Emily In The Selection (book 1)

Chapter 7

Their silhouette was tall but slim. I looked at the curves that were outlined on their body. That was all I could see, but from that, I realized it was a girl.
Naturally, I gasped out of fear. My heart was ponding in my ears and I all of a sudden felt light headed.

"W-Who's th-there?" I asked shakily.

"Emily," the voice whispered with relief, "it's me! It's Amity!"

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. Blood rushed back into my head and I stopped shaking.

"Amity, what are you doing here? Come in."

She came in quickly without hesitation and sat on the edge of my bed.

"What's going on?" I asked as I turned on a lamp.

The light wasn't enough to light up the whole room, but was enough for me to read the look of worry on her face.

"I-I was laying in bed reading a book when I heard a knock on my door. I went to answer it and a guard stood there. He asked me who my maids were and I told him that they were Kelly, Madeline, and Tes. Tes came running to the door and tried taking over the conversation. I couldn't just stand there... I was already creeped out, so I walked into the bathroom and spent some time in there, when I heard a weird cry. I walked out to see the guard gone and Tes laying on the floor barely conscious. I panicked and ran far from my room to here. I don't know what to do, Emily. You have to help me!"

Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she collapsed into my arms.

"Amity, we have to tell someone." I pleaded.

"Who? Besides, I don't want to go back out there!" She whined.

"We have to find a way to contact the royals or an official. Come with me." I lead her out of the room.

As we walked down the hall I turned around and saw her maid laying on the ground in her open doorway. We have to get as far away from here as possible if we want to be safe.

We scurried around for a while until we ended up by an exit door, a little hallway away from the main entrance. My heart was thumping loudly in my ears, and the blood was drained from my head again.

There in front of us was Prince Ryan himself.

"Ladies, may I ask what we are doing here at this late hour?" He spoke in the darkness.

Amity burst out into tears again and I tried to explain the whole story to him. Although, I didn't even hear myself talk. I was in shock that Prince Ryan stood in front of me and listened to the story I explained.

"Alright girls, follow me." He instructed.

He looked so calm as he walked. Like everything was under control. It was almost comforting. I relaxed the tension in my shoulders and took a deep breath. Amity still hung over my shoulder, draining tears from her eyes.

Prince Ryan.
He stood in front of me.
The Prince Ryan of America.

I wasn't supposed to meet him until tomorrow. But here he is. Staring at me. I got lost in his sharp eyes, once I could finally could see them in the light, once he took us to a room.

"Hm?" He asked.

I snapped back into reality. "What?" I asked, biting my lip.

"I said: what are your names?" He repeated himself.

He said it very boldly that it almost sounded rude. "I am Emily and this is Amity." I answered strongly, while I pointed toward Amity.

"Very well," he spoke, "thank you for telling me everything. Now, Lady Emily, I heard that you sent your maids to sleep in there own rooms. But now that this drama has come to us, I will be assigning them to stay with you and Lady Amity all night. Yes, that means Lady Amity will be sleeping in your room with you." The words came out of him so smoothly. So relaxing. His voice deep, but sincere.

"Alright, thank you Prince Ryan." I said curtsying in my nightgown.

"No need for that," he smiled, "I apologize for what's happened. I will send some officials to investigate and check on Amity's maid, Tes. In the morning I will come to your room with any new information I have." He nodded, so I nodded back.

I poked Amity who now has her head in her hands and her knees to her chest. She had sat down a moment ago while we were talking.

"I-I'm so s-sorry Prince... R-Ryan. I'm a mess." Amity tried to sound out.

"It's alright, my dear. I'm sorry to send you away, but you got to get some sleep with Lady Emily. You're safe now."

He didn't say much, but that was okay. It didn't matter what he said... Just how he said it. And the way he said it was so soft and comforting, I'm surprised I didn't just drift off to sleep from his words.

He walked us back to my room with one arm around Amity's shoulder. I could see down the hall that a few people were bending down to Tes' side.
Something tells me I will not sleep well tonight.

But I find a way to fall asleep. Prince Ryan was still in the room when I fell asleep. He was waiting for my maids to get here, and he sat on one of the chairs to observe me. I woke up, but stayed laying down in a daze as my maids walked in. Amity was already asleep too with tear stains on her face.
I heard a little conversation go on:

"Yes, yes of course." Chelsea said softly.

"I will come back in the morning," was Prince Ryan's response.

On his way to walk out he wrapped his arms around Amity to give her a hug. And for some reason this burning feeling strived inside of me and I clenched the pillow case.

But then Prince Ryan came to my side of the bed and pulled my hair out of my face.

And planted a kiss on my cheek.

Just as when I heard that Tes was knocked out, the blood drained from my face again.

This was just the first night, and I was about ready to pass out.