The Thirty Six Selected

Nine

The latest gossip was that Kiera had left, too afraid to remain in The Selection after the rebels had left. Poimesa and Clemma were glad to see the back of her.

"She was a plain girl," said Clemma, nibbling on a cookie.

Indigo and Angel grilled me on everything that I knew about the date.

"No, I don't know what we're doing," I repeated for the twelfth time.

"Are you sure?" moaned Indigo.

"I'm so happy that you finally got a date!" said Angel, sipping her tea.

"Who got a date?" asked Honey. She'd been standing behind us, apparently, followed by Clemma and Vivianna.

"Lumina!" said Indigo happily.

"Oh!" Honey smiled, but her eyes were glaring at me. "That's great. You know, me and Travon went on three dates."

"That's wonderful, Honey," I said and sipped my tea again. I wasn't going to let myself get bothered by Honey anymore.

Something shifted in Honey's expression. She remained smiling, but her eyes were trying to figure out why I wasn't retaliating. Finally, she turned around and started over to the couch.

My maids were overjoyed that I had a date and flustered that they only had a day to make my dress. Adelaide and Emerston went straight to work sketching out ideas, and Marigold asked me if I knew anything about the date.

"No," I said for what seemed like the millionth time. "I don't know what we're doing, he just said that he'd pick me up," I said, and my maids giggled.

That night at dinner, I looked up at Travon. He seemed to be completely at ease, eating his dinner and talking quietly with the Queen, and Princess Kemper. They both looked over at me once or twice, particularly Kemper again. She was small, but with long locks of wavy golden blonde hair, and didn't look a day over thirteen. It was sad that one day, she would likely marry the young prince of Swendway. Even though I knew nothing of him, I knew that it would be miserable to feel like something to trade away, and not to have any say in my relationship.

The next day, Travon was late. I had been put in my cap-sleeved, dark green day-dress, my hair pulled back in two french braids again, but to no avail.

"You're sure he meant this Saturday, right?" asked Adelaide, a crease on her brow.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said and sat down on my bed. I had been reading an old book of stories that was practically crumbling in my hands that Indigo had found in the library. If Travon wasn't going to show up, I wasn't going to waste my day sitting around and waiting for him.

Just then, as I sat down, there was a knock on the door. Marigold looked at me, questioning if she could answer, and I nodded.

"Hello, your highness!" Marigold called. I didn't even have to look up to know it was Travon.

"Hello," said Travon pleasantly. Emerston giggled, and Adalaide threw her a sharp look.

"You know, you haven't even told me what we're doing," I said, following him out the door.

"Sorry, I wanted to think of something you wouldn't make fun of me for," said Travon. "You strike me as the type that's hard to impress."

"Not really. You should have seen my face when I got here."

"I seem to recall you calling the palace a maze."

We passed a group of guards and cameramen, who didn't stop us from stepping outside. I was hit by the smell of fresh flowers and September air.