Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 48

I pull my bag along in the jeans that I had gotten for one of the dates with Will when we rode horses and an old top from home.

I knew I'd probably see the royal family before I left but I didn't care at this point. Everything I'd wanted was happening and then pulled away from me.

I step out of the palace into the cool fall breeze where the other three girls stand with their own bags. I see that entire Royal family was standing near the door and Will was saying his farewells to the other girls.

By the time I get out of the door and take in the scenery I feel Paige hugging me closely. Oddly, I feel her hand find mine and pick out my ring finger, then I realize what she was searching for. She was making sure I had the ring on.

"He did a good job, huh?" She asks and I hear here sniffle then realize she was crying.

"Yeah. Its beautiful." I mutter and twist it on my finger.

"Until next time?" Paige says quietly with tears forming in her eyes.

"Until next time." I agree and hug her tightly. "What if something happens to you or Will?"

"We'll be safe." She says confidently but it didn't follow through on her face. I knew she would be in danger because the rebels were going to be on their tail.

"Goodbye." I say to her and take a glance at the Royal family. Logan was looking in our direction, surprised. I ignore it and smile at Paige.

"Goodbye." She says to me and backs up to her family. All the girls were heading to the airport in the same sleek back car and Will had just said goodbye to the last of them.

Will doesn't say anything to me, but only pulls me into a tight hug. I close my eyes as if it would help the moment last longer.

"It'll be over eventually. One day, I'll come back just hold on." He mutters, but his voice is muffled by my hair.

"What happens if you get hurt? What do I do then?" I ask with a chill going through my spine as I think of it. I hold onto him tighter.

"I'm not going to get hurt. I promise." He pulls back a bit and takes hold of my left hand. Will finds the ring on my finger and kisses it. "I've already asked you to marry me, haven't I? And I don't back down from a promise."

He has a slight grin on his face as he says so to try and lighten the mood.

"My maids know." I whispered. "She found the ring this morning." I figured he must know. If someone were to figure out that they knew something they could be killed. His eyes focus nowhere in particular and he nods.

"I'll make sure they're safe." He tells me. "Don't worry about it though. I will try and get in contact with you as soon as I think something is clear."

"Okay." I nod and look at him for another minute. "I don't want to leave. It just doesn't seem right."

"None of it does." Will mutters and pulls me back into a hug. "I still love you. I will always love you."

"I love you too." I mutter into his soft shirt. Somehow I'd forgotten every other Selected could see me through the windows and the royal family stood yards away from us.

"If something happens to me, Autumn," Will begins. "Please move on. Don't spend your time thinking of what might've been, please." 

"Please don't talk like that. You are going to be fine and I'm going to be fine and it's only a matter of time before we see each other again." I say almost accusingly. "This Goodbye just doesn't seem right."

"That's why I'm guessing it's not going to be the last." Will smiles and kisses me shortly. I was only barely taken aback by it but ignored it. "Stay safe, Autumn. I love you."

"I love you too." I whisper quietly as he opens the door of the car for me. This isn't what I wanted. This wasn't what I came here to accomplish.

He kissed me on the forehead one more time before I ducked in the car and the door was shut. I notice the seats were in a 'U' shape around the sides and back of the car and all the girls seemed settled in already.

Eden and Aida seemed to be dabbing tears from their eyes but Josie just moved so I had more room. I try not to start any unnecessary conversation and sit quietly.

"I'm sorry, Autumn. I know you loved him." Josie says quietly but still loud enough for the whole car to hear it.

"I'm sorry for you too." I say simply, but I couldn't understand how her pain compared anything to mine.

"It's not the same for me, or Aida, or Eden. It took me a while to see it but I think we all realized only one of us truly belongs at this palace and it's you. I did love him, but not the sort of love people die over." Josie shrugs.

"There's someone out there for you." I try and lighten the mood with a smile.

"You're right. We are still young." Josie sighs. Eden and Aida were quiet and kept to themselves to the airport, but all I could think about was Will. He claimed he wouldn't be hurts but he wouldn't go away if he wouldn't be hurt and he wouldn't let me go because he was afraid of my safety.

I slid the diamond ring off and out in in my bag so that the others didn't see it. I only wished to go back to the night he gave this to me when he made the promise to marry me and I'd been so excited. How had it all gone so wrong?

No matter what he told me, I realized this could be a bad time and nothing was guaranteed.