The clock ticks slowly as I play with my fingers resting on my lap. I make sure to glance up at the clock to make sure it is not 5:38.
5:38.
The time in which the rebels who kidnapped my twin sister and the king of Illèa will be sending us some form of message about their whereabouts. We don't know what this message will be or how it is getting to us. It could be Felicity or King Everette in a body bag for all we know. The only clue we have is a small napkin that was placed on the king's throne.
It's funny how something as trivial as a napkin could hold the answer of life or death.
"Cordelia," Forrest says sitting across from me. "The more you stare at that clock the longer it will be."
I dare to remove my attention from the clock to look over at Forrest. We were sitting in the back of the library reading the books we found on King Clarkson. Well, Forrest was the only one reading. I was just watching the clock.
"You of all people know how I feel about control. This is the only way I can examine the situation and try to help."
"You could try helping me..." Forrest trails off in a voice that leads me to think there is a double meaning.
"You can read by herself, you're a big boy." I shoot back to him and he lets out a low whistle.
"Someone is a little salty."
I continue to stare at him with pure shock all over my face. "How can you be so calm? How can you joke around? I know you don't care about Felicity, but your father is gone as well."
Forrest sighs and closes the book, finally realizing that if I can't concentrate at a time like this, he certainly can't. "Lila, if I thought about the situation- really thought about it- I wouldn't be able to handle it. And you of all people should know this."
I feel a little embarrassed that I called him out on his behavior. I basically accused him of not caring about his father.
"I apologize, Forrest." I say and turn my attention back to the clock.
"Wow, is this your second apology to me? It seems I am warming up to you."
I roll my eyes but still keep them directed at the clock. I hear a shuffle and assume Forrest is leaving, because who wants to watch another person stare at a clock?
But again I am wrong, because I can never predict Forrest like I can other people. I have just have to learn to accept it.
I feel his warm hand glide across my back and I can't help but shiver.
"Cordelia," He says as he leans down toward my ear. "I can distract you and you can distract me." Forrest leans closer toward my lips and I don't pull away. "This is a win win situation."
Just as his lips brushed mine we both hear the door to the library open. Forrest jerks away from me and opens up a book quickly. I'm still recovering from his touch just as a guard approaches us.
"Prince Forrest, it is five thirty. The Queen has requested that you go to the throne room."
Forrest nods his and stands up and I go to follow, but the guard stops me.
"Only the prince. The queen made her instructions clear."
I open my mouth to argue, but that is something the girl I am playing in this environment would not do something like argue with a guard.
I grit my teeth and nod. "Of course. I'm sorry."
Forrest seems to hesitate as well, but I am already walking toward the exit of the library before he can do anything. I just have to be confident that he will talk to me later. It's strange putting faith in another person. I haven't done so in a while.
I walk into the woman's room and it seems somewhat empty without Felicity. Probably because I didn't care about anyone else so their existence didn't really matter to me.
"Cordelia,"
I direct my attention at the voice but I already knew who it was. "Taylor, if you are going to say something that will upset me, I advise you not to do it." I pause for a moment. "Actually, everything that comes out of your mouth upsets me. So maybe you shouldn't speak at all." I turn around to take a seat on the couch to distract myself with the television, but Taylor stops me.
"I wasn't going to say anything offensive." She says. "I was just going to say that we will get Felicity back. I know you two are close."
I shrug with my usual careless demeanor. I then take a seat on the couch and flip on the television. It was 5:37. One more minute and the royal family will receive a message from the enemy.
I flip through the channels, distracting myself as much as I could. It was too difficult for me to just sit here and do absolutely nothing. Know absolutely nothing. I find comfort in knowledge. And right now, I had none of that.
And just like that, the television switches off. I assume Taylor was just messing with me so I go to turn it back on. Again, the screen remains black.
"This isn't funny, who is doing this?" I ask in a tired tone and look around the room. But all the girls that are still in this competition remain in one clump together by Taylor.
"Good morning, Illéa!"
I snap my attention back to the television and see an older man with one small portion of his head shaved, and a tattoo of an arrow standing out loud and proud. This confuses me because when it comes to the rebel group we are facing, they usual shave a simple arrow on the side of their head.
