The Great Room was packed. For once, instead of the kind and the queen being the focal point of the room, it was Maxon. On a slow slightly raised platform, Maxon, Kriss, and I sat at an ornate table. I felt as if though our positioning was deceitful. I was on Maxon's right. I always thought being on someone's right was a good thing, an honoured position. But so far he'd spent the entire time speaking to Kriss.
I tried to seem happy as I looked around the room. It was packed, Gavril, of course was in a corner speaking into a camera, narrating the events as they happened.
Ashley smiled and waved, and beside her Anna winked at me. I gave them a nod, still too nervous to speak.
My eyes flitted over to queen Amberly, speaking with her sister Adele and her gaggle of children. She looked radiant. She'd been waiting for this day for so long. She would love Kriss like her own. For a moment, I was so jealous of that fact.
I turned and scanned the faces of the Selected again, and this time my eyes landed on Celeste. I could see the clear question in her eyes. I told her it would be ok but I knew it was a lie. I saw Aspen talking to one of the guard when I heard his voice.
"Trying to arrange a time to meet later?" Maxon asked, and I whipped my head back. "No of course not."
"It's not like it matters. Kriss"s family will be here this afternoon for a small celebration, and yours will be here to take you home. They don't like for the last loser to be alone. She tends to get dramatic."
He was so cold, so distant. As if it wasn't even Maxon at all.
"You can keep that house if you want. It's been paid for. I'd like my letters back though."
"I read them" I whispered. "I loved them." He huffed as if he thought It was a joke. "Don't know what I was thinking."
" please don't do this. Please. I love you." My face was crumpling. "Don't. You. Dare." Maxon ordered through gritted teeth. "You put on a smile, and you wear it to the last second." I blinked away the tears and gave a weak smile. "That'll do. Don't let that slip until you leave the room, do you understand?" I nodded. He looked into my eyes. "I'll be glad when your gone."