and couldn't help but grimace swiftly.

"I'm still considering ratting you out to my father."

"You wouldn't rat, Peter."

"I wouldn't have if you'd dismissed her." He snapped back immediately, "You said last Sunday you were going to send her home. What changed?"

He'd asked the question too many times. Asher rubbed a hand over his face, grimacing at the thin layer of oil that was pasted to his skin. He needed a shower, a proper one. Peter had showed up before Asher had even had a chance to dress properly, announcing that breakfast was already on its way and that it was a lovely morning.

Asher didn't bother to reply to his friend's question. It was none of Pete's business, anyhow.

"You just wait." Peter carried on prattling, "She'll only get worse. I bet my life on that. The next incident will be bad, and it will carry on progressing, and eventually the damage done will be entirely too great. Send her home now, while you can, and-"

"Peter!" He didn't know the voice that tore out of him, nor did he know when he'd made the decision to stand up. "I know what I'm doing!"

His friend's eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open just a fraction, too surprised at Asher's outburst to reply to the declaration.

But as he stood, his new vantage point had given him a view out of the window and into the grounds beyond. A squadron of soldiers were currently working out together, not too far from the windows, two neat lines of four all in sync as one of them called out commands.

What made him pause was the flash of bright colour, stood right in the middle of the group. He'd know that particular shade of orange anywhere, mostly because he'd avoided it like the plague this last week.

Asher was at the window in a flash, staring in absolute horror as Eris Black trained, sweaty and red faced, keeping pace with the men and women around her. She was significantly smaller in height and weight than the rest of them, but it didn't seem to be much of a hindrance.

Peter, drawn to the window as well, gaped openly when he too spotted the source of Asher's astonishment.

At that moment, the group fell motionless and broke apart, heading for discarded water bottles in the grass. Eris fell into step with them easily. One of the men reached out and ruffled her hair, and she shoved him away with what seemed to be a laugh.

Asher couldn't believe it. She wasn't even permitted to go into the public gardens without an escort, let alone going into the grounds beyond them in the company of the soldiers. Going beyond the wall of the gardens was forbidden to the Selection girls, deemed too dangerous considering it was backed by forests.

For her to be out on the grounds was bad enough. But to be messing around with a bunch of soldiers... They weren't even trained in dealing with members of the palace. They were only employed to patrol the grounds, and never were they allowed inside unless it was an emergency.

It would have been deplorable to be seen with a group of palace Guards, but even they were respected members of society. Soldiers, on the other hand, were not quite.

"I told you." Peter grumbled.

"She's in so much trouble."

"Are you sure that's for the best?" His father was frowning at him.

Asher hated that stare, the quiet confirmation that his father didn't really trust his judgement at all. At least he bothered to ask the question; His mother was not always so subtle in letting him know that he was wrong.

It was all for the best; He knew that. His future was intertwined with the future of Illéa, and his parents wanted the best for both of those things, but sometimes they forgot that those things were separate entities. When they looked at Asher, they didn't always see the young man stood there.

"Mei says so." That was Asher's usual tactic; blame someone else. "She said it'll get some attention if it goes badly."

Mei had decided that Lady Eris, of all people, was going to speak live on the Report after learning he'd only been on dates with girls who were Twos. She said Eris would add some diversity.

"Lady Eris hasn't been trained to talk live." Maxon rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. The shadows around them looked darker than usual. He'd need a touch up from a stylist before they went on air.

"I thought they all went to a class yesterday?"

"Nala reported yesterday evening that Lady Eris did not attend."

Of fucking course she didn't, Asher sighed inwardly. He would just have to speak to her. Politely, just to warn her that she had to smile and be kind and not break anything.

Some of the Selection girls were already milling about the hall, stylists and maids in tow, fixing their hair and dresses and practicing their smiles in the windows. Eris wasn't here yet, hopefully, she'd refuse to turn up at all.

"Are you going to talk this evening?" Maxon's eyebrows rose hopefully. Asher was barely looking at him.

"No. Just the girls."

"All of them will go up?"

"No. I think Mei will call them up randomly. There's too many to all go up in one evening."

"So... How many are there as of today?"

Asher glanced back at him, too distracted to realise until that moment that his father was judging him closely. He drew himself up tall under his father's scathing gaze.

"Twenty."

"So few?"

"Twelve were sent home on the first evening. Two of them I dismissed this week, and one of them asked to go home."

"Why?"

Asher shrugged, "I didn't ask. I think she already had someone."

