The Selection

Chapter 44

This story/plot belongs to Kiera Cass

𒊹︎︎︎ᴥ︎︎︎𒊹︎︎︎

The day after the Thai reception we gathered in the Women's Room after breakfast. The queen was absent, and none of us knew what that meant.

"I bet she's helping Silvia write up the final report," Elise guessed.

"I don't think she's supposed to have much of a say," Kriss countered.

"Maybe she's hung over," Natalie offered as she pressed her fingers to her temples.

"Just because you are doesn't mean she is," Celeste spat.

"She might not be feeling well," I said. "She tends to get sick a lot."

Kriss nodded. "I wonder why that is."

"Didn't she grow up in the South?" Elise asked. "I hear the air and water aren't very clean down there. Maybe it's because of how she was raised."

"I hear everything is bad below Sumner," Celeste added.

"She's probably just resting," I interjected. "There's a Report tonight, and she simply wants to be ready. She's smart. It's barely ten, and I need a nap."

"Yeah, we should all take naps," Natalie said wearily.

A maid entered with a small platter and walked quietly across the room, almost too nimble to be noticed.

"Wait," Kriss said. "You don't think they'll talk about the reception stuff on the Report, do you?"

Celeste groaned. "I hated that stupid thing. You and Y/n lucked out."

"You're joking, right? Do you have any ..."

Kriss's words dropped off as the maid stopped just to my left, revealing a small, folded note on the platter.

I felt everyone's eyes on me as I tentatively picked up the letter and read it.

"Is that from Jungkook?" Kriss asked, trying not to seem as interested as she was.

"Yes." I didn't look up.

"What's it say?" she probed.

"That he needs to see me for a moment."

Celeste laughed. "Sounds like you're in trouble."

I sighed and stood to follow the maid from the room. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

"Maybe he's finally kicking her out," Celeste whispered loudly enough for me to hear.

"You think?" Natalie asked a little too excitedly.

A chill went through me. Maybe he was kicking me out! If he wanted to talk to me or spend time with me, wouldn't he have said it differently?

Jungkook was waiting in the hallway, and I walked up timidly. He didn't look upset, but he did seem tense.

I braced myself. "So?"

He took my arm. "We have fifteen minutes. What I'm about to show you, you can't share with anyone. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"All right then."

We darted up the stairs, all the way to the third floor. Gently but quickly, Jungkook pulled me down the hallway to a set of white double doors. "Fifteen minutes," he reminded.

"Fifteen minutes."

He took a key out of his pocket and unlocked one of the doors, holding it open so I could go in before him. The room was wide and bright, with lots of windows and two doors opening onto a balcony along the wall. There was a bed, a massive armoire, and a table with chairs; but other than that the room was empty. No paintings on the walls, no pieces on the inlaid shelves. Even the paint was a little drab.