Prince Alex's Selection

Chapter Nine

Prince Alex

I turn around to have one last look at April before I leave. I feel bad for being so cold with her but she can't know what just happened. My eyes widen when I see a rebel holding a gun up to her. Before my mind is fully aware of it, I'm running towards her. I'm running faster than I've ever ran in my life but I don't know if it's enough.

I grab her arm and just as I hear a bang I pull her to the floor. I hit my head on the ground hard and wince from the pain. I'm not the priority at the moment though, I need April to be okay.

I prop myself up on my elbow and look at her. She's bleeding from her shoulder. It looks like the bullet just skimmed past her. It looks sore but it'll heal. I look at her face and see she's unconscious. I'm not sure what to do so I slap her- like they do in the movies- to try and wake her up. It doesn't work.

"April?!" I shout in panic.

I shake her in another attempt to wake her up but it's of no use. I'm about to pick her up and take her to the safe room when I hear the click of a gun behind me. I'd completely forgotten about the rebel standing there.

I slowly stand up and turn around to face him. It's a lot harder to kill someone if you're looking into their eyes.

"Just leave the girl alone." I tell him.

"You did more harm to her than I did." He laughs.

I consider arguing that actually that's not entirely true. Yes, I did knock her out but had I not pushed her to the ground then she'd almost definitely be dead. Seeing as he's currently pointing a gun at me I decide that I probably shouldn't point this out to him.

"She's completely innocent. Please? Just let her go?" I plead with him.

For a moment it looks as if he might leave April alone, but then two other rebels join us and he decides against it. One of the other rebels picks April up and walks down the corridor. The first rebel jabs the gun into my back to get me to move. I yelp in pain.

"Oh get over it, your Highness. I barely touched you." He snaps in a mocking tone.

I feel like such a wimp. He wouldn't be saying that if he knew.

The rebels lead us along the corridors. We come across a few guards but the rebels manage to kill or injure all that they encounter. I expect that most of the guards are helping the rest of my family and the selected. April and I were quite far away from everyone else when the attack started so I'm not surprised that we haven't seen many people.

The adrenaline is finally beginning to wear off and the pain in my back is becoming almost unbearable. I start stumbling a bit on my way to wherever they're taking us.

"Don't they teach you to walk straight at the palace?" One rebel sneers.

I don't answer. I just concentrate on walking.

Eventually, the rebels open Emma's bedroom door and take us inside. I'm confused as to why they chose this room but then push the thought out of my mind. That's not important right now.

The rebel holding April puts her down on the floor by the bottom of the bed. He ties her arms to the bed post so she can't escape when she wakes up.

"Okay, what exactly is your point? What do you want? To kill everyone?" I ask angrily.

They don't answer. The first rebel points to the floor by the other bedpost. When I don't move he raises his gun and points it at April, so I give in and sit on the floor, letting one of the other rebels tie my arms to the bed post.