After Ever After

Trade

{AMERICA'S POV}
After 10 agonizing hours in the safe room we are finally allowed to leave, Aspen is the one to release us.
"Please tell me you have good news" Maxon says.
"Your Majesty may I speak to you alone please" he says.
He can't hide his eyes from me and when I see his eyes I know Gerad's gone I know Aspens eyes. I stand there watching Maxon as he slowly nods to what ever Aspens saying. Maxon walks back to me,
"America darling are you alright?" He asks me, I slowly nod my head.
"He's alive America" Maxon whispers in my ear.
"What!" I say.
"They kidnapped him and left a note" he says.
"Wait a note, what do they want money, food supplies, whatever they want we can give them." I say quickly.
"They want the one thing I won't give them, you" Maxon says quietly, he walk over to my family and tells them the news leaving out the part of them wanting me and says they want money and supplies instead.

We walk into our room, I let my mother and Kenna put Jacob to sleep to keep them busy and keep their minds off of Gerad. I have been strong for my mom and May but as soon as Maxon and I walk into our room I collapse on the bed my eyes full of tears.
"America" Maxon says slowly kneeling next to me, he rubs my back and tells me we will get my little brother back,
"Maxon you don't understand this so my little brother I taught him how to play the piano, I played soccer with him when Kota got busy with his sculptures, I was the first one to hold him when he was born, I can't lose my Gerad, I can't lose another piece of my father he looks just like him the way he talks to me and comforts me is exactly like my fathers I just can't lose my dad all over again" I cry out as Maxon listens.
"You won't lose him America, as long as I am here you will never lose another part of your family again as long as I can help it." He lifts me up, tucks me into our bad and cuddles up beside me and we fall asleep like that.

Maxon and I walk down the hallway to Stravos's office, since we never got to hear the news of who was dead. I think about Gerad even though he is 14 now i fear what the rebels are doing to him, I know they won't kill him but knowing how ruthless they are definitely torturing him, poor little Gerad. Maxon intertwines his hand with mine interrupting my thoughts. We walk into Stravos's office he is sitting at his desk papers everywhere, I get a glance at one and see WE WANT THE QUEEN written across it. I shudder and my eyes meet Maxon's his eyes ask a thousand questions that I silence by giving his hand a light squeeze.
"Your Majesties, welcome." He says brushing the rebel notes aside.
"About that death Stravos, who was it" Maxon asks.
"Well it was Ashley Brouillette from Allens, a Three." Stravos said I gasped.
"Wait who is she how do you know her America?" Maxon is confused as he looks back and forth inbetween Stravos and I.
"Ashely was part of the Selection Maxon, one of the eight girls you dismissed" I say.
"How did you know her so well?" He asks
"We met on the plane to the castle she was nice to me like Marlee, how was she killed Stravos" now I am curious.
"Rebels, I'm afraid that they may be after the selected girls one by one killing in order of the way you dismissed them." He says sighing.
"What!" Maxon shouts.
"I thought as soon as I had a wife, a wife that wanted the castes removed as much as I did they wound stop these attacks on the selected." Maxon paces back and forth, I place my hand on his shoulder and immediately he calms down.
"Thank you" he says looking into my eyes.
"Thank you Stravos, continue giving us updates the King and I need a moment to process this and we will think of our next move against the rebels" I say slowly leading Maxon out.
Once in the hallway Maxon and I sprint to our room quickly shutting our door behind us.
"How is this possible?" I ask
"I don't know, why are they even doing this anymore?" Maxon asks.
I hear a cry from Jacobs room and we quickly rush into his room, we both sigh to see he is still there just hungry.
I pick him up and give him his bottle, I walk back and forth bouncing him. After my arms get tired I hand him over to Maxon and I realize that we were so afraid the rebels had broken in and stolen are baby, we have something real to lose now a life that if taken cannot be replaced our child is our main priority.