The Selected | ✓

Chapter 10

A/N: Cassiana's dress is above

I wake up the next morning before my maids get into my room. Taylora, Maria, and Alexis have all seemed to realize that I'm an early riser, and they don't comment on it today. Taylora isn't surprised this morning.

Today they fit me in a dress, just to make sure it fits. "A prototype," Maria explains, "just for sizing, miss. You can wear this to dinner."

It's a pretty crimson dress, with a black, red, and gold pattern on one side. It's strapless, and reaches around halfway to my knee. It's shorter than anything I usually wear—much shorter. It's beautiful, like every other dress they've had me wear so far.

Alexis catches my slight discomfort. "Your dress for the Capital Report will be longer, Miss. This just has the same fitting for the top."

Taylora nods. "This was going to be it, but we ran out of the material."

"And we learned that Celine would be in red." Maria says. She makes a face. "And that simply won't do."

I smile and resist the urge to laugh. "So, what color is mine?"

Alexis shakes her head. "We can't say, Miss. Though you will love it."

Maria makes me wear red heels the same color as the dress. Then she pulls out a small black box. "Prince Mason asked me to bring this to you, Miss." She says. She hands it to me.

Alexis finishes my hair quickly, and I dismiss them. I sit on my bed and open the box. The necklace that's in it is beautiful—a red jewel that I believe is a garnet in the shape of a heart, with two dark gold wings resting over the two curves. The chain is made from the same dark gold.

As I pull on the necklace, a note flutters to the floor. I lift it and unfold the paper.

Lady Cassiana,

I would like to thank you for staying with my sister during the rebel attack. I owe you much more, but please accept this necklace as a small token of my gratitude.

Sincerely,

Prince Mason.

P.S.- meet me in the garden after dinner?

I smile down at the paper. A knock comes on the door. "Cassiana?" It's Aquia.

"Come in, it's open!" I hide the note.

She opens the door, smiling at me. Silver and aquamarine earrings hang from her ears, matching her blue dress. "It's time for dinner." Her silver bracelets chime lightly on her wrists, and the charms that hang from them are shaped like stars and moons and shells and creatures that live by or in the sea such as turtles and dolphins and starfish.

I get up and follow her downstairs.

"My God, your dress is beautiful!"

"Thanks, so is yours." It is, too. Much better than the dress they had her wear the first day—this one is simpler, with an empire waist, pleated skirt, and a collar that wraps around her neck and is beaded in silver.

She smiles and nudges me. "So, I was thinking..."

"This can't be good." I joke. "What?"

"You and Alexander would look cute together. Like as a couple."

I blush, and something in my stomach flutters. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am. You would also look nice with Mason. That's what everyone else thinks, but I like you better with Alexander."

I open my mouth to reply, but we reach the dining room.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Garden? Mason mouths to me. I nod.

Clara looks back and forth between us and smiles at me. She leans closer to me. "I know my brother gave you that necklace."

I blink rapidly. "How?"

She grins slyly and taps her temple. Dinner is practically over.

"You are an evil little princess."

She laughs. "Yes, yes I'm not."

"That makes no sense."

"No, no it does."

This goes on for two more minutes.

"Clara!" Mason hisses. He gestures for her to get up.

I wave goodbye. All of the Selected leave as well.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

At eight I meet Mason in the garden. "Hello, Cassiana." He says. He extends his arms, and I hug him. I don't know why; it just feels right. Even though this should be a romantic thing—and I do really like Mason in the way the people believe I should, being in the Selection and all—I feel as though he's a friend I've known for years, despite knowing him for a few weeks.

He smiles.

We walk around the garden until about eleven, when a guard comes out and says that it's late, and we should return to our rooms.

Mason walks me to my room. He kisses me on the cheek, says goodnight, and disappears down the hall.

That night I dream of attacks and princes and darkness, or at least, I think I do. By the time the first rays of dawn slip beneath my curtains and reach me, I have forgotten everything that happened in my head.