Audition
Avery sat up a little straighter, her eyes fixed on Diana Marks. She had no idea what Stellar Media was planning, but Diana's use of the word "crush" had set off an alarm in her head. This wasn't about friendly competition. This was about total annihilation.
So, Stellar Media was gunning for those other three companies.
Or maybe the grudge wasn't with the company itself, but with Julian Shaw personally.
Avery replayed what she'd overheard in Dexter Reed's office just yesterday: Diana, insisting Julian never expected the company to actually turn a profit.
There was a lot to unpack in that. Running a massive operation, supporting that many people, with no intention of making money? And yet they were out to *crush* their rivals?
Whatever their power struggle was, it had nothing to do with her.
She'd already signed the contract and had no intention of quitting, even if all four companies declared all-out war.
She had her own reasons for being here. As long as Stellar Media was willing to funnel resources her way, to help her get justice for the late Dr. Avery Hayes, she didn't mind being their weapon.
As Avery mulled it over, the other actresses cycled through their auditions until only she remained.
But no one had left the waiting area. Filming for *Bones of Mountains and Rivers* was already underway, which meant the director and producers were making their final casting decisions today, right after these auditions wrapped.
When her name was called, Avery slipped out of her puffy winter coat and handed it to Wyatt. After a final, quick check of her makeup in a compact mirror, she started toward the audition room, her heels clicking confidently against the floor.
The hallway light caught her as she moved.
Her oatmeal-colored cashmere dress clung to a tall, elegant frame, and the deep black of her hair made her fair skin seem almost luminous.
She'd chosen a classic, rust-colored lipstick, a single, bold stroke of color that was as sharp and arresting as it was beautiful.
A quiet tension rippled through the waiting room.
A few of the other actresses straightened up, their own confidence suddenly seeming to falter.
Even Whitney Patton's brow furrowed in appraisal.
And as for Roman Duke, well, that was a given.
The moment he saw Avery, so radiant and composed, his face curdled.
Wyatt had been standing in front of her, mostly blocking the view.
But now, with a clear look at her, you could feel the hope drain right out of the room.
They'd all read the script. They knew the character of the barbarian princess: dazzling, commanding, with an innate nobility.
A woman who travels to the Central Plains on a secret mission, cautious but ready to strike at a moment's notice.
And looking at Avery... what was even the point of auditioning?
She *was* the princess, pulled right off the page.
She didn't even have to act. Just based on looks alone, the director would probably hire her on the spot.
The sense of despair was palpable, but still, no one left.
Avery pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was sparse, dominated by a long table at the far end. In the open space before it sat a single wooden chair, isolated in the beam of a spotlight. An invisible stage.
Sitting at the table were the director, Conrad King, and his production team, as well as the film's stars, Raphael Valenti and Melina Warner. The moment Avery walked in, dressed for the part, their eyes lit up with interest.
"You must be Avery Hayes," Director King said, a smile touching his lips. "Simon Vance was right about you. You're a perfect fit for the role, visually."
Unlike the other actors who had auditioned, Avery was a complete unknown to them.
"Director King, Mr. Sterling," she said, her voice even and clear. She met their gazes without a hint of nerves before turning to offer a small, smiling nod to Raphael Valenti and Melina Warner.
"Alright," Director King said, getting right down to business. "I assume you've read the script. Let's see the scene where the princess arrives in the Central Plains and has her first audience with the emperor."
Avery nodded, closing her eyes for just a moment. In her mind, she transformed the room into the imperial court and Director King into the emperor himself. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was locked on him, her entire demeanor shifted.
She didn't speak right away. She simply held his gaze for a long moment, then lifted her chin, her amber eyes perfectly still.
She inclined her head, a gesture that was more a show of protocol than genuine deference.
Her red lips parted. "I am Isolde, an envoy of the Huihe," she said, her voice measured and cool, carrying easily through the quiet room.
"By order of my Khatun, I have come to greet His Majesty, the Emperor of the Central Plains."
The words were respectful, but her posture and unwavering gaze were anything but.
She carried herself not as a subject, but as an equal, a representative of a rival power.
As she finished speaking, the faintest hint of a smile touched her lips, but her eyes remained fixed on Director King, sharp and analytical, as if she were trying to peel back the layers of the emperor's facade right then and there.
After a deliberate pause, a flicker of something almost playful entered her expression as she glanced around the audition room.
"My people's historians sing praises of the Central Plains," she continued.
"They speak of a thousand nations paying homage, of armies like a forest of steel. Seeing it for myself... I can see the history books spoke the truth."
As she said the word "truth," her gaze drifted to a point in the distance, her eyes casually sweeping over imaginary palace guards, men whose ornate armor was likely more for show than for battle.
She then turned and walked calmly to the wooden chair, the cashmere of her dress swirling around her legs. She sat, not leaning back but perching on the edge, her spine perfectly straight. Her hands rested lightly on the armrests, poised and alert, a queen on a foreign throne, watchful and wary.
Director King exchanged a look with the producer, Mr. Sterling.
An unspoken agreement passed between them.
Simon Vance had good instincts; this girl was the real deal.
The other actresses had been either stiff or bland, their attempts at confidence coming off as forced.
But Avery... she embodied the character's unique blend of casual superiority and sharp intelligence.
She wasn't just acting arrogant; she was actively testing them, and the subtle power shift in the room was palpable.
King nodded, satisfied, and glanced at the rest of his team. They gave a subtle, unanimous nod in return.
With their consensus clear, King looked back at Avery, who was still seated, poised and waiting. "You can wait outside for now," he said. "We'll have an answer for you shortly."
Avery rose from the chair. She offered them a brief, professional smile. "Of course," she said, her voice still confident. "Thank you for your time."
And with that, she turned and walked out, leaving them to their discussion.
The door clicked shut behind her, muffling the immediate murmur of conversation that started up inside.
The soundproofing was too good to make out any words, but it didn't matter.
She'd done everything she could. The rest was up to them.