The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1649

Given her royal lineage, it was compulsory to provide the finest materials for the princess’s gown, as comfort was paramount within the opulent walls of the palace.

After scouring the internet for royal attire appropriate for a variety of high-society events, Arabella found that night had fallen upon her.

At the Kowloon Bay Raceway, not far from the starting line, a crowd had gathered. Among them were the members of the Drift Kings and the Light Fleet, with onlookers to catch the night's action.

The Drift Kings had handed defeat to numerous teams in the past races, and tonight, curiosity was piqued. Would the Light Fleet rise to the challenge and conquer the track at Kowloon Bay?

Ophelia Almond, the captain of the Light Fleet, had declared that victory would lead to an open invitation. All racing enthusiasts would be welcome to come, experience, and train on their turf.

"Tell me, has your leader chickened out?" Harlan, the vice-captain of the Drift Kings, sneered from atop his sleek white sports car, glancing at his expensive watch, "What's the hold-up? If you're scared, just admit it. Why send these rookies to take the heat?"

Laughter rippled through the crowd, and Candice, a fiery member of the Light Fleet, shot back, "First time I see someone so eager to get schooled. The race is still six minutes away, not six seconds. Chill out."

"Exactly," echoed the rest of the Light Fleet.

"Enjoy your laughs now. I have a feeling you won't find anything funny when you're the ones eating dust," Candice retorted, unafraid of Harlan's biting sarcasm.

The Drift Kings erupted into laughter, especially the vice-captain Harlan, who looked at the Light Fleet with a mocking grin, as if to say they were in over their heads.

"Please, I've seen your captain's driving. If you think you can make us cry, you've got another thing coming," before Harlan's voice trailed off, a beauty sidled up to him, initiating a heated exchange that left little to the imagination.

Candice had never cared for their antics, but with only five minutes to race time, she wondered about Arabella's whereabouts.

"Audrey, is Arabella going to show?" Mignon, another teammate, whispered to Candice, her gaze fixed on the scene before them, "We're running out of time. Should we call her?"