[AVOID] The Next Selection ✔

~Chapter 20~

Alexis

I find officer Leger almost immediately. He has been guarding the Selected's rooms for the last few days. 

"Excuse me Officer Leger I need to speak to you." He turns to me and looks around to check if anyone is nearby. He wraps his hand around my arm and leads me to a room I have never noticed. 

"I already know what happened. Prince Josh told me before he came to see you." He closes the door behind me and turns on a light. We sit down around a table and he sets down his weaponry. 

"I need to know if you can help me escape if something happens to my family." I explain to him. 

"Of course I can help you, but I need to know if you can leave." "What's that supposed to mean?" I say a bit harsher than intended. "The Prince, are you really okay to leave. You may never see him again." 

Would I be able to? Of course I would be. If my family is in danger then that should be the most important thing. Even if i have to leave Drew...

I nod and look at the table. "If something does happen, come to me immediately. I will gather all the necessary items when my shift is over so if we need to leave we can go quickly." I nod once more. How many bad things could happen?

We could get caught even before leaving the palace, we could get captured by the rebels. But I had to do this. I can't be the reason my whole family is in danger. Not after what happened to dad.

"Okay. Thank you so much. Can I call you Shane? I feel weird calling ny cousin Officer." I say. He laughs and nods.

"You can call me any nickname or Alexis. Lady Alexis is just so formal." My nose wrinkles at the sound of Lady Alexis. I hate being called that.

"Okay. Can I show you something Lad_ I mean Alexis?" He asks. I laugh at him but nod.

He gestures for me to follow and we exit the room.

We walk down the stairs and into a room next to the Women's room. He opens the door for me.

I walk into the room slowly and take in its contents. A grand piano is in the middle and an array of other instruments are placed on the egdes of the room. I walk to the piano and glide my fingers along the keys lightly.

"You are allowed to play." Shane says.

I set myself down on the seat and place my fingers on the keys.

I close my eyes and play. 'Don't play the piano. Let the piano play you.'

My father's words play throughout my mind as my fingers swiftly glide along the keys creating beautiful yet sad music.

I lose myself to the piano and truly let it play me.

I end the piece by running my fingers from the low notes to the hig ones.

I open my eyes and hear clapping. I turn to see Shane, the King, the Queen and Princess Kiara all applauding me.

I curtsy. "Encore!" The king chants. I laugh but instead of go  back to the piano I go to a shelf of violins.

I pick up one and its bow and position it. Once again sad notes bounce around the room.

Once I'm done another round of applause is given to me. Shane grabs a rose from a nearby vase and chucks it to me. I laugh and catch it, careful not to prick my fingers.

The Queen looks over at Shane warily but replaces it quickly with a smile.

"That was beautiful." The King says. "Thank you." I smile and the King leaves woth his wife following.

"Lexi! Thay was so amazing!" She exclaims. "It was nothing." I say modestly. "You keep telling yourself that." I laugh at her remark and soon she leaves as well.

"Can you play?" I ask Shane. "I wouldn't be able to play even if my life depended on it." I laugh and sit in front of the piano again.

I pat the place next to me. "I'll teach you." He comes over and I point out all the notes. "That key before the two black ones is C. After c is d, e, f, g, a, b and then it starts all over again." I explain while pressing the correct keys.

To start off I teach him the melody of 'Ode to Joy'. "Do you get it now?" He nods and starts to play, I do the bass.

"There. See you did it." I do a mini applause.

"Now you have to learn the bass." He groans and I laugh at his reaction.

I hear running and we both turn to the door. "Lexi, all the Selected girls have received letters." "Thanks Kiara. Bye Shane." I wave to Shane and walk to the Women's room. All the other five girls are sitting down with envelopes in their hands. When I get mine we all open ours.

Dear Lexi,

Mum finally let me do a letter to you again. A girl from the Selection came over to our house today. Her name is Iris. She said she's your friend. Josh also knows her and I bet that theu like each other.

Simce you are part of the Elite we all got invited to the palace in five days. Can't wait to see yiu again Lex. 

Miss you

Love from Hazel ♡

I smile at the letter and place it back in the envelope.

Just as I'm about to ask the others what their letters said a piercing scream stops me.

I see Grace with tear stained cheeks and red eyes.

"What's wrong Grace?" I ask her. She hands me the letter and points to a certain sentence with trembling fingers.

'We are so sorry but its been confirmed that your family was captured by the rebels.' 

I gasp and hug her.

I hand the letter to Pandora. "What does it say?" Sophia asks. She reads it out and Grace sobs into my shoulder.

We all sit silently and I sure most of us are thinking the same question.

Will the same thing happen to our families?