Something flickered in Maxon's dark eyes, but Asher didn't want to know what it was, mostly because it would probably turn into another one of the other thousand life lessons that Asher was supposed to remember every day.

"But Eris Black gets to stay?" He said it casually enough, not even looking at his son, but immediately Asher's full attention was on him. "Seems a little odd... She doesn't seem like the kind of girl who'd want to stay here."

"She hasn't asked to leave." Asher lied casually, shrugging.

"Hasn't expressed a want to stay, either." Maxon eyebrows were inching upwards, probing at Asher's defense. "She's made it perfectly clear that she's a trouble-maker."

"I would think you'd consider her perfect for me, then." He said through clenched teeth. He was watching the stairs leading down into the hall, scanning for that flash of particular orange.

"Opposites tend to attract, where relationships are concerned." His father smiled quietly.

"Doesn't seem to be the case for you and mother."

"We differ in a lot of ways." Shrugging, he took a sip of his drink. Water. Not even a drop of alcohol. Asher envied him. "I'm just saying, son... I think you'd do finding a woman more... Gentle."

"I wouldn't consider marrying Eris Black even if the moon ordered me to do it." He snapped finally, eyes flashing as he turned a glare on his father. "And I'd appreciate it if everyone dropped the damn matter."

Maxon frowned, mouth opening to warn his son against taking that attitude with him, but at that exact moment Asher caught sight of the exact person he was looking for.

"Excuse me." He said sharply, and left before his father could call him back.

He made his way through the crowd, occasionally stopping to chat to the Selection women already gathered. Just to make it seem as if he wasn't making a beeline for Eris, but he certainly kept one eye on her as he made his way through the room.

By the time he was through speaking with a few of the girls, Eris was already engaged in a conversation with a group of other women. He hadn't actually spoken to any of the three of them individually yet, but at least this was a small opportunity.

He didn't know the blonde girls name, but he had certainly noticed the black girl, Lauren if he remembered rightly, who'd caught his eye a few times with flashes of her arched neck, wide smile and long legs. The red dress she wore now was skin tight and flared out from the knees, a perfect example of the mermaid style.

The blonde girl looked lovely in a floor length corset bodice dress, short sleeved and sequined heavily. Tiffany blue was a bold choice, and he admired that. Though something that defined her waist may have looked more flattering; he'd have to mention it to her stylists or maids. The third girl was a brunette, of medium height, who'd gone safe with her style; entirely forgettable.

He didn't actually have a view of Eris until he was right beside her, and by that point it was too late to actually glance at her dress, though the sight of her hair straightened and smoothed back over her head shocked him enough that he almost didn't announce himself.

"Ladies," Asher managed to get out smoothly.

The four of them looked round, and immediately the blonde and the brunette both went berry red, even under their make-up. Asher smiled, self-assured once more.

"Prince Asher." Three of them dipped into respectful, well-practiced curtsies.

Eris Black, however, did not.

She glanced over him with a scathing eye, twisted her face into a grimace - all the more effective with her lips painted ruby red and dark eye makeup - and turned dismissively away.

"How're you all feeling tonight?" He asked, addressing only the three polite girls.

"A little nervous, I'm super worried about messing up on national television." The blonde gave a small giggle. Asher had dismissed her initially, finding her rather plain, but she was actually a little cute.

"Forgive me, but could you all just remind me of your names? There's an awful lot of you, you see, and I'm terrible with things like that."

"Big surprise." Eris rolled her eyes. "Don't suppose you've ever kept a woman around long enough to know her name?"

His teeth clamped shut on a retort. Though he did cut her a piercing glare, which she missed completely, instead glancing around the room like she had somewhere better to be.

"I'm Lauren," said the black girl, and she smiled widely for him.

"Luna," the blonde said it breathlessly.

"Sarah." A plain name for a plain girl.

He smiled at each of them in turn, and then lifted his eyebrows at Eris. They all knew perfectly well that he knew her name, but he stared at her expectantly anyway.

Smiling sweetly, Eris said; "Natasha."

Asher's lips tightened in irritation. "Liar."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"You all look lovely." He looked to the other three, excluding Eris in the compliment. "And don't worry; Mei has already decided who she's calling on, and it'll mostly be girls that I've already been on dates with, just so they have plenty to talk about."

Luna breathed a sigh of relief.

"You mean I got dressed up for nothing?" Lauren asked, chuckling. "I could have turned up in jeans and a shirt and nobody would have noticed."

