The Princess- A selection story

Chapter 25- Adeline

I embrace my three maids in a group hug, as they've prepared me for the last time. I dread thinking that this could be my last time ever seeing them. "He has to pick you!" Lucy whispers, and the others agree. "Don't make me cry again! This mascara will run!" I joke, blinking back the tears. They giggle, "If I don't win, I promise I'll try and say goodbye. I'll also write every week, whether you like it or not." They do seem to like this, and I bid them farewell.

In the throne room, Maxon sits on a throne with two either side. One for me, one for Kriss. I hug her as we enter, and we sit. Maxon converses with her, and I look at Celeste in the crowd, with all of the other selected who had left. She raises her eyebrow at me and I shake my head, to indicate that after everything, it wasn't me. She gives me a small, reassuring smile and I nod in response.

Then, before we can begin, a gunshot is fired and celeste is shot in the back of the head. Maxon consoles Kriss, who panics immediately, becoming hysterical.

Don't get sad, Adeline. Get angry.

I call over a group of guards. "Three of you find the King and Queen right now. Make sure they're safe. You two, the king of Spain has his guard with him, but you make sure they know where to go. And whoever is left, protect the prince. Go, now. It's an order." They nod and follow my command.

Someone had to do it.

I help everyone out of the open areas, thrusting them into the care of guards or directing them to safety. I should run too, but I can't. I have a job to do. I reach through the slit in my dress, and pull out a knife strapped into the holster on my thigh. I've done this for every major event since the last attack, just in case. What Maxon doesn't know, is that I know exactly who the leader of the rebellion is. I'd hired a Spanish private investigator to uncover this, and report to my uncle. When he hugged me, after the meeting, he slipped the picture into my hand so the cameras didn't catch it. I never managed to speak to Maxon, but at least now I know who I'm looking for. And I've spotted him.

I charge towards him and tackle him to the ground, I have the element of surprise, as he doesn't actually see me approach from behind. I am strong and good at combat, despite my slender figure. I knock him unconscious, then pin his hands behind his back, press him against me in headlock, my knife in my hand. The main hall has just us in it, despite the fighting ongoing throughout the palace. A woman's voice from around the corner screams "Boss! I got him! What do we do..." She walks around, dragging a beaten up Maxon in a similar way I have her boss, except Maxon is conscious, his mouth taped, eyes filling with fear as he sees me. She points her gun at me, but I use her boss as a shield. "Careful, you fire that and I know exactly where to cut so that he bleeds to death here and now." She narrows her eyes at me "You wouldn't." I dig the knife into his throat a little. "You don't know what I'd do for love." At this she pauses, blinks, looks at Maxon, then her boss and whispers "Me too." I am taken aback. Here, we are just two girls, regardless of who we fight for. "Give me the prince, and you can have him back. I give you my word this isn't a trap, and I will not harm you, so long as I get the Prince." She looks at me "As soon as you get out there they'll probably kill you either way." She states, and I breathe "It's a chance I'd take for him." She seems to understand, and thrusts her hand out for her boss, and I do the same for Maxon. We complete the trade, and go our separate ways.

I drag Maxon along and he peels the tape from his mouth. "Adi" He chokes, distraught, but I just push him against a wall and whisper "Just follow me. We'll be safe, I promise." I place my knife back in its hold under my dress, and grab a gun from the floor. We run, and as we turn a corner, an armed rebel points their gun at Maxon. Seeing their finger flex on the trigger, I jump in front of Maxon, firing my own gun as I do, and myself and the rebel hit the ground at the same time.

He froze, staring down at me as I dropped to the ground. He rushed forward, as quick as he could, immediately dropping down to my side.

"Oh Adeline! I'm so, so, sorry. I nearly ruined both of our lives and you still took a bullet for me. I don't want to loose you, I can't, I-" I shake my head and cut him off, feeling my dress absorb the blood from the wound in my hip. "I love you. If I die, and you live, what more can I ask?" All of his words following just ring in my ears, and the world goes dark.