Chapter 20 What a lovely first Impression!

Chapter 20 What a lovely first Impression!
The courtyard suddenly hushes.

Even Rhea’s smirk falters heavily but Amaris is saved as the massive doors at the front of the palace begin to open. A deep wooden groan rolls across the yard, and the entire crowd turns toward the sound as if drawn by invisible strings.

A ripple passes through the women. One girl gasps quietly. Another straightens her gown with trembling hands. In a unified motion, the entire courtyard sinks to their knees.

Silk and lace pool around them like colorful waves settling on stone.

Amaris blinks, confused for half a second before instinct pushes her to follow.

The moment her knees begin to bend, a single hand lifts from the palace entrance, shit, too late for her to sink to her knees like the others had done.

“Rise,” a voice commands.

Firm. Steady. Resonant enough that the walls seem to absorb the sound.

Every woman straightens at once. Amaris remains standing where she is, caught between the motion she attempted and the one she halted. Her posture hovers in an awkward midpoint, neither kneeling nor fully upright, a strange half-crouch that makes her feel ridiculous.

And unfortunately, she has already been seen.

The King stands at the top of the steps, framed by the tall doors behind him. His presence fills the space long before he says a word. His eyes sweep across the yard, sharp as cold steel. When they pass over Amaris, they pause. A small flicker of recognition passes through his gaze, so quick she wonders if she imagined it, yet something in her chest tightens the moment his focus settles on her.

He saw her.

Not only saw her.

He knew her.

He masks it well, but it is there, in the slight narrowing of his eyes, in the quiet stillness that falls over his stance. The image of him from last night lingers at the back of her mind even though she never truly saw his face. Her wolf shifts inside her, restless and alert.

Before she can lower her eyes, a stern voice breaks through the crowd.

“Watch her.”

A head guard stands to the left of the King, frowning directly at Amaris. He gestures subtly to one of the warriors beside him, who nods and begins walking toward her with measured steps.

Heat crawls down her spine. She does not understand what she did wrong. Her clothes are simple, yes. She did not kneel perfectly like the others, fine. But she had not meant disrespect. She simply did not know the custom.

The King seems to notice the small commotion because his attention shifts from the crowd to the guard who approached her. A quick glance from him is enough to make the man pause, uncertain but obedient.

Hunter’s gaze returns to the yard.

“Welcome to the palace,” he says, and the courtyard falls silent enough to hear the fountain’s trickle. His voice carries without effort. It is not loud. It simply has weight. “I thank you for accepting the summons on such short notice. I understand some of you traveled far to be here, and I hope your stay will be as comfortable as the palace can provide.”

Several girls beam at the sound of his voice. Others whisper excitedly under their breath. Even Rhea leans slightly forward, as though she hopes proximity might change her fortune.

Amaris stands completely still, unsure whether to watch him or stare at the ground. Every part of her feels too noticeable.

Hunter continues, “For the next three days, you will reside within the palace walls. You will receive lodging, meals, and guidance. There will be no tests, no trials, and no elimination.”

Chatter blooms among the girls, soft and relieved.

Hunter raises his hand again and they quiet down.

“The reason you are here is simple. I am searching for someone who went missing eighteen years ago. A single girl, taken or lost on the night of her birth. Her disappearance has shaped this kingdom more than most of you could know.”

His voice lowers slightly, growing more thoughtful.

“She would be your age today.”

The words settle over the courtyard like dust over stone. The atmosphere shifts. Some girls straighten with pride, as though imagining themselves chosen for a story greater than their own.

Amaris’s heart, however, begins to pound.

Rhea glances at her sharply, eyes narrowing with cold calculation.

Hunter scans the yard again. For a moment, his gaze lifts above their heads, thoughtful and distant. Then it lowers and meets hers again, and her breath catches.

He is unreadable.
Composed.
Yet something in his posture changes when he looks at her, a subtle adjustment that feels deliberate.

He steps forward, slowly descending the stone stairs until he stands directly on the courtyard’s main level.

“You will be assigned rooms in the east and west wings,” he says. “Guards will escort you. Meals will be scheduled. If you require anything, you may inform the stewards. However, until we complete our search, you are not permitted to leave the palace grounds.”

A murmur spreads through the crowd. Someone asks if they will meet the King personally. Another girl wonders aloud if this is some form of competition. A third whispers something about destiny.

Hunter ignores all of it.

His eyes return once more to Amaris, and she feels something inside her twist in response, something instinctive and wild.

Her wolf pushes forward softly.

There he is.

Amaris swallows and lowers her gaze.

Rhea steps closer, the faint sound of her dress brushing against stone.

“Great,” she mutters under her breath. “He is looking for someone special, which means she definitely does not look like you.”

Amaris ignores the jab, though her jaw tightens.

Guards begin stepping forward to divide the girls into groups. The courtyard breaks into smaller clusters as each girl obediently lines up.

The warrior assigned to keep an eye on Amaris hovers near her side now, watching her with silent suspicion.

She has no idea what to do.
No idea what the King has sensed.
No idea why her wolf is so alert.

But one thing is certain.

These three days will not be ordinary.

And nothing in her life will ever return to the way it was.