The Worthy

Chapter Twenty Three

Jillian

We were pulled away roughly by officers. Two for each of us five, and we were lead to the point exit at the back of the Towers. I've never been here before until now. Hallways were lit with torches, but the rooms had fluorescent bulbs. We walked through the damp, bricked floors with the same stoned walls and ceilings. Cass was in front of me--we walked through a single line--and I was glad they pulled us out of their grip. We zigzagged across corridors, until we see the faint light of the lampposts.

It seemed to me that they already knew where we live. We walked back to the streets, leaving only me and Cass and four guards. It was quiet, but I felt unease.

Once we got home, two of them gave each of us a gold letter envelope. They didn't say a word, so we got inside (thank goodness the guards stayed outside.)

Max was already there. We three hugged. For how long? I didn't know.

Max first spoke, "I'm happy for you two! I know it did seem ridiculous having me included too, but you two deserve it. I'm sorry I--"

"Shh, Max," I said. "You don't need to apologize. What was your fault anyway? Besides, it could be theirs," Then I mumbled, "Harry or James could've picked you."

"I heard that," Cass softly said. "Whatever the reason, we should be grateful. There's still chance though. Maybe if someone disqualifies-"

"Stop, guys. Just stop. I don't want to talk about this. I mean, it's what we've been waiting for, but sometimes things can go wrong and out of the way we want it to be. So let's just rest, okay?" said Max. I sighed. Then we didn't speak afterwards.

****

Max had already gone to bed, whilst Cass and I ate morsels of bread and had tea. We spoke very little, when Cass said, "When I'll see Harry, I'm gonna smack his face for not, at least, getting Max in."

I snickered, "I know you won't do that, but I'd do the same for James." Then we broke into fits. We tried to keep it down since, "You know, Max might kill herself more if she sees us laughing and she in despair, right?"

Cass' face fell, "Yeah. I can't bear to see her like that. . .But seriously Jills, have you ever thought of ruling Alzalea? Because that's what we're fighting for, yeah?"

I hadn't thought about it, "Uh...you're right. All I only wished was to end this caste system. See, it doesn't help."

Cass nodded, "And I was thinking, maybe that's what Prince Harry and Prince James were trying to 'prove' to the king and queen." It clicked me.

"Cass, can you get those books? Let's look at them," I said and immediately crossed my fingers it was there.

She got up and I cleared the table. Cass came back panting, "It's not there."

"Are you su--?"

"Yes." Then she hurried to the room, I followed. I checked my drawers-as quietly as I could-under my bed, inside my small closet and walked back to the main room. "See?" she said.

I couldn't believe it. "Uh, yeah..." And I looked under the coffee table, still none.

"Who would've gone to our house and snatched it? I was sure the door's locked this time. Front and back."

I staggered, when Max piped in, voice hoarse and tired, "It's Tyler."

"Tyler?" I suddenly felt offended, I had no idea why. "He wouldn't do that!" Max showed up on the door frame, her face serious barely seen in the dim lights of the candles.

"Well, think about it. He brought you all the way from the diner to here. He would've brought you to the dorms which was actually nearby Poniente's!" she argued.