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

Chapter XII: Is this Pride and Prejudice?

[] This chapter is a bit --- ok, not as dramatic as compared to the last to chapters. Don't worry, no characters die in this chapter, so rest easy! Enjoy! []

Chapter Twelve

Maxon and I both leaped to our feet as the door of the safe room started to open with a click. It had been a few horrible minutes of silence that I had hated with my entire being, and even if a rebel was the person coming through the door, I was so glad that scene had ended.

A dark head peeked inside, and dark black eyes stared at me and Maxon. "Your Majesty?" she gasped, staring at Maxon. She turned around, yelling back into the Palace, "I found him! I found the king!" She opened the door wider for us, and Maxon sent me one last hopeful glance. I avoided his eyes, looking at my feet, and he sighed before rushing out the door.

I lifted my gaze to see the maid who had opened the door. Her wide, bright eyes reminded me of Adelynne, and I had a moment of panic.

"Where's the maid Mallory? Or Head Maid Chelsey?" My voice rose desperately with every word, and the maid looked scared. "Valleree? Lady Veronikka? Where's. My. Daughter?" I annunciated, shaking her slightly. She moved from my grip, her eyes wide.

"What are you talking about? I don't where they are!" She fretted. "I was just looking for people in safe rooms! What?"

"America!" I turned to see a disheveled Mallory running up to me, Adelynne in her arms. I ran towards them, leaving the close-to-tears maid by herself.

"Mallory! Adelynne!" I nearly broke down in tears again as I took Adelynne from my friend, but I had used up all my tears and my eyes were now dry. I burrowed my head in Adelynne's dark chestnut color hair, holding her close. My daughter wrapped her arms around me, whimpering. I rubbed her back soothingly.

"What happened?" Mallory gasped, her eyes swimming with tears. "Wasn't King Maxon with you? And May?" My eyes started to water slightly at my sister's name, and Mallory's eyes widened.

"Oh my God," she muttered, her breath hitching. She wrapped her arms around me comfortingly, and the three of us stood there, mourning, as we cried.

(ooo)

Later that day, all the dead bodies were gathered, rebels included. Injured people were sent to the infirmary, like I had been, or to the servants' nurse, where I should've gone when I had been shot. There was a ceremony for the servants who died, but the rebels who had been killed were simply sent away in large body bags. I didn't know where they were sent, but I didn't particularly want to anyway.

For the short ceremony of those who died the next day, servants weren't usually allowed to come unless assigned to. But since May had been one of those dead, Chelsey had let me come with her since she was allowed to go, as the Head Maid.

At the ceremony, I didn't cry. All of my tears had been used up, so I simply stared blankly as they droned on and on about how those who died did so nobly and honorably. I just clutched Adelynne tighter, dreading that my mother would soon be coming to pick her up. (Chelsey had told me that Adelynne would have to go back home and that, and I quote, "King Maxon has been generous enough to buy a ticket" for my mother to come here and pick her up. I couldn't help but feel he was just doing that to get on my good side.)

What I hated most of all was that no one looked very upset that so many people - my sister included - had died.

Not even learning that the trip to the beach was canceled made me upset. In fact, I was rather relieved when Chelsey told me. The idea had been bothering me in the back of my mind, but I obviously couldn't tell Maxon about that. Luckily, he didn't seem very keen on the idea of going to the beach anymore either.