The Selection

Chapter Twenty Three

"Eadlyn?" I ask knocking on her study.

"Georgia? Thank goodness, come in! What's wrong? Cole stopped by and asked angrily if we could hold a conviction tomorrow." She beckons me in the room and I almost fall on the couch.

"He told he was holding an elimination. He told me was was eliminating Abigail and Autumn and then Cole asked if I was ok with that. And when he asked about Lilliana, I freaked and he told me he had feelings for her. I'm a mess! But what's the conviction?" I cry

"I need to find a way to get rid of her! Ugh! And to answer your question, the convicting is where the elite show their dedication to the kingdom by condemning men that have committed small crimes in jail for a short number of days. I never had it in my selection and it was bad for my mother only because my grandfather, King Clarkson, hated my mom. Back then they were extreme punishments, but not to worry, they will be small this time around. And wait! Lilliana will be sending one of her own in prison. That will have rebels rebelling in their own community and send them running into our arms." Eadlyn explains

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Lunch is quiet. Cole and Katherine aren't here so I suppose they were on a date, that assumption alone depressed all of us as we only had the other elite, king, queen, America, and her husband Maxon for company. It seems like a lot but with Cole not here, the elite seemed out of place. Bethany keeps looking at the clock, Autumn twirls her pasta around with a fork, Lilliana eats politely, and Abigail try's to make small chatter with me.

"What do you think they're doing on the date?" She asks nervously.

"Umm, I don't know." I answer back. I turn my head to the food and keep eating. I need to find a way to make Cole fall back in love with me so I am both the people's favorite and his. It has to be after his date with Katherine but after that he probably just has meetings. I'll send a note!

As soon as lunch is over I see Katherine walking down to the woman's room, alone. That's good. I race to my room and throw on a white Greek dress that had little gold designs on it. It fitted perfectly and the ankle length made my look like I was apart of the Greek era. Serious but romantic. I run to my desk and pull out a piece of paper.

My one true love,

Meet me where the sunset shows with falling water and a large rock. I'll be waiting.

I hand the note to a maid I saw in the hall. After she turns the corner I sprint outside to the first date Cole took me on. I love that place. I love him more.

I step on another branch breaking it sighing. I don't remember where it is. I stare at the two paths in front of me and decide with the left one. I run down the trail and luckily for me, I find the rock and waterfall. I take out the red rose I snatched from a vase in the hallway from my dress pocket and stand on the rock prepared to devote my love to Cole. I stand for five minutes and rock on my toes and heels waiting. No Cole. I sit down on the rock, one knee bent and the other hanging off of the rock, swinging the rose in my hand above the lake of water beneath me, threatening to let it fall.

"Georgia?" A voice asks. I turn around suddenly and smile at the sight of Cole. I stand and hold up the rose.

"You got my note?" I giggle biting my bottom lip.

"You sent me a note? No I came because I told the advisors I was feeling nauseous so I could get out. The maid must have lost it. What did it say?" He asks raising his eyebrows.

"Just to meet me here." I half smile

"Glad I came. But before you weren't overly happy to see me. Why the sudden change?" He takes a step closer to me.

"Because I found out serious information and I need to tell you right away." I reply

"Is this about Henry, Lilliana, or the rebels? I already explained the situation to you." He crosses his arms and his eyebrows scrunch together in aggravation.

"No. I came here to proclaim a simple fact. I love you. And I want you to take this rose if you feel the same way." I don't move the rose although I want to chuck it into the lake below and hide my feelings away forever.

Cole doesn't respond. He just walks to me and plucks the rose right out of my little fist and kisses me.

"I love you too."