Royal 3 (Book three in my Selection Series)

Chapter 37

The next day I skipped breakfast and North sent a platter of food down for me and Emily. We hadn't talked about the situation yet and had spent the morning laughing about stories we had been telling each other.

"Did you talk to your old foster family much?" I ask her, changing the subject to more important matters.

"Well, no. They didn't seem interested in a lot of conversation but they wanted to help. I met Melissa at an old cafe but she seemed in such a rush." Emily sighs. "I just remember how much they seemed to love me. And when the adoption papers were almost sent through, they backed out and never spoke to me again."

It was before I knew her, when I was still in the prison. She'd told me about it one night when we were sharing all of our secrets. She never liked to talk about it.

"It was hard to talk to her again but I thought maybe that spark would always be there and it wasn't for her. It was for me though. I missed her." Emily shrugs and takes a bite of a French toast stick. "I don't care anymore though. I'm doing better with my life and I'm working on it."

"Exactly." I smile and sip at my orange juice. I hear a knock on the door. I look up and North walks in.

"Good morning ladies." He says with a small smile. "Emily, I've arranged a place for you to stay for the next few weeks. You don't have to accept it, but it's a very comfortable home and I'm very close with the people living there. Nobody will suspect it and he will never find you there."

Emily looks at me for a second and I just nod slightly. I trusted North, more than almost anyone in the world.

"I don't want to intrude. I've ruined enough in your life and I don't want to ruin anybody else's." Emily shakes her head.

"Please. It's the least I can do and I promise they won't mind." North says surely.

"Emily, please take this." I tell her. She sits up a little straighter and looks at me. "When you leave the palace after family visits are over, he might find you again. I won't be able to sleep at night thinking you might not be safe."

Emily doesn't speak for a minute. "Fine, but once this is sorted out I'm going to find my own place."

"Of course." North agrees. "Will it be an issue to be living with one of my very trusted and close male friends?"

"No. I know that everyone is not the same as he was." Emily says surely. North nods and steps backwards.

"I'll confirm it with them tonight. Thank you. Rose, could I see you in the hallway for s moment?" He asks. I look at Emily then nod. I follow him out of the room. "Are you doing any better?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"There's a lot going on right now and I want you to be okay." North says slowly.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." I smile barely. "I think Emily's doing better though. The doctor said he will let her leave the hospital wing tomorrow but she'll have to check in every night before going to bed."

"I know Emily is doing better, but Rose, I'm worried about you." He says sensitively.

"I'm being honest, North, I promise. If Emily's doing better then I'm doing better." I say with a smile.

"Then go out on a date with me." North responds. "Tonight, go out with me after dinner."

"I really don't want to leave Emily alone." I say quietly and look down at me feet. I wanted to be with North and I wanted to go out on a date with him, but I felt like I was being rude to Emily.

I hear a noise and turn my head. Emily held her side slightly as she limps from the door slightly.

"Rose, if you don't go on this date I will." Emily says with a smirk. I scoff and turn back to North. He laughed slightly and held onto one of my hands.

"What do you say?" He asks again with a small smile.

"Fine. I'll meet you after dinner." I say and roll my eyes, still smiling. "How did breakfast go?"

North suddenly becomes uncomfortable. "A few girls were sent home with their families. Seven girls are currently still here."

"Wait," I pause for minute and let go of North's hands. "What do you mean? Why did you send so many girls home?"

"There was a lot of talk between the girls and their families. They kept looking up and speaking in low voices, so I asked if there was something they would like to share. They started on about how they wanted to know what had happened at the brunch and said a few extremely inappropriate things that were not fit for the Selection."  North says quickly.

"North, you can't do things like that." I groan. "People have said stuff about me their entire lives just a lot of them weren't sensitive enough to do it behind my back. I'm used to it, you can't ruin your life for me."

"Love, those are my choices to make." He reaches for my hand again. "I'll see you tonight."

I begin to say something but he just walks away. I sigh and turn back around to Emily who stands by the door.

"Rose, you are an idiot." She groans and walks back into her room, wincing as she gets up on her bed.

"Excuse me?" I say, confused.

"There's a Prince— literally a Prince, fawning over you and you stand there and refuse his love. This guy is doing everything for you and you're telling him it's too much." She laughs.

"It's not like that, Emily. There are still other girls here and I don't want him sending home girls that he might end up with for someone like me." I sit on the side of her bed and look over at her.

"Someone like you?"

"Someone who can't marry him, someone who can't win this thing, and someone who will never be able to be the queen of Illéa." I say quietly.

"Stop rating yourself, Rose. Who's to say you can't become a princess or queen? Don't let society define you like this because you are so much better than this." Emily tells me with a small smile.

I look up at the light on the ceiling. Maybe somewhere in another world she was right, but that isn't here.

"I wish."