Scintillate {The Selection}

Chapter 12

I am woken in the middle of the night by a cacophony of barking, alarms and chaos from my maids. They are frantically hitting at the walls as May tries to wake me. As soon as she sees that I'm awake, she passes me a robe which I throw around my shoulders.

"W-what's going on?" I stammer.

"I'll explain on the way..." May promises as she throws some clothes in a bag for me. Rosie finally manages to open a secret panel.

"Where's Hero?" I ask.

"She was staying somewhere else but she will be safe." Rosie reassures me. May grabs my hand and drags me through the panel. Rosie and Masy dash off as the panel closes.

"Where are we going?" I plead.

"We're going to the old safe room that hasn't been used since Queen America's Selection. This is a rebel raid." May informs me.

I suddenly notice that Boo is riding along in the bag that May is swinging along next to her. We finally reach the end of the stairs. We rush through a doorway onto a corridor with guards lining it. We rush through a thick metal door.

We're in a large underground room where May signs a large clipboard to say it's really us. I wave at Caxon who is pacing and make a beeline to Cerys. Cerys looks exhausted and soon curls up in a small bed next to Sophie's. Suddenly, a group of nurses come flustering through the doors, followed by a small group of guards with one carrying America. They lay her down in a bed and the nurses cluster around her. May leaves to talk to a group of head maids.

I sit down and shiver in a small alcove in the wall. Caxon comes to sit down next to me and drapes a blanket around my shoulders. The last of the Selected comes rushing in, followed by the group of guards from the hall. Then, the door is slammed shut.

Eventually, I fall asleep on Caxon's shoulder. When I wake up, Caxon has gone and I am laid in a bed. Everyone is beginning to look worried.

"This is the first rebel attack since King Maxon's time," I whirl around to see a group of guards talking, "We couldn't have prepared for this, it could be provoked by the arrival of the Princess."

I am listening intently so I don't see Caxon come up next to me.

"Come with me," he whispers.

"I'd like you to meet my closest councillor, and best friend, Lord Nolan Socert," Caxon announces. I look to the man, Nolan, who Caxon is facing and am shocked by who's sat next to him.

He bows, "My lady," He says as he kisses my hand. I greet him with a neat curtsey but I cannot take my eyes off of the woman next to him.

"May?" I cry.

"Marie, I grew up with Caxon and Nolan. I was meant to marry one of the royal cousins, but I fell in love with Nolan."

I laugh and wave goodbye as I am lead off by Caxon. He leads me off through a small door, made to look like rock.

Suddenly, we are in a massive cavern, hung with tapestries.

"Welcome to the former royal Illea ballroom!" He exclaims, "It went out of use when the Schreaves became royalty and no one uses it any more. Next door is the ex-throne room but Porter Schreave had it stripped to get rid of the former Illea grandeur."

I gasp and try and take in the whole room. The floor is made from quartz and panels of sapphire and mirrors line the walls. I turn slowly and take in the grand gold-leafed doors.

I turn to Caxon, "Where do those lead?" I say, pointing to the doors.

"That door leads to the rest of the Illéa Palace," Caxon says with a sad smile.