Scintillate {The Selection}

Chapter 14

A maid leads my mom off to her room. I wave and kiss her on the cheek. I see Caxon smiling from the corner of my eye and as my mom leaves, I go and stand next to him. The other girls troop out and Caxon takes my hand to lead me out of the door at the back of the room. 

He leads me down some back corridors and into a small room. There is a large fireplace on one wall. It's about my height and I could stand in there. 

"Well, this is nice," I say awkwardly, kissing him on his cheek. 

Caxon laughs, "No, it's this that I wanted to show you,"

He clambers into the fireplace, still holding my hand. I giggle and watch as he softly tugs a handle down and the wall swings apart, revealing a staircase. We begin to climb it, in total darkness as it's night outside and we don't have a torch. I find myself clinging tightly to Caxon's hand, trying not to trip. 

Finally, we reach the top and I can tell because the stars are spread out like a blanket above us. Caxon turns to me and I link my hands with his.

"Thank you so much for all of this," I say, holding his hands, "But I wonder if Esmay can see the stars right now..."

Caxon puts his arm around my shoulders, "I hope she can,"

----------------------------------------------------------

I hike through the forest.

I scrambles up a tree and sits there for a while. I tilts my head upwards to look at the bright stars.

"I'm sorry, Marie, I had no choice...." I murmur

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I stay wrapped in Caxon's arm for a while.

"Come on, let's dance!" I say.

Caxon takes me tenderly in his arms and we waltz around the rooftop. I feel so contented in Caxon's arms and wish that I can stay here forever but I know I can't.

 I look out across the Palace grounds, across all of it.

I gasp, "In the trees, just there," I point, "There's a flash of pink!"

Caxon looks but the pink's gone and I sigh, "It could have been Esmay..."

"Don't worry, Darling," Caxon says as he wraps his arm loosely around my shoulders. I lean onto him but he begins to move. I sigh. 

"Now, come on, we better go inside before someone sees us," He says, taking my hand and beginning to lead me down the stair case.

I trip over something sat on the stairs and fall onto Caxon.

"What is it?" he says, turning around as I point at the stairs. He picks up the thing whilst I rub my ankle.

"This is a microphone..."

"Someone's been watching us," I say. He looks down the stairs and calls, "Hello?"

I rub at my ankle but am able to stand up so I hobble down the stairs with my arm resting on Caxon's. 

He kisses me gently on the hand at my bedroom door and bows as he turns to walk away. I blow him a kiss as he looks back at me. He smiles and turns away to hide his small blush. 

I giggle and open my door and slip in. 

I stand against the door with a big, blushing smile on my face.