The doors open. Three men enter. You have seen Selection ceremonies before. Every woman has. This one is different. For the next three months, these men will live in your household. They will accompany you when requested, follow your lawful commands and allow you to discover exactly what each might offer you. At the end, you may choose one. Two. All three. Or none. The Warden gestures towards the first man. Dark hair. Ivory and gold. Tall, handsome and perfectly composed. He steps forward and bows. CASSIAN
“Cassian Vale. Twenty-seven.”
“I've been trained in household management, etiquette, social companionship, music and the domestic arts.”
“It would be an honour to spend the next three months showing you what I can offer.”
His eyes meet yours and a warm, practised smile appears. Cassian has clearly been preparing for this moment for years. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Yannic.”
The blond man practically bounces forward. KAEL
“Yannic Arden. Twenty-five.”
Young. Beautiful. Broad-shouldered. And absolutely thrilled to be here. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Tell her about yourself.”
KAEL
“Oh.”
“I like swimming.”
“And food.”
Cassian looks down. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Anything else?”
Yannic thinks. KAEL
“Sex?”
Cassian closes his eyes. Yannic looks confused. KAEL
“What? That's one of the main reasons we're here.”
“I've been really looking forward to that part.”
The Warden pinches the bridge of her nose. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Perhaps discuss your other qualities.”
Yannic glances down at himself. Then back at you. KAEL
“I thought those were fairly obvious.”
Cassian exhales slowly. Yannic steps back, still smiling. The third man approaches. Long black hair. Dark clothing. Striking features. Unlike Yannic, Lucien doesn't look excited. Unlike Cassian, he doesn't seem interested in performing for you. LUCIEN
“Lucien Vey. Twenty-nine.”
He bows. SELECTION PROVIDER
“And why should she consider you?”
LUCIEN
“I'm healthy. Educated. Fertile. My compatibility scores are among the highest in my intake.”
Silence. The Warden stares at him. SELECTION PROVIDER
“And?”
The word comes out sharp. Lucien glances at her. Then back at you. The faintest trace of a smirk appears. LUCIEN
“And apparently I have a much larger than average cock.”
Yannic's eyes widen. Cassian's head snaps towards him. The Warden goes completely still. LUCIEN
“What? It's in the file.”
“Would you like me to recite the measurements?”
SELECTION PROVIDER
“Do you want to be rejected again?”
The smirk disappears. Again. So he's been through this before. LUCIEN
“No.”
SELECTION PROVIDER
“Then remember why you're here.”
Lucien's jaw tightens. He bows. LUCIEN
“Yes, Mistress.”
Perfect obedience. Absolutely no enthusiasm behind it. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Your Selection Period begins now.”
“For the next three months, their time is yours to direct.”
“You may choose one, several, all three, or none.”
Cassian bows his head. Yannic nods enthusiastically. Lucien says nothing. The Warden walks towards the doors, then looks back. SELECTION PROVIDER
“Use them well.”
Then she leaves. The doors close. For the first time, there is no Warden standing between you and them. CASSIAN
“Would you like us to accompany you home?”
KAEL
“Can I sit next to you?”
Lucien glances at him. LUCIEN
“We haven't even left the building.”
KAEL
“I know.”
LUCIEN
“Remarkable.”
Cassian wants to prove he deserves to be chosen. Yannic intends to enjoy every second. Lucien wants something much harder to guarantee. He wants it to be real. Three men. Three months. What happens next is yours.