"Better to be noticed for looking ravishing, which you've managed." Eris gagged at his compliment, and he fought down the urge to elbow her in the ribs. "Actually Lauren, I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date this week with me?"

"I'd love to." Her answering smile was winning. Now here was a girl with class.

"Great. I'm planning on seeing a lot more of you all in the coming days, and you'll all get your turn eventually, but with my schedule..."

"Perfectly understandable." Luna nodded.

"Okay, well enjoy your evenings ladies." He nodded at each one of them, and they all dipped into more pristine curtsies. Eris, again, did not. "Could I speak with you a moment, Eris?"

"Actually, I'm rather busy."

"Now." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her, forcefully, away from the group. With a hand on the small of her back, he steered her through the crowds and into a small alcove on the perimeter of the room.

It wouldn't hide them completely, but best not to let people think he was whisking her away into a private room. Better to look like they were just having a quiet conversation, and given her very public behaviour this week, nobody would be surprised that he looked a little stern. Regardless, it was a little shadowed in here, light quite not reaching into the hollow, so nobody glanced in their direction often.

He still had her skinny wrist in his grasp, but despite the fact his fingers encircled it entirely, he was aware she was stronger than she looked.

A strength she called on to yank her limb out of his grip. She glared up at him, lip curling.

"What do you want, Princeling?"

His eyes swept her frame, and he was surprised to find that she didn't look half bad. Turns out Eris Black could have style... When she was being dressed by people who actually liked her.

The dress she wore was pitch black, great swathes of sheer material falling to the floor, and the long sleeves were tightly fitted, highlighting her shapely arms, toned with muscle. Every inch of her was covered, but in some places slashes of the underneath black silk had been removed, leaving only the sheer black material on top. Strips of her stomach, forearms, thighs and calves were visible beneath the fabric. In some places, the dress sparkled in the correct lighting.

Her hair had been straightened and swept back over her head, held in place with pins or spray or perhaps sheer force of will, but it didn't look stiff at all. Her hair, without it's fuzzy, ridiculous curls, fell all the way to the small of her back.

The make up tied in with the dress, dark, smoky eye shadow, and slashes of black kohl leading out from the corner of her eyes. A dusting of silver powder on the sharp edges of her cheekbones, her eyebrows filled in to perfect arches, and her full lips painted a dramatic cherry red.

Many of the girls had tried to work certain angles in order to stand out. The sweeter girls had chosen to wear floral or pink fabrics. The sexier girls had worn red, or fitted dresses to better show off their assets. Everyone had decided to take this opportunity to better sell themselves.

Of course, half the job was convincing Asher to fall in love with you, the other half of the job was convincing everyone else to fall in love with you too.

Eris, on the other hand, had chosen a completely different tactic. Clearly, she wasn't pandering to the masses. She didn't look sweet or sexy or lovable. She looked fierce, bordering on frightening. In fact, if he was being honest, she looked... Dangerous.

She was still waiting for an answer from him.

"I just wanted to tell you how ravishing you look." He gave her a smirk that didn't exactly reach his eyes.

"Liar." She snorted, and pushed away from him to lean against the opposite wall of the alcove. They stood staring at each other, judging the atmosphere between them. It wasn't too static with hatred, so Asher took a breath to broach the topic.

"Mei has decided you'll speak live tonight, Eris."

Her eyes flared wide before she schooled her expression. "That seems like a very silly idea, even to me."

"For once, we agree." He gave her a strained, cold smile. She didn't return it. "You're the only Selection girl I've been on a date with who isn't a Two."

"It wasn't a date."

"Nobody else shares that opinion."

"Then tell her I've refused to do it. I'm camera shy, tell everyone." She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

He gave her a sneer, "Not surprised about that, given the usual state of you."

"Good one," She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Just blame it on me. Tell her if she calls my name I won't even stand. Better for everyone if she just bypasses me altogether."

"She's convinced that if you embarrass yourself then it'll be good for ratings. It'll give the papers something to print, anyway. So you'd be doing exactly what she wants if you refuse to stand."

Eris blew out a harsh breath. He stared at her as she stared out at everyone else.

"Well..." She started to smile, and Asher braced himself as a pulse of fear shot through his sternum, almost winding him.

"Don't." He said immediately, taking a step forward.

Her gaze flashed to his, and that smile grew, wickedness pooling in the harsh black of her eyes.

"I was just going to say that..." Her head tilted, trying to put a damper on her sly grin, which didn't work at all. "Speaking publicly could be... Fun."

"Do you know how much trouble you could get in?" He demanded.

