The next week and a half passed quickly. Since the arrival of the Italians, I'd barely seen Genevieve, who likely occupied much of her time with the Italian prince. I'd tried to avoid Samuele as much as possible, but it had begun to feel like he knew my schedule before I even did. Every night I'd tried to cook in the kitchens, he was there, smirking as usual. He would always try to coax me to stay, but I refused to work in the same kitchen as him. Even if everything he made smelled delicious, though I'd never say that to his face.
This morning at breakfast, I felt awake and actually found myself socializing with the other girls. I didn't have many friends back home from school, so it was nice to actually talk with girls my age. The only girl who wasn't so talkative today was Erika, who instead poked around numbly at her food. Her eyes were red, almost as if she'd been crying, and her gaze flitted towards Audrey and the Royals every few seconds.
I frowned, baffled by her behavior. Erika wasn't exactly a social butterfly, but she'd at least participate in our breakfast conversations. It was her eyes that bothered me the most, which looked sad and troubled.
Some of the members of the Royal family stood to leave, finished with their meal. Abruptly, Erika pushed out her chair, mumbling a quick "excuse me" before dashing out the door.
Intent on finding out what was bothering her, I quickly excused myself and left the room, right on her heels. Her heels which, conveniently, snagged on the floor and would have sent her crashing to the ground if I hadn't yanked her back.
"Erika. What on earth is wrong?" I asked as my friend righted herself. She looked at me for a moment before her eyes seemed to freeze on something behind me. I gripped her shoulders, about to shake an answer out of her, before someone else spoke.
"Are you two alright?" Derek looked between us, his brow furrowed in worry and confusion. Erika only stared at him, as if she didn't quite know what to say or do.
I followed her gaze, glaring as I stormed up the Prince of Illéa. If he'd hurt her in any way...
"Oh, hell no. What did you do?" I snapped, ready to rip him a new one.
"Liana-" Erika managed to speak before a strong pair of hands wrapped around me, gently but forcefully moving me away from Derek.
"Now, that's probably not a good idea," Samuele cooed, glancing between Derek and Erika. "Let's let these two chat, shall we?"
He looped his arm through mine, pulling me away from them while I protested. I didn't even know what to say as I tried to fight his grip, but he didn't budge one inch. I could hear Erika's voice breaking and I managed to make out a hurt expression on Derek's face before Samuele turned a corner, bringing us to a completely different section of the palace.
"Let. Me. Go!" I gritted through my teeth, yanking my arm away just as he let me go. I shrieked as I almost landed on my ass, but Samuele caught me before I could fall.
"Think you can stand on your own?" His eyes peered into mine as he helped me regain my footing, a hint of a smirk and something else on his face.
I squinted, trying to think of some sort of retort, but the look on his face made me shut my mouth. In the time that he'd been here, I'd never seen such a serious look cross his face.
"She's your friend?" Samuele asked suddenly, and it took me a moment to realize he was talking about Erika.
"Yes," I cleared my throat, straightening my dress awkwardly. "My best friend, probably."
"Hm. I guess that puts us in a bit of an awkward position," he chuckled to himself.
"How so?"
"Well, I suppose our best friends are having a bit of a lovers quarrel, now aren't they?"
"Your Highness, I really don't—," I began to speak before he held up a hand.
"Sam. Please, call me Sam," he quirked up one side of his mouth. "My friends call me Sam and you've insulted me more in a week than they have my entire life."
I blushed, embarrassed by how I'd been acting, but I just couldn't help it for some reason. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't be acting this way, but with Samule...well, for whatever reason he took it with stride, as if he enjoyed it. Which bothered me even more.
I straightened my shoulders, composing myself. "Well, Sam, you just dragged me away from my best friend when she needed me."
He raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow before mimicking me. "Well, Liana, as Derek's best friend, I can assure you that either of us being there would have just made that situation worse."
"You didn't let me stay long enough to even learn what the situation is!"
"The situation is that Lady Erika saw Derek kissing Lady Audrey. And, in my opinion, is completely overreacting."
