Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 14

"Can I speak to you alone Indigo?" Alex asks standing up and wiping off his pants.

"Sure." She says standing. She happily walks around the wall of the palace and away from view.

I sit there forever knowing he'd come back and say to get my things. Before I left I told my maids to pack anything that belonged to me.

I sit there leaning against my palms that were flat against the ground behind me.

"Sorry it took so long." Alex said coming back. I was close to tears to be honest.

"Do I need to go get my things?" I ask trying to hold together.

"What do you mean? I've already sent her home." Alex says sitting back down.

"Oh." Is all I say.

"What happened back there?" He asks quietly.

"Back where?"

"You blinked out. I blink out too so I notice when people blink out." Alex says quietly. I looked up at him.

I hated people with dark eyes. The ones you can't see anything in. The ones you can't tell how they feel. But his weren't like that. His brown eyes seemed to swirl with different emotions, but I couldn't seem to name a single one of them.

"Okay then I blinked out? I don't get your question." I say sitting back.

"Oh but I think you do." Alex leaned in just as far as id leaned back. "Why did you blink out?"

"Stop" I say standing up. "I've already said too much so stop pushing it." I start back into the palace. I was barely inside the doors when I felt his hand on my arm.

"You know you can't actually leave." He whispers.

"Don't remind me." I huff blowing one of the strands of hair away from me face. "I actually could. I could do whatever it takes to get you to hate me so much you'd send me home. But I won't."

He's quiet for a minute and I start to walk away.

"Your back." He breathes. As little as its noticeable be notices. My maids haven't questioned it but have always had dressss that protected the middle of my back. Only one mark stretched vertically. It was only one and I remember it clearly. The guard was walking away and I stood too quickly apparently for just being whipped, so he slapped the thin wire back onto my skin as he was walking behind me.

"I fell once. And that's what your to tell everyone if they are to ask." I say not even turning around. I almost start walking away again, but don't. I feel one hand of his on my back and close my eyes.

We can't say no to anything? We could easily be sentenced to death by law. Could my family even make it without me?

"Please don't." I whisper. Immediately I feel his band removed from my skin.

"I'm sorry." He tells me. I shake my head.

"It's fine." I was afraid of screwing up again so I just left.

•••

A knock came at my door and I wiped my eyes. Hopefully the visitor wouldn't turn on the lights and see my red eyes.

"Come in." I say in a weak voice. I can tell its Alex's silhouette. "What do you need?" I ask.

The lights flicker on but I don't move from my bed.

"Please don't cry." He says softly. "Could you announce this tomorrow in the women's room? I have lots of work to do and will probably miss breakfast." He hands me a letter.

We can't say no.

"Can't someone else do it?" I ask taking the letter.

"I'm afraid someone else will look at it. Your the only one I trust to keep it safe."

"Then I'll just give it to someone else tomorrow in the women's room. And they can announce it immediately." I shrug. Does it really make a difference?

"No I will make sure you announce it. I'll make the Queen herself watch you."

"What does it matter?" I say exasperatedly. "I'm sure it's just another date card."

"But it's not. So I need you to announce it."

"I can't." I say putting the card down. "I'm sorry I just can't."

"Why not?" He asks. I can see his eyes glowing with confusion. Of course nobody's ever told him no before.

"It's personal."

"Do you have stage fright?" He asks. "You did seem jumpy on the stage. "Do you not like talking in front of even a few people? Is it about what happened in the women's room?" He asked and with every question I said no.

"I can't read!" I shout.

"What?" Alex seems to just fall and relax his posture.

"I can't read. I know only the smallest things to reading. Send me home I don't care." I shake my head and back up so my back is hunched in front of the back board.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" His voice was so soft it felt like a cloud. So easy to fall through.

"Because I'm sixteen and I can't read." I roll my eyes. "Do I need to pack now?"

"No. I want to help you." He says scooting forward on the bed.

"Leave me alone." I whisper eyeing him, scooting so far back my back was straight against my back board now.

"Will you let me help you?" He says even quieter.

"Addy told me you'd want to help."

"Since when did you tell Addy this?"

"Since the night of the attack." I whisper. "What's wrong with her? You can't imagine the things she heard without hearing them."

"We were attacked once and she didn't get woken." He starts sitting back farther now. "One of the Rebels went and to her room and took her to one of the guest rooms. We don't get attacked like this much anymore, but they usually don't make into the castle never the less the third floor."

I look at him without my emotions showing through. I felt like I was watching a movie, because I was so intrigued I almost forgot this was a person it happened to.

"He took the one thing you never can get back." He whispers struggling himself. "She never really has recovered. Doesn't sleep much ever, either."

"He raped her?" I ask. He nods.

"It was just a year ago. She had a therapist but she blocked him out completely. She didn't want to go near any men for the longest time. For only some of that time did she include me in that."

"I'm sorry." I whisper holding my legs to my chest.

"I forget sometimes there wasn't anything I could've done. But I don't want to blame the guards either." He shrugged. "What about you meet me in the library at eleven tomorrow?"

"Fine." I nod and look away.

"Don't cry anymore, love, it isn't healthy." He says and kisses the side of my head.