A Previous Selection

Chapter Thirty-Six

Blaring alarms jolt me awake, and it doesn't even take me a second to realize what it means: a rebel attack. Alice immediately bursts into my room and helps me quickly put my slippers and robe on. She rushes me down the hallways and to the entry to the safe room. Once the wall has shut behind me, I make my way down the stairs.

I expect Cameron to be waiting at the bottom, like he usually does, so when he's not there when I get there, I'm confused.

Maybe he's consoling someone. Or he might be having to discuss some things with his parents.

I look around the safe room, taking in all of the faces around me, and when I can't find Cameron's, I feel the anxiety start constricting my chest.

Just breathe, Wren. You got here a little earlier than you usually do. You just beat him this time. That's all. He's on his way here right now. He probably was actually asleep tonight when the alarms went off, so it's taking him a little longer to get down here. There's nothing to worry about. He'll be down here any minute now.

I walk over to Queen Kimberely and King Harvey, who are standing in front of Oliver, and they try to give me a small smile when they see me.

"Hello, Wren," Queen Kimberely says. "How are you tonight, dear?"

"I'm a little shaken up, but we all are, aren't we?"

"You would be right about that."

I turn to King Harvey.

"Were you all in a meeting tonight when the alarms went off?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"No. We had decided that tonight was a night of rest for all of us. So much for that, huh?" he says with a little chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. I try to give him a smile, but all I can think about is Cameron not being here, and I know that can read on my face. Kimberely reaches out and gently touches my arm.

"He'll be fine, dear. There's no need to worry."

"I know. There are people still coming in. He's probably just making sure everyone gets down here."

"Exactly."

The three of us watch the doorway as people pour into the safe room, more people than are usually down here. This safe room is specifically for the royal family, their specific guards and advisors, and now us girls. But tonight, there are a bunch of maids and other workers in here as well. They probably didn't have time to get to their designated places.

I watch as person after person walks into the room, none of them Cameron. And when I see the guard that was stationed at the top of the stairs enter, my heart drops.

He's still not here.

The guard walks up to the King and Queen and talks to them in whispers for a few minutes before assuming his position at the bottom of the stairs.

"What did he say?" I ask quietly, knowing that I'm probably overstepping boundaries by asking this question but not caring because Cameron could be in danger.

"He just said that there was no sign of anyone else out there."

My heart sinks even further.

"So nobody knows where Cameron is?"

They both shake their heads.

"No," Kimberely says. "But there are dozens of smaller safe rooms all throughout the palace in case people can't make it here, so he is most likely in one of those."

"But we don't know that for sure," I say quietly as I look down at the ground.

"I'm afraid that's true." She grabs my hand and squeezes it. "But we have to keep praying and hoping that he's safe."