Princess of Illéa

Chapter 12 - Punishment

When I wake up the next morning, Celeste had already left. She probably waited for me to fall asleep before going back to her room. I sit up in bed with a smile on my face, remembering last night's events. My thoughts are interrupted when Leah and Aria come in, they look very worried, so I'm worried too.

"What is it?" I ask, looking from one to the other.

"Kat, you need to get ready and come with us." Leah says, trying to sound as calm as possible.

The situation makes me so nervous that I forget I'm not wearing any clothes because of last night. But everyone is so worried about the situation, even though I don't know what it is, that no one says anything about my nudity.

My maids ask me to dress in black. That's when my nervousness only increases. Did someone die? What happened?

I get dressed as quickly as possible and follow them downstairs. We arrive in the foyer of the palace, and then they lead me outside. Strange, there are hardly any events outside. I'm joined by my parents and my brother, who are all wearing black. Maxon's face is very serious, I've never seen him like this before.

There's no time to ask what's going on, we're led to where the crowd is, a stage has been set up in the middle of the people. Soon after us, the Selected arrive. There are only five of them. America, Natalie, Celeste, Elise, and Kriss. Where's Marlee? Was she sent home after yesterday? I know that after the party one of them would leave, but I never thought it would be Marlee, after all, she's the public's favorite.

I notice immediately when the crowd's reaction changes, before they are all cheering for both us from the royal family and the Elite girls, and then the booing starts.

When I look for the reason for all the commotion, I find it. Guards are pulling one of the soldiers by chains to the stage. His clothes are filthy and his lips are bleeding. Behind him is Marlee, still wearing her angel costume from the Halloween party, but now she's missing her wings and her clothes are just as dirty. The soldier and Marlee climb onto the stage, and then a man in a mask begins to speak.

"Marlee Tames," the man announces. "one of the Selected, daughter of Illéa, was found last night in a moment of intimacy with this man, Carter Woodwork, a trusted member of the Royal Guard."

I'm speechless. My heart stops. This is all because one of the Selected girls had sex with someone other than Maxon... So this can happen to Celeste too? Well, if before I wasn't so confident about telling my brother the truth, now I'm really not.

"Miss Tames has broken her vow of loyalty to our Prince Maxon! And Mr. Woodwork stole something that belonged to the royal family through his relationship with Miss Tames! We have here a crime of treason against the royal family!"

Celeste is looking at me. Our gazes meet. We're both shocked and don't know what to do.

Soldier Woodwork is tied to a frame by another masked man. His legs and arms are stretched to the maximum. Marlee is forced to kneel in front of a large block of wood placed there. Her hands are tied, palms up. She can't stop crying.

"It is a crime for the death penalty! But in his mercy, Prince Maxon will spare the lives of these two traitors. Long live Prince Maxon!"

The crowd keeps repeating "Long live Prince Maxon!" Those of us in the front row, royal family and Selected girls, can hear everything the two are saying.

"I love you, Marlee." the soldier shouts to her. "We'll be fine, I promise."

She is in shock, but she nods nonetheless.

"Marlee Tames and Carter Woodwork, you two are out of your castes. You are the lowest of the low. You are Eight!"

The crowd cheers.