Semua Bab The Mate Lottery: I Won The Emporer : Bab 1 - Bab 10

LIORA'S POV The Mate Lottery is our kingdom’s most sacred tradition. It happens only once a year and every citizen of Verolia who has reached the eligible age is expected to participate, so by the will of the goddess of love, Isolde, everyone will be matched with a loving mate. But this year? Oh, this year lottery event will be the greatest there has been in centuries. Everyone’s been talking about it the whole time of the year. Why? Because our Emperor, Lordrin Varno, who became eligible seven years ago but never before entered the lottery, suddenly made a decision to join this year event.He's no human, neither is he a werewolf. He is the most unique being, He’s an Angel, the one and only of his kind. The rarest of the rare. Rumor has it that he was actually a wish, a gift from the goddess Isolde to his parents. People who’ve been in the lottery before say that the couple who ends up being the most compatible gets three wishes from the goddess herself. Since the Emperor’s parents w

LIORA'S POV Princess Hilda, busy unpacking her mountain of belongings, asks me casually, “So, is there a specific man you’re hoping the goddess will match you with?”I let her have the entire closet, because like all the girls here, she practically carried everything she owns from home.I also did carry everything I own since I'm never allowed to go back there. It's in the single bag resting at the foot of my bed.I shrug. “Not really. What about you?” Honestly, I don’t have a particular prince in mind. I just hope to be matched with a decent human being, someone who won’t treat me like a piece of furniture, someone kind and good-looking. I hope that’s not too much to ask of the goddess."Me?" Hilda giggles, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Honestly, I’d die to be mated to the Emperor.” she says."The Emperor, huh?” I chuckle, shaking my head. “That’s… ambitious.”Poor Hilda! I said poor because she set her goals too high. Setting her sights on the Emperor is like aiming

LIORA'S POV Heather takes a whole ten minutes to casts her whitestone into the urn, as she carefully aims to rest it right beside the Emperors'. When she finally steps back, her face is gleaming with confidence, seems like she has succeeded. Violette takes her time to pray for her stone before casting it. The two who come after her do the same. Lady Eleanor immediately urges us to make haste.At last, it’s my turn. My stomach is tied in a tight knot as I step forward to the urn. I cast my whitestone, watching it sink slowly through the thick liquid, settling down at the bottom.My stupid mind wants to beg the goddess that I be the one mated to that impossibly handsome, powerful Emporer. But I know what’s possible and what’s a foolish dream that is.So instead, I pray for a love that comes naturally, one where neither me or my matched mate will have to force feelings or pretend to care about the other. A love that burns inside me as fiercely as the image of the handsome Emperor burns

LIORA'S POV"There once was a peacock, so sassy and bright,With feathers that dazzled and caught every light.She strutted around like the queen of the land,Faking her smiles, playing mean to everyone,She mocked the poor crow, caged and so plain,Called her ugly and useless—thought she’d never gain.All that fuss, all that grand prance,But guess who caught the sun’s own glance?The peacock spread feathers to dazzle and tease,But it was the crow who was chosen with ease.The crow knows it must be hard to see,Not the future the peacock dreamed it would be.The peacock thought she’d hold that shining brand,But here stands the crow, holding the sun in her hand.All that sweat, all that scheming from the peacock’s side,Ended with the crow gleefully beaming!So here’s a toast to the peacock crushing."I sing and twirl in front of the mirror, half-dressed and grinning like a fool. My heart feels like it’s doing somersaults. I’ve never felt so alive, like I swallowed a whole bucket of

LIORA'S POVThe Emporer and Heather, Heather and Emporer. . . together? Just the way it was prophesied to be. How could I have been so stupid? Did I really believe someone like him could ever want someone like me?I have escaped straight into the palace gardens under the cover of night, desperate to hide where no one can see the broken, shattered pieces of me. The moon hangs high, but its pale light does nothing to soothe the ache twisting in my chest.I let myself fall to the dump ground of the garden, and tears continue to sting my eyes. I let them flow. I wish I can stop time so I won't have to live on the face this reality.The reality that I am now officially mateless and will soon be homeless as well. And there isn't a single person or place I know that I can run to.I curl up and let the negative emotions flow.The fear and pain inside can never end even if I cry a river. But it's the only thing I can do now. A part of me still holds a little foolish hope that the Emporer will