His hair was black but at his age he would probably have grays, which means he dyed it. But something about his face hit me in a weird way. Like I know him.
He smiles wide before finally speaking. "The first thing I want to get straight is that we are not a rebel group." The man then scoffs. "We will not be associated with people who want change but have no idea how to enact it. How silly is that?" He laughs a little and it sends chills through my entire body. "My people and I are more like... A kingdom. Just like the people of Illéa. That is where the similarities end, i'm afraid. Illéa has fallen apart." The man sighs like he's sad by this statement. "It may seem fine from the inside because of that stupid game show you throw every time there is an heir that hits adolescence but can't seem to keep it in his pants." The man cracks his knuckles, pausing for a moment. "The citizens of Illéa cannot see past the fun activities and events that are there to distract you from the real problems. Because if the wealthy and privileged are kept happy, what can possibly go wrong? And before you all start thinking that the new rulers will enact change, guess what? You're most likely wrong. Queen America and King Maxon were supposed to turn around this country, but look where they are now. One is dead and one is broken."
There are a few gasps throughout the room and I can't help but gasp myself.
"This country is corrupt." The man's face becomes dark as it loses its carefree facade. Then his face disappears and it's replaced by videos of the less fortunate provinces. Clips of workers being beaten and videos of people who are practically dying on the streets.
One video confused me. Soldiers stopped beating civilians after Queen America and King Maxon came into power. I would know. So why were they showing clips of guards in current uniforms beating workers? I thought for sure that law was enforced greatly. But everything seem to click into place when the video of citizens stood in a line and were shot one by one. This was when this... group was after me and Forrest. These guards are not the people we hired, but how will the people of Illéa know the difference? As far as i'm aware, Forrest and I are the only people who knew this happened.
"Those are the secrets you are being kept from." the man shakes his head. "All my people want is to enact change, to make this place a better country. We are not rebels wanting to rule the throne because of power. We want a better place for the people of Illéa."
Which was complete and utter bullshit. If these people just wanted to enact change, they wouldn't pose as guards and pretend the king and queen are behind it.
"Now the moment you all been waiting for!" The man steps back to reveal a girl sitting in a chair. And with her blue dress and messy blond hair, I knew who it was immediately.
"Felicity," I whisper sadly.
I felt sick. There was a cloth shoved in her mouth and her makeup was running down her face.
"We have the favorite right over here." He cracks his knuckles and waves his hand, and suddenly a gun is pressed up against her dead. Felicity closes her eyes tightly and shakes violently.
"We are not trying to make a statement." He says with a careless smile as the click of the gun makes my blood run cold. His eyes suddenly turn dark again, like he has some sort of bipolar personality. "We are sending a warning." His cold and dark eyes stare through the screen like he is looking straight at me. "We will keep attacking. We will keep attacking until each one of the royal family and their selected are wiped out. Then, we will create a new future. None of you are allowed to survive." He glances back slightly behind him. "No doubt this young woman is going to die today. And next week, Illéa's beloved king Everette will be the next one to go."
The man takes a step back so we are now all seeing the full event unfold. "Cordelia... No last name." He says, looking at Felicity.
"Cordelia?" I say in almost a whisper.
"You were one of our biggest threats. Consider it an honor you are one of the second to be killed."
Second to be killed. He said second. Who was the first?
Felicity lets out a loud sob that is almost not human.
"After all, when has any war been won with peace?" He asks just as the gun and screen go off.
"That wasn't Cordelia." I begin to shake. "They have it wrong..." I look straight ahead. "That was supposed to be me."
He said one was dead, and the other broken. America dead. Maxon broken.
Felicity dead.
Lila broken.
****
A/N
WOOOOO It has been a LONG time. I just finished school last week and I just finished my driver's school this week. I passed !!!!! YAYAYAY!
Anyway, I am awfully sorry it took this long to update. I hope this chapter was good enough to make up for my absence. I miss you all so much, and thanks for remaining interested after all this time. I really do apologize. But now I am a free bird and will update much more often!