"I won't call for the dismantling of the fucking monarchy." She chuckled, like that was a pleasant idea anyway. "But a few choice comments..."

"Like what?!"

"Oh, I dunno. I'll have to think about it. But the people would find it super interesting to know the reason you've only officially asked Two's on dates this week, wouldn't you think?"

His insides turned cold with dread. "You can't."

"Maybe I'll talk about all the finery here. How it's astounding that wealth like this exists when little old me comes from a place where families can't even put food on the table."

"Eris."

"Maybe I'll talk about how the staff are treated. How the soldiers are second rate citizens to the Nobles wandering around. Maybe I'll sniffle and wonder why on Earth everyone is so damn mean to me. Maybe I'll look into a camera and wish, with all my little, poor heart, to just go home."

"I fucking forbid it." He snarled, surging towards her.

She ducked out of the way, twisting until she was stood behind him. He whirled to face her, but didn't lunge again. He was breath heavy with panic now, and she was breathing heavy with excitement. They hovered on the verge of violence, both of them itching to lash out. She was smirking at him, he was snarling at her.

"What're you gonna do about it, Princeling?" She laughed, "Send me home?"

"You say anything to damage the reputation of this palace, and I warn you now, it would be grounds for an execution."

She stilled, pursed her lips, grinned again. "All right, so no acts of outright rebellion or treason. I could still slander you."

Eris was right, and Asher thought quickly. "True, but what about your family? You think you're doing them a favour by letting them know you're fucking miserable here?"

"Don't you dare talk about them!" She took an angry, threatening step forward, and Asher braced for the thunderous punch he'd already received once, no, twice before.

It didn't come though. She took a deep breath and took a measured step away.

"Surprised you have control over that fiery temper." He mused.

"You're certainly testing it." She bit back. Another deep breath, and her voice had stopped shaking. "Promise to send me home. Promise, Asher Schreave, and I'll kiss your ass for the entirety of the interview."

He should just lie. He couldn't send her home. Couldn't, because he'd already made a different promise, but Eris knew nothing about that. But if he promised to send her home, let her perform for the cameras, and then he could just reveal that she wasn't actually going anywhere.

But... That was so unbelievably cruel he couldn't even believe he was considering it. His father certainly would never act like that. Anyone respectable wouldn't be so damn conniving. Plus, he wasn't sure he'd actually survive that encounter with Eris Black.

"I can't." He told her, looking away. "I can't make that promise."

"Then you've sealed your own fate." She shrugged, and moved to leave the alcove, dismissing him.

He seized her arm, grip tight as he yanked her back and pressed her tight to the smooth stone where the shadows were most dense.

"You'll regret it, Eris."

"Oh yeah?" She sneered.

He had a feeling he wasn't exactly pinning her in place, she was more letting herself be held there. He didn't doubt she could shake free of him if she wanted.

"You suffer being here enough anyway." He said, and braced his own heart against the absolute revulsion he felt for himself as he told her; "I'll make your life hell, love. You like your maids? I'll throw them out on the fucking street. Those trips to the staff wing and out into the grounds? I'll assign Guards with specific orders to drag you kicking and screaming to your room if needs be. And I'll order Amber's nannies to keep her away from you completely, with my mother's support, of course."

Eris's eyes had been growing steadily wider as he spoke down to her. Every punishment he promised seemed to hit her like a blow, but the threat of losing Amber seemed to horrify her so completely that she slumped in his embrace and suddenly needed the wall to keep her upright.

He couldn't stop there though, and tightened his hand around her arm to get her attention. When she barely responded, he cupped her chin and jerked her head upwards so she was forced to meet his gaze.

"You're going to smile, and be calm, and you're not going to break a damn thing. You glare once, you lose something. You slate me once, you lose something. I won't send you home, but the satisfaction of making you miserable will taste like poured honey."

"You're a fucking bastard." She gasped, and why she was suddenly surprised by that, he wasn't exactly sure.

"Yeah, I am." He shrugged.

She jerked her chin out of his palm and her arm out of his fingers, and shoved him hard in the chest. He stumbled back but caught himself, and straightened his suit jacket and tie.

"I'll say whatever I want." She breathed. But there was no force behind those words, not anymore.

He could see her thinking, see the thoughts turning in that stubborn head of hers, weighing the loyalty to her family against the loyalty to the new friends she had. He braced himself again for the cruelty spilling out of him like poison from a wound.

