The Selection: One of the Selected

13: Distracted

'Okay, I understand, but this is urgent!' I pleaded with the Prince's butler.

I was begging to see him, so that I could tell him about my friends before he found out first hand. But the butler was not budging.

'Look, Miss, you are going to have to get out of here before-' but he cut off and his eyes drifted past me.

I whipped round and Maxon was stood, as if he were a deer caught in headlights. 

'Maxon! I need to talk to you-' 

'Sorry, sir, I tried to stop her,' the butler tutted, and reluctantly left the corridor, glaring daggers to me as he went.

Maxon frowned and turned to me.

'Lady Quinn, what is it?' he inquired, and I glanced around him, checking if anyone was near. Somehow, he understood what I was doing and, after a moments debate in his head, pushed open the door behind me. He stepped in and indicated for me to do the same, so I followed, and he shut the door behind me.

I found I was in his room. It was considerably larger than mine, I noticed, with one wall full of photos that could have easily wrapped round all four of mine. I was wary of the rack of guns across from his unnecessarily huge bed, but assumed (and hoped) they were only for hunting.

'Well?' he asked, once I had drunk in my surroundings. 

'Look, don't get angry or anything-' I said. Even though I was frustrated at my friends, I didn't want them to die.

'Well, I can't promise anything,' he answered, but when he saw my worried glance to the guns, he gave me a small smile.

'Alright...uh...how do I say this? I caught Marlee and America...uh...both in their rooms with a-' but before I could finish, the same butler from before burst in, brandishing a silver tray like a weapon.

I screamed in surprise and, from instinct, jumped behind the prince, who had a confused look painted on his face.

'I'm sorry, I just saw the Lady forcefully push you both into this room,' the butler scowled at me, and I felt myself going red out of guilt for something I didn't even do.

'No, she didn't push me? Sorry, could you leave please sir?' Maxon grumbled, and the butler licked his teeth (his own teeth, please-) and I caught on the way out him give Maxon a look to say, 'I'm here if you need me.'

I saw the blonde haired boy discreetly roll his eyes, and I shuffled back to face him, embarrassed.

'I saw America and Marlee, both in their rooms with a guard,' I blurted out, and Maxon just stared at me, bewildered.

'Well, that is the guards' job, is it not?' he said, eyeing me, confused.

'No, no, not like with them, I mean with them, with them,' I hinted, but he just chewed his lip thoughtfully at me.

'Maxon?' I asked when he gave no response, and his eyes focused back to mine.

'Yes? Sorry, did you say something, I'm quite distracted at the moment,' he confessed, and it was all I had in me not to sigh.

'You know, it's fine, it doesn't matter too much- are you alright?' I asked when his vision drifted away again.

'Mmhmm...' he said, but I could tell he hadn't heard, and was instead just agreeing because I had paused.

'I need to go now,' I decided, and let myself out. It was as I shut the door that I heard him call out a deflated "sorry".

I was halfway down the stairs when I remembered my reasoning for going to him.

~ * ~

All through lunch later that day, the Prince seemed distracted, at most giving a smile and a nod if he caught anyone's eye or the queen whispered something to him.

He locked sight with America at one point, and pulled on his ear in a strange manner. America repeated the action, and he seemed satisfied.

Maxon was much more animated after that, and I could nearly hear my brain whirring as I figured out what that was, if anything. 

So I did what perhaps wasn't the smartest thing to do, but was my easiest option: I followed America as she left. Surprise and confusion surged through me as she slipped back into her room, so I crouched behind a pot plant silently.

Soon enough, Maxon crept up to her door, went to knock on it, hesitated, paced back and forth a few times, then knocked. America opened it not a moment after, and he was welcomed in.

He turned to shut the door, and his eyes flicked to me.

I was sure my heart stopped, but he gave a small, curious smile before disappearing into her room.

Why was everyone in this palace acting so strangely today?