Read Electus (Regnum Series Book 1) for Free Online Page B

his straight, white teeth.
    “I’ve never seen anyone offer their meal to a server before. That was rather good-natured of you, Miss Trumble,” Mr. Leporem notes, studying her face.
    “I didn’t think it was such a big deal,” she shrugs and yawns.
    “Am I boring you, Miss Trumble?”
    “No, sir.”
    “Well, I will not keep you much longer.” Mr. Leporem kisses her hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Tia.”
    “Likewise,” Tia, unsure of the customs from his capitol, leans over and kisses his hand.
    He laughs, in a deep chuckle. “I think I will enjoy watching you throughout this week, my dear. Good night.” He walks away, staring at his hand, where Tia left a print from her lipstick.
    Surrendering to her exhaustion, Tia decides to head up to her room. It feels like an eternity before she reaches her floor. Especially when she is weighed down by four courses and three shots.
    By the time she arrives at her door, her key fights her, and she sinks down in defeat. A door next to her opens, and she catches Kira exiting, her hair a mess. Then, Quade appears, shirtless, and kisses Kira goodnight. It isn’t until Kira turns to head down the hall that they notice Tia, slumped on the floor.
    Tia stands up and fights the key again, until it unlocks. She frowns at Quade, then enters her room, leaving nothing, but an echo of a slamming door, in the hallway.
     
    Day 2: Brawns
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Quade opened the door to an abandoned cabin in the woods, not far from where they ran each day. It was slightly dusty, with cob-webs covering the corners of the room. The cabin smelled of timber, reminding Tia of her house.
    “How did you find this place, again?” Tia probed Quade, pushing a cob-web out of the way as she wandered inside.
    “A family friend told me about it. Apparently, he didn’t need it anymore and told me that I could use it whenever I wanted. I thought it could be a nice place to visit when it’s raining out, and we can’t swim.” He responded, grabbing the broom in the corner. “It needs some cleaning, but it has its charm.”
    “Definitely,” Tia agreed, laying down on the bed. Quade laid down beside her as she exhaled.
    “Quade, do you think Mr. Avery will bid on us?” she wondered aloud, breathing in the dusty air.
    “More than likely. We are both of Pruden descent. You know how he is,” Quade replied, turning to glance at Tia.
    “I suppose. Are you afraid of leaving Urbi?” Tia asked, facing him as well. He peered back up at the ceiling, before answering, “I’m terrified.”
    ***********
    The phone in Tia’s room rings early, on the morning of stage two. Who would call at this hour? She grabs the phone next to her bed.
    “Hello.”
    “Is this Conscientia?” a voice from the other end answers.
    “Yes.”
    “This is your morning wake up call. All candidates must be dressed and down in the lobby by nine. There will be no food served for breakfast, you must remember to eat before you arrive.”
    “Oh, alright. Thank you.”
    “Have a good day.” The lady on the other end disconnects, and Tia places her phone back on the hook. The words, have a good day , still hang in the air, as Tia remains in bed. She wonders how any part of the Electus could be considered good.
    She peers around the room for a clock, her head throbbing in pain. It is seven-thirty. Tia crawls out of bed and searches for some clothes in the drawers of the dresser. Other than the first event, the capitol provides attire for the candidates, during the Electus. This assures a fair competition. Each drawer is marked for the outfits they are required to wear, during different stages. Today’s is a pair of shorts, sports bra, and a cotton t-shirt.
    Tia heads for the shower. The water is rejuvenating, as she scrubs off the make-up from yesterday. The soap has a hint of vanilla as well as the shampoo. She never wants to leave the bathroom. Even the towels are soft and smell fresh, like spring air.
    Her mind races