The First Test

Daphne and Atticus were back at the palace the first thing in the morning; Daphne was excited to witness the start of Cordelia's blossoming romance, while Atticus was there because he wanted to laugh at the many pathetic hopefuls who had no clue what they were in for, and to scheme ways to kidnap Jonah back from this conniving princess.

Of course, his priority was to make sure Nikun won. That way, he would get his best friend back while Cordelia got her new husband. 

The palace was a hubbub of activity, with servants rushing around, carrying rolls of parchment and tiny tables into the hall. However, Daphne only had eyes for Cordelia, who was staring down at her contestants from her spot on the balcony with a bored look on her face, idly tapping her fingers against the railing. There was a plate of food in front of her, almost untouched.