Break My Heart a Thousand Times (The Selection Series Story)

Chapter V: Love, Lost

Chapter Five

"Excuse me?" someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind. I turned around.

"You're a maid, right?" a woman asked. I looked at her and frowned.

"Er... yes, I'm wearing a maid's uniform. And I'm dusting." I gestured to the feather duster in my hand. The woman blushed.

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "My name is Keahnna. I'm Kriss's best friend," she said this a little proudly, "but I'm seriously lost." She looked at me hopefully, her pink lips pulling up into a smile. "Could you tell me where she is? Or even where my room is?"

My eyebrows shot up. This was Lady Keahnna? I looked at what she was wearing. Right now she was only wearing some jeans and a pretty flowy shirt, but I could tell from her tall, slim figure that she would look gorgeous in a dress.

I curtsied, trying to fix my mistake. I knew I had been extremely rude. "I'm terribly sorry, Lady Keahnna."

She crossed her arms. "You should be. Treating me like some commoner, were you?" she said, her nose high in the air. I looked at her incredulously. She had been nice just a few seconds ago.

Seeing my face, Lady Keahnna burst out laughing. "My goodness, you should see your face. Relax, I was only joking. But seriously, I am lost." She looked around at the Palace. "I can't believe how quickly I've forgotten my way around. I've been dying to be in one of those fancy ballgowns again ever since I last left the palace, but I can't seem to find my room." She sighed in frustration, running and hand through her thick black waves of hair.

"I'm here for Kriss, you see." She explained, her dark brown eyes now sad. "I assume you know horribly ill the Queen is?"

I nodded, and she sighed. "Yes, she's asked me to stay and visit." She smiled again, her eyes scanning the beautiful palace. "While I love the palace, the reason I'm here is a little..." she frowned, trying to find the right word. "Depressing."

I nodded, and I saw over her shoulder that Lou was walking this way. I wished I could stop and say hello, but Lady Keahnna was counting on me. "Sure, I can bring you to your room. Where is it?"

Lady Keahnna looked up, biting her lip. "I think... on the same floor as Kriss's. It looks over out at the gardens... Do you know where that is?"

I didn't, but I nodded anyway. Hopefully, she would recognize which room was hers when we were on that floor. I led her to the main staircase that I had been shown on my first day, in the room where there were two generations of royal families. When Lady Keahnna saw the black cloth ready to drape over King Maxon and Queen Kriss's picture, her hand went up to her mouth, and she frowned. I tried to ignore it, but everyone's hearts were heavy because of the Queen's illness, including mine.

I led Keahnna up to the floor with the Royal Chambers. "Do you recognize where you are now?"

She looked around a thoughtful look on her face. She smiled brightly. "Oh, yes, that painting was right next to my door. Thank you so much!" she bustled away, leaving me standing in the hallway with an amused expression on my face.

"Hey, America. What's so funny?" Lou had come out of Queen Kriss's room. She smiled at me, but there was something clouding her eyes.

"Oh, nothing." I smiled. "The Royals and their friends are just really... interesting, that's all."

Lou's eyes flashed. "You mean you've met more than one Royal?" She frowned. "This is my first time. I was called to get something for Queen Kriss... Why did you get to assist the Royal Family before me?" she accused.