The Demigod Selection

Chapter 30

Shoutout to GoWithTheFlo_Mad for choosing this POV, Drew Tanaka. Her dress in the media.

Drew's POV

One week ago, my brat step-sister decided to make a big deal out of nothing. Now she's the famous one in the Selection. I should be the girl that everyone knows the name of, the girl everyone is rooting for to win. Instead, everyone is all hung over Piper and her pathetic damsel in distress act.

The masquerade ball may be my last time to seduce the prince and get the spotlight back where it belongs: right on me. It's been announced that yet another elimination will occur at the ball and I can most definitely not be eliminated.

My dress  and mask is laid across my bed, the color of blood. The same color that Piper's dress was after Willow was done with her.

Willow asked me if I knew anyone to target in the Selection that the Prince wasn't very close to. I suggested Piper to her. He had not yet talked to her, just as it should be.

Then it ended up that they were supposed to go on a date that same day, the same time. Percy had immediately found out that she was missing and rushed to her rescue. Piper never had time to be laying alone in the dark room, bleeding and tied up while no one came to rescue her.

Willow has been very disappointed that my information cost her. She was supposed to strike two more Selected this week. Instead, she was forced to stay in hiding, withdrawn.

I look at the handwritten note that was given to me and a few other girls who are close to Willow. I received it early this morning.

Drew-
Time to make up for your previous mistake. Meet me in my room at two this afternoon. Don't disappoint me this time.

-Willow, future queen of Illeá

Willow seems very confident that she'll become the new queen. I don't believe that, but I allow her to think that I do. Savannah does the same thing. We both want to be queen, but we also don't want to be in danger. So we support Willow with our own intentions in mind.

My tight pink dress is very uncomfortable, but is necessary. It shows off the better parts of me. My maids don't ever seem happy with my wardrobe choices, but it just shows how much they know. There's a reason that I'm a Two and they're maids. I have better fashion taste than they ever will.

I slip on a pair of pink high heels, making me at least three inches taller. I hope to run into Percy on my way to Willow's room.

I stumble out of my room and into the hall. No one is in sight. One of the rooms next to mine is vacant. The girl
was one of the more recent eliminated. I don't remember her name, just that she was incredibly annoying and a Five. Fives shouldn't even be allowed to participate in the Selection. They won't ever win.

Willow's room isn't all that far from mine. I reach it after a few minutes of stumbling and tripping in my heels. In front of her door, I straighten my hair and dress. I knock twice, pause, then twice again.

"Come in," Willow calls, her voice muffled by the door.

I open the door and see that Savannah, Summer, and Claire are already in there, sitting and waiting.

"Oh good, that's everyone. I was beginning to wonder if you would show up, Drew. Especially after last time," Willow says, smiling through her bitter words.

I give her a dazzling smile. "Why, I would never miss a meeting hosted by you, Willow."

"Good," she replies, baring her teeth, a grotesque parody of a smile. "It's been a week and the security is slowly dawdling to its normal standard. If there's a time to strike, it's now. The only question is who."

"Rachel. Rachel Dare," Summer says, tossing her hair. "The prince has gone on a date with her already, plus she has been spotted talking to him on a daily basis. Go after her and the crown will be yours."

Willow looks at Summer with an approved expression. "Very observant, Summer. Any objections?"

There's a stretched silence. Any objections could result in exclusion. Gathering up my courage, I speak up.

"Annabeth Chase. The prince went on a date with her, and they've kissed. He'll want to rescue her a lot more than that Dare girl. And we should do it during the masquerade ball, when everyone else is too preoccupied to notice one girl is missing," I say with as much confidence as I can muster.

"But they haven't talked for a long time. Plus, there's a rumor that she was leaving last week, but decided against it after Piper got hurt," Summer argued, eager for Willow to choose her plan.

I wave her argument away with a flourish of my hand. "Honey, love is complicated. It will twist you inside out, rendering you helpless. Then your heart will break in so many piece that somehow will never fit together again. That's what Annabeth is for Percy. If we take her, he will come."

Willow looks at me thoughtfully. "That makes sense, Drew. At the masquerade ball, we'll kidnap Annabeth. Then Prince Percy will come rescue her. The only way for her to leave unharmed will be promising me the crown," she looks around, meeting our eyes one at a time. "Tell no one our plans. Or else your doom will be much worse than what Piper received."