The Thirty Six Selected

Fourteen

When I'd pulled myself together, I rang the buzzer to summon my maids back. They didn't question my swollen eyes or the tear marks on my face, but they did ask me if I wanted to have dinner in my room. Even though I thought it might be a shame to spend my last evening in the palace alone, it was all I could manage right now.

"Yes, but only if you eat with me," I replied to Adelaide's question.

"Miss, that would be-"

"Please?" I asked. It wasn't an order, it was a request. Adelaide debated for a few moments but eventually gave in. "Alright. But if we get in trouble for this,"

"I'll explain," I promised.

My maids were slightly nervous to be eating with me, but I did my best to make them feel comfortable sharing a meal with me. After, I crawled into bed, and they tucked the covers in around me like I was a small child.

The next morning, I skipped breakfast again, not wanting to see Travon or anyone, even though I was awaiting someone coming to tell me that there was a car outside waiting for me to come home. Finally, I dragged myself down to the Women's room in the early evening, where Indigo and Truly Anne had resumed their card game.

"Morning, Lumina," said Indigo, squinting at her cards.

"Good morning," I said, sitting down in the seat I had occupied yesterday.

"Why weren't you at breakfast? Or dinner for that matter," asked Angel, picking at a loose thread at the hem of her dress.

"Oh, I just didn't feel like going this morning. That's all."

"Travon wasn't at dinner or breakfast either," said Truly Anne, looking at me like she didn't believe my answer.

"I don't know why that'd be," I said. "Can you deal me in?"

"Sorry, we're almost done with this game," said Indigo, shuffling the cards. "You can play the next game."

"No, it's fine. I'm going to go see my maids." I said, standing up, completely put out by my friend's unfriendliness. The fact that they assumed the reason that Travon and I both weren't at dinner and breakfast was that we were on a date was ridiculous. As soon as I stepped out of the Women's room, I allowed myself to contemplate who I would pull for once the competition was over for me. Angel was sweet, but a little gloomy sometimes. Truly Anne was great at public speaking, but sometimes a little too eager. Indigo... was loyal, intelligent, and impulsive, however, I couldn't figure out why she wasn't speaking to me as much. I knew that if Travon chose Clemma, I wouldn't be ecstatic, but I would accept it. If he chose Honey...I didn't know what I'd do. It was so hard to picture Travon, one of the kindest, smartest and considerate people, in love with Honey Bamford. However, if they kissed as frequently as Honey described...I didn't know. Maybe Travon was so two-faced that he could be more like her if he wanted to. The idea made me sick.

I squared my shoulders and hurried up the stairs as fast as I could in my small heels. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should go to my room, or go back into the Women's room. There weren't many other places to go, I supposed. However, on the way to my room, Travon was standing with his father, apparently having a heated discussion about something.

The King's eyes followed me down the hall, and Travon glanced around as I passed, but his eyes slid right past me as if I was part of the walls. I wanted to break something, but I didn't. Instead, I kept walking. That is until the ear-splitting siren pierced through the hall. Rebels. I stood, not sure what to do or where to go. Usually, there was someone to tell me what I had to do or where to go, but now there was no one. I stood like a deer in headlights for a few seconds before I heard pounding and the sound of men shouting as they ran up the stairs. My first impulse was to run, but it would be ridiculous to try in these heels. I slipped them off, my bare feet cold on the marble floor, but as the rebels hurried up the stairs, I was mesmerized by the amount of them there were. Some were carrying guns, somewhere carrying clubs or knives.