"Oh, you don't care about any of those people?" He adjusted his cuff links, straightening his sleeves. Asher looked up at her, hardened his gaze and clenched his jaw. "That's fine. I suppose I'll just withhold the letters from your family then."

She almost buckled. He'd done it, he realised. He'd found that nerve and he hadn't just prodded it, he'd basically shoved a knife into it. The pain that surged into her eyes made him want to vomit, and he had to look away when he noticed the tears glisten brightly.

He moved to leave, satisfied he'd done his job, done it well, done what was necessary for his family and his throne and his country. Asher could at least give her the dignity of breaking apart in private.

Her voice, quiet with fury, shaking with hatred, cracking right there at the end with absolute horror, stopped him short.

"You're a despicable human being, Asher Schreave."

"Then I suppose we have more in common than we realised, Eris Black."

The Report passed in a blur of bundled nerves for Asher Schreave.

Never mind that his gaze kept flicking, involuntarily, to the side of the stage with tiered seating, bright lights trained onto the Selection girls so every single one of them could be seen clearly.

One particular girl stood out, of course. In a sea of brown and blonde, with only a few flecks of different shades, one bright colour stood out among all the rest. Eris's vibrant orange caught the eye, as did the stony expression on her face. Even if he hadn't spent that time with her last Sunday, she would have been called up anyway. She was just too hard to miss.

A curse and a blessing, Asher assumed.

The usual reports were made. Crime statistics. Foreign affairs. Economic analysis. Headline news. Those reports were significantly shorter than they would have been any other week.

Tonight, the live studio audience, made up of Nobles, Ministers and invited guests, were buzzing with the anticipation of the Selection news.

Mei Baxton replaced the usual host of the Report to excited applause. Finally, it was time to start the interviews.

Asher barely listened.

There was a camera trained on him at all times, capturing his reactions and broadcasting them to the entire country. He didn't even want to know what his face looked like. Probably frozen in terror, no doubt. He made an effort to smile and listen, react as naturally as he could, but he could tell without having to look that he wasn't doing a very good job.

A girl left the stage, and he couldn't remember her name. Mei was doing her best to sprinkle the girls he'd been on dates with among the girls he hadn't, but even he could see the pattern of rich, entitled girls that he'd taken out. He made a panic induced decision to be a little less bias.

"Lady Eris! If you could possibly come and join me." Mei smiled and gestured to the tiered seats.

Asher's felt the name go through him like a punch.

The spotlight brightened on her and the effect was instantaneous. It looked like her head had caught fire, such was the blaze of colour. The harsh light brought out strands of gold, and it had the same effect on the sparkling dust highlighting her face and the sequins scattered over her dress.

She smiled slowly, and stood at her own pace, descending the stairs gracefully. She walked across the studio like it had been constructed for the sole purpose of her inhabiting it. Her shoulders were drawn back, her spine straight as an arrow. Her jaw cut an impressive line as she tilted her chin up.

Mei reached to shake her hand, and Eris shook firmly before taking her seat, smiling briefly at her host.

"Lady Eris!" Mei greeted warmly.

"Actually, I'd prefer just Eris." She inclined her head, respectful.

Asher's heart beat so wildly in his chest he wondered if the microphone pinned to his lapel would detect it.

"Okay, Just Eris." Mei laughed, and some audience members joined in. "You've certainly stood out since arriving here. I've actually heard a lot about you."

"All good things, I'm sure." Eris smiled, and it was all teeth. The gesture made it quite clear that they both knew the exact opposite to be true.

Asher fought to cover his eyes.

Mei, completely thrown by Eris, glanced a little nervously down at her cue cards. "You've been here for a week now, and I'd just like to ask you the same question all the other girls received; what's your favourite thing about the palace so far?"

The other girls had started gushing immediately. Eager to please, eager to have this time in the spotlight. Again, they'd tried hard to work their individual angles.

Eris... Took an uncomfortably long time to answer. Even went so far as to purse her lips and glance up at the ceiling, like she was struggling. She was making it obvious that she didn't have many good things to say.

Asher wanted to holler at her for the insolence, but he also couldn't help being a just a little impressed. He'd warned her against saying anything, and she was following that order. But she was also making it perfectly clear, without words, her point of view. She'd found a loophole, and she was exploiting it.

Clever, really, Asher had to admit.

"I spend a lot of time with Amber." Everyone seemed to release a breath as she finally spoke, "Princess Amber, that is." She chuckled, and glanced to the Princess sat in the lowest throne at their mother's side. Amber seemed positively thrilled to have been mentioned at all, and grinned wildly. "She's my best friend here."