Overreacting? Audrey?
"Derek kissed Audrey? Of all the people here, and he chooses her?" I exclaimed as Samuele watched my reaction, looking somewhat amused.
"Well, if I were him I certainly wouldn't say no to kissing a famous actress," Samuele smirked. "And he has every right to do what he wants. I don't see a ring on Lady Erika's finger, do you?"
I fumed, my hands balling into fists. "Erika is the best of all of us. He'd be an idiot to not choose her."
He paused, as if he hadn't expected me to say that. "Not yourself?"
I swallowed nervously, avoiding his gaze. "That's not—I don't...Is this an interrogation? Because it's starting to feel like one."
He laughed and started to walk away, but his gaze lingered thoughtfully on mine. "I'm here to help my friend, Lady Liana. Maybe you should start thinking about why you're here."
~~~
Sam's words stuck with me the rest of the week. I mean, what on earth did he even mean by that? Obviously I was here for the Selection, but somehow I knew he wasn't talking about that.
Whatever it meant, it had been keeping me up at night. So much so that I had found myself asleep when Jessa, Lorie, and Misty came to take me to the Safe Room right as the alarms started blaring.
"Another rebel attack?" I could hear the fear in my voice as Lorie passed me a sweater and shuffled me to the door. "During the afternoon?"
"Yes, Lady Liana. But I promise, you'll be safe," Jessa squeezed my hand as we rushed towards a familiar passageway that took us to the safe room we'd used last time. "We'll see you when this is over."
I didn't even manage to get another word out before the door closed with a click. I felt myself deflate, unable to believe that another rebel attack had occurred so quickly after the first. Still, I managed to make my way downstairs where most of the Elite sat on cots together. The Italians sat together in a corner, Queen Nicoletta calming Princess Gabriela and Prince Luca, while Sam conversed quietly with King Antonio. I caught his eye as I passed but averted my gaze quickly before he could say anything. I did manage to glimpse an expression of relief cross his face quickly though I had no idea what it would be for.
The Illéan Royals gathered nearby, strange expressions on their faces. I'd never seen the King and Queen look so worried. Even Genevieve looked like she might be sick. As I surveyed all of them, I then realized what was missing: Derek.
The Crown Prince of Illéa was missing. And so was Erika, I realized as I looked across the room. Everyone else was accounted for except the two of them. The panic began to set in, my heart pounding as I realized what this meant.
"Erika. She's not—not here. Someone has to get her," I heard myself saying though I wasn't sure who I was trying to say it to.
Everyone else gave me pitying looks but didn't even deign to respond. King Maxon and Queen America didn't even look up and I wondered if they'd even heard me. I supposed they were too occupied in their own worry.
I felt my lips wobble as I imagined the worst. If Erika died...I couldn't think about living in a world without her. She was like a sister to me, more of a sister than Daniella had ever been. And she was out there somewhere, in danger.
A lone tear dripped down my cheek before I felt a large but comforting hand take mine. I peered up to see Sam's eyes, matching the fear and worry I knew reflected in mine. But something about his presence calmed me, so unlike every other time I'd been around him.
I glanced down at his hand enveloping mine. We were in a dark enough corner that nobody could tell how close we were nor the fact that he was holding my hand.
"They're going to be okay. Derek...he was going to go visit her, before the attack started. So wherever they are," he took a breath, steadying himself. "Wherever they are, they're together. He'll protect her."
I nodded mutely, reassured by his words. He didn't take his eyes away from mine and opened his mouth as if to say something else. But he stopped himself, giving my hand one last squeeze before sneaking his way back to his family.
As Sam rejoined the Royals I slumped onto a cot, somewhat relieved but still terrified. I glanced up to see Genevieve, a strange expression on her tear-stained face. Besides Sam, she was the only one who seemed to acknowledge my presence. Genevieve cared about Erika as much as I did and Derek was her twin brother. I couldn't even imagine how this would feel for her.
I wasn't sure how the world would continue to spin if something happened to them. And I hoped I wouldn't have to find out.