The Choosing

Chapter 27//: The secret's out

[ E D I T E D ]

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 27//: The secret's out♕✿~♕✿~

After a few moments, Ahren and I have woken up the rest of the Chosen girls. As soon as they wake up, they group with their friends, still shaken and shocked to silence from the attack.

"Guards, I want you all to protect the Chosen girls," the king yells out. Quickly and efficiently, the guards push us into a circle and surround us. There are barely any gaps between each guard; we're completely surrounded.

As we go up the stairs leading above, my mind wanders. I wonder if the king knows I'm here. I dryly chuckle, but it has no humor in it. Why am I even thinking about that after what happened?

I feel dread as we reach the ballroom. The metallic tang of blood reaches my nose, and I recoil in both disgust and fear. I can barely see the Silvers holding onto loved ones, skin healers helping wounded Silvers, and the 4 bodies against the wall with people by them with mournful expressions on their faces. My stomach churns when I see the pink, lace hem of Tara's dress.

I turn away from the sight as I try to take deep breaths. We reach the bottom of the grand staircase, and the guards lead us behind the king, queen, and Ahren, who all discuss amongst themselves quietly.

"Tonight, our Red brothers have done something unforgivable!" As the king shouts this out, the sniffles and tears quiet down. The Silvers and Chosen girls listen to him intently as he continues to speak.

"A group who calls themselves the Rogue Dawn has done this terrible killing. They have come to our attention once they sent us a video of them killing our people only a couple of days ago."

I stand there in shock as everyone around me gasps. The king lied. The royal family has known about them for much longer than a couple of days. Yet the king did not tell the Silvers this. He doesn't want them to know that the Rogue Dawn has been threatening them for far longer.

"These people, these murderers, want us to be frightened. They want to kill us all and take over our country for themselves." The king holds up a tattered piece of cloth and I notice the symbol of the Rogue Dawn, with the black background and the bleeding sun. "But we will not give them this satisfaction. We will keep on fighting. I swear on my blood, on my crown, on my son, that I will hunt every one of these terrorists down until I fall." At the end of this sentence, the king throws down the Rogue Dawn's symbol. The Silvers around me shout their approval with cries of anger, revenge, and sorrow all mixed together.

"Strength! Power! Death!" The Silvers shout. I feel Addaline and Rose squeeze my hands, and I squeeze their hands back.

The king turns to the guards surrounding us. "I want them all to go back to their room. Make sure each has a guard stationed by their room." The guards wordlessly separate so that one guard is with one Chosen girl. I realize with dry humor that my guard is the one that I have such a great relationship with.

"Well, nice to see you're back with me after abandoning me," I tell my guard. The green-eyed guard, to my surprise, smiles a bit.

Before he can reply, Ahren comes up to us. He looks at the officer and says, "Officer Nolle, please take care of Lady Madison well." The guard, which I now know his name is Officer Nolle, nods at Ahren. "Of course, Your Highness."

Officer Nolle grabs my arm gently and leads me up the grand staircase. We walk up the stairs leading to the second floor where the Chosen girls' rooms are. The guard and I reach my room, and I turn back to him. "Thanks for leading me back," I murmur before opening my door and entering my room.