The Selected | ✓

Chapter 16

If it weren't for the fact that I fell asleep in my dress and the doors to my balcony are open, I would've been convinced that last night was all a dream. Instead the sound of birds and a stray ray of sunlight managing to hit me right in the eyes wake me up.

Taylora, Alexis, and Maria aren't here yet. I take that as a good sign and quickly change into the night clothes that I should've worn to bed. I climb back in bed and shut my eyes just as the door opens. I sit up and pretend to have just woken up. "Good morning, miss." Maria says.

"Good morning. How are you?"

"Wonderful. How are you?"

"Great. So what am I wearing today?"

Alexis holds up a long, black-with-diamond pattern velvet dress. "And you'll be wearing black flats, too." She says. "Do you want your hair down?"

I smile, remembering what Alexander said. "Yes, that would be great."

They get to work. I take a bath, which smells like roses, and then Alexis works on my hair while Maria adjusts my dress. Taylora cleans up the room. Alexis steps back, her fingers tapping against her upper lip. "I think...no makeup. Taylora?"

Taylora turns from working on the curtains. "Yes, I agree. No makeup."

There's a knock on the door. "Cassiana, if you aren't awake, I'll come in there and jump on you!" My maids all look at each other and burst out laughing.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I walk down to breakfast with Clara. She chatters on about how beautiful my dress was and how the other girls weren't bad, but she liked Aquia's the second best. She then stops talking abruptly and pulls me down a random hallway. "I just rememebered- Alexander disappeared last night around midnight. Did you see him?"

My heart beats faster at the thought of last night. "Yes. Why?"

She grins. "Did you two kiss?"

"Clara!"

"What?" She whines. "I want to know!"

I smile. "Maybe. You'll have to ask him."

She groans and leads me to breakfast. "You frustrate me."

"I know. That's a good thing."

She shakes her head. "Not for me!"

We sit down in our seats. Everyone else hurries in. Mason and Alexander, looking absolutely exhausted, follow last. Mason drops into his chair like he's been standing all night. "Rough night?" I ask. He gives a tired smile.

"Very. There is way too much going on right now for my liking." I open my mouth to reply, but the king does what he usually does and blesses our food or whatever.

Alexander glances up at me a few times, and when he catches my eye he smiles. Clara looks back and forth between us, and so does the queen.

Other than that, breakfast passes quickly. Clara goes for a walk in the garden, and I decide to go out as well, though alone.

I hear shouting and gunfire and hide in some bushes. Footsteps pound past me, and there's more shouting. People yell orders at each other. I hear something like, "Secure the grounds! We want those royal bastards dead!"

Rebels. I shudder involuntarily.

There's a shout of glee and a gunshot, closer this time. I hear a girl scream, and though I've never heard it before, I recognize it almost immediately.

Clara.