Prologue

This happened completely by accident. That I have a prologue for this book.
I hope everyone likes it... If not... Pity. It gives me another 294 words.

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I love my country. It’s one of those places that you wouldn’t believe exists until you see it. Of course, I don’t usually appreciate its beauty until after the contests on Father’s Day when I’m left bemoaning the fact that I’m not in the running to rule it yet. So goes the life of Jade Zamzow.

   It’s not really my fault I’m not in the running, though. Of all seventeen of us, I’m the youngest since my brother Eliot- child number eighteen- committed suicide at age ten. To tell the truth, I’m still not exactly sure why he did it, and I’m kind of sad he did.

   However, that still leaves me sixteen siblings to fight against.

   Sure, John went away to become a hippie, and Aimee was disowned because she supported a revolution. My elder brother Nick decided to become a priest, my other brother Marshall was disowned for a plot against the king- our father- and Lanx wouldn’t be in the running if my dad knew he was gay. My twin, Samantha, isn’t much of a threat either, but that’ just because she’s mentally ill and has zero interest in becoming the monarch.

   The remaining siblings of mine, though?

   Deadly.

   They have to be! If you want to rule the country, you have to be drop-dead gorgeous and equally capable of killing someone with your bare hands and beating every single member of the adult chess club at strategy by the time you’re twelve. But that’s beside the point.

   The point is that this Father’s Day, which is when the annual contests are held, I’m going to win. And I’m going to make it into my father’s favorite five group, and I’m going to become queen.

   Well, that’s the plan, anyway.