FIRST LOVE ♛ The Selection

2 ♛ The Inspection

THOMAS

Walking off set had never felt so relieving.

The moment the cameras shut off, I left my seat, parting ways with Natalia without so much as a nod. I saw her every week, and would only be seeing more of her once the Selection began, which would waste enough of my energy. No use wasting more of it. Appearing on the Report was the very last thing I would choose to do on my birthday, but I didn't control the days of the week, and this particular thirty-first of March inconveniently fell on a Friday. More inconvenient, too, that it was the single most important birthday I would ever have.

As soon as I left my seat, though, Mother disappeared from set as well. Strange. My sister, Cece, begged her to let us do the gift giving at dinner, meaning we all had to attend, and I assumed we would walk to the Dining Hall together. I had been dreading it all day long, both because we normally ate an hour before the Report and not after (had my stomach made a noise while I had a microphone in hand, I would never live it down), and because I avoided all alone time with my mother, if it could be helped. Though the walk from the set to the Dining Hall spanned a mere five minutes, that was five minutes too long.

Still though, she may have forgotten, and would join us separately. I nearly believed that until her lady-in-waiting, Jada, approached me as I reached the doors. "Your Highness." She curtsied hastily and handed me a small green box, and a cream-colored envelope. "Her Majesty sends her wishes."

I took it from her hands. "Where is she?"

"A meeting, sir. An emergency."

Of course. "Glad to know it means a lot to her," I muttered, straightening quickly. "Do inform her that I've never loathed her more."

Jada nodded and curtsied, though I caught the flicker of hesitation in her face before I turned and headed off to the Dining Hall. She wouldn't repeat that, of course, not verbatim, but perhaps a simple he sends his thanks would convey whatever bitterness I could pass on. I doubted my mother would care.

I tucked the box under my arm and started with the envelope as I walked. It was mother's stationary, sealed with a wax print of the Illéan crest, a purple sticky note attached to the front. I read that first.

Dinner will be just you and your sister. Invite Officer Yiu if you wish.

I crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it in my pocket. Just Cece and me. Again. I didn't even want Mother to come--she would just make the dinner rigid and strange--but Cece planned it, Cece begged her to join us and made sure she would, and Mother disappointing her got to me. The second sentence was also a throwaway. It would've been nice to invite Davian, he was my closest friend, but he was on rotation, and the weekends were far busier for guards. He had already given me my gift that morning, though he claimed it was from both him and his new boyfriend, Isaiah; a book about ancient bug species and a corny plastic magnifying glass, apparently to let everyone know how much of a nerd I am. I let it slide because it was funny.

As I rounded the corner into the main hallway, I ripped open the envelope and pulled out the note. Her handwriting was more refined, the penmanship I was forced to learn, but it was short and to the point.

Perhaps this will assist you in arriving to meetings on time.

Happy birthday,

Mom

I pocketed that one, careful not to crumple it, and lifted the lid from the box. In the center of the red velvet padding sat a watch, rimmed in silver, the centerpiece numberless. Simple, but blatantly expensive, the way her gifts had to be to seem thoughtful. To her credit, though, there weren't many gift-giving options for someone who didn't know me well, which she did not, and they were limited to things I could wear: tie clips, cuff links, watches, pocket squares if one was feeling creative. When I was younger, the list was vast, but only because I was a child and liked anything and everything, so long as it pertained to my broad interests like bugs and reading. Nowadays, it was just accessories. I handed the box off to a passing butler and instructed him to take it to my room.