The Selection

Chapter 61

This story/plot belongs to Kiera Cass

𒊹︎︎︎ᴥ︎︎︎𒊹︎︎︎

I was right. Taehyung had every corner of the palace memorized, and he knew exactly how to get us out of it.

"Are you quite sure about this?" Jungkook asked as we got dressed in my room the following evening.

"We need to know what's going on. I have no doubt we'll be safe," I assured him.

We spoke through the cracked-open bathroom door as he dropped the pieces of his suit to the floor and climbed into the denim and cotton a Six would wear. Taehyung's clothes were going to be a bit big on Jungkook, but they would do. Thankfully, Taehyung had found a smaller guard to borrow clothes from for me, but even then I had to roll up the hem of the pants several times to find my feet.

"You seem to trust this guard a lot," Jungkook commented, and I couldn't figure out the tone he was using. Perhaps he was anxious.

"My maids say he's one of the best you have. And he got me to the safe room that time the Southerners came, when everyone was running late. He always looks ready to go, even when things are quiet. I have a good feeling about him. Trust me."

I heard the rustling of clothes as he continued. "How did you know he could get us out of the palace?"

"I didn't. I just asked."

"And he simply told you?" Jungkook replied, astonished.

"Well, I told him it was for you, of course."

He made a sound, something like a sigh. "I still don't think you should come."

"I'm going, Jungkook. Are you done yet?"

"Yes. I need to get my shoes on."

I opened the door, and after a quick once-over, Jungkook started laughing. "I'm sorry. I'm used to seeing you in gowns."

"You look a bit different when you're not in a suit yourself." And he did, but not in any way that was close to comical. Even though Taehyung's clothes were too big, Jungkook looked good in plain old denim. The shirt had short sleeves, and I got a peek at those strong arms I'd only ever seen the one time in the safe room.

"These pants are far too heavy. Why are you so partial to jeans?" he asked, remembering my request from my very first day in the palace.

I shrugged. "I just like them."

He smiled at me, shaking his head a bit. He walked over to my closet, not asking if it was all right to open it. "We need something to hold your pants up or it's going to be a very scandalous evening. Well, more so than it already is."

Jungkook pulled out a dark-red sash and returned to me with it, lacing it through my belt loops.

I couldn't say why, but this felt meaningful. My heart pounded, and for a minute I wondered if he could hear it shouting how much I loved him. If so, he ignored it in favor of the business at hand.

"Listen," he said, making a little knot in the sash, "what we're doing is very dangerous. If something happens, I want you to run. Don't even try to get back to the palace. Find a family who will hide you through the night."

Jungkook stepped back and looked into my worried eyes. I tilted my head. "Right now, asking a family to hide me is almost as dangerous as facing the rebels. People might be upset that we girls aren't leaving the competition."

"If the article Celeste showed you is right, then people might be proud of you."

I wanted to tell Jungkook I disagreed, but a knock at the door interrupted us. He went over to answer it, and quickly Taehyung and a second guard walked into my dimly lit room.