"Is that so?" Mei seemed confounded with the answer.

"Yeah. She reminds me a lot of my little sisters back home." That was all the answer she was going to give, pursing her lips to say she was done with that particular topic.

Asher hoped Mei would not press much about home.

"Talking of home," Asher sighed inwardly, "You're the first ever Seven to be picked for the Selection. Must be very exciting."

"Thrilling." Her smile was small and her voice absolutely monotone.

He couldn't help it; he laughed. Quietly, to himself, but he couldn't help the smirk that bloomed on his face. She was an absolute horror, but fuck she was funny. At least she was owning this disgrace.

Mei seemed absolutely thrown with the tone of this interview; completely dumbfounded with the mystery that was Eris Black. If she'd been nervous, Mei could have handled it. Angry and defiant, Mei could have handled it. But there was no handling the quiet confidence of Eris, the absolute control she had on herself, the draw that made her both dangerous and appealing.

Asher found himself wondering just how this competition would have gone had Eris Black entered it actually trying to compete.

"Clearly." Mei coughed awkwardly. The audience were starting to shift. "This has all been a huge change for you particularly, more so than your fellow Selection girls. Must be strange, having been a Seven in Dakota and now you're a Three in Angeles."

"Strange, certainly." Her smile was stretched thin.

"Can you talk about some of those differences?" Mei was just trying to get a rise, being petty because Eris was embarrassing her, but Eris seemed to take the question in stride.

She delivered a blow that had a ripple effect throughout the whole of the studio, and probably the whole of the country.

"You want me to talk about the differences between an orphanage and a palace?" One condescending eyebrow flicked upwards, "I'd have thought they were obvious."

Maxon, sat in the tallest throne on Asher's left, seemed to inflate with astonishment and, yes, rage. Asher blew out a breath of exasperation.

Eris sat, oblivious to the reactions around her, waiting patiently for Mei's next question. Mei who was, unbelievably, stumbling. She glanced at the King, and then the Queen, to see if they wanted the interview to continue. Asher was too frightened to glance over and see his parents reactions, but Mei started to carry on.

The best decision; they couldn't be seen to be buckling under the scrutiny of one girl. A Seven, no less.

"I hear," Mei smiled wide, trying to turn the whole thing around. "That you're one of the lucky few this week, having been on a date with the Prince. How was that?"

Eris squinted, searching for a response. She settled on; "Thrilling."

Asher had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud this time, but a few of the Selection girls giggled.

"Can you tell us what you did?"

"He took me on a tour of the palace."

"Ah, a private tour." A wink for the audiences, and they laughed. At Asher's expense, certainly, and Eris's too, no doubt. "How did you find the Prince?"

She could have said any number of horrendous things, could have delivered a blow that would have sent her straight home or straight to jail. She could have ruined him right then and there.

But Eris Black was unpredictable, and clearly, Mei had irritated her. So she turned her head to glance over at Asher, a half smile on her face that stank of mischief.

Their gazes brushed, and he had absolutely no control over his own face as his eyebrows flicked up, inviting her to speak, daring her to say whatever she wanted to say. The space between them crackled with tension.

"Challenging." She broke the stare to say the word to Mei, who didn't seem to know if she should laugh or cry.

"Prince Asher?" She called, out of what appeared to be clear panic. "Have anything to say to that assessment?"

He deliberated, heart hammering as all gazes turned to him, as his father held him pinned under intense scrutiny, and his mother leaned round his father to stare, outraged.

But then she was glancing over and smirking, daring him to deliver a blow. Those black eyes provoking him until his blood was thrumming in his veins, from fury or hilarity or hysteria, he wasn't sure.

He found himself grinning right back, "I find that rich coming from Eris Black, Mei."

Eris seemed thrilled with his response, and laughed quietly to herself as she looked back to Mei.

"On that very interesting note, I thank you Just Eris, for taking the time to speak with me!" she practically jumped up out of her seat, but Eris took her time. They said their goodbyes, Eris offered a smile to the cameras, and she took her seat in the stands once again.

Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a heavy sigh of relief once she was out of the spotlight.

As the next girl was called, Asher completely missing her name, he met the heavy gaze he could feel settled on him.

Her dark eyes were narrowed, and she gave him a small smirk that said, I warned you, Princeling.

Asher felt that his answering smirk sent his reply quite adequately; You're in trouble, love.

Thanks for reading! Comment and vote if you enjoyed! Xoxo