The Rebel (#Wattys2016)

30. Lady Regina

Lady Regina sat on her chair in front of her mirror. She looked at her black hair, then at her gray eyes. She had been mad at herself earlier, when they had been watching the execution on the television. She had been sitting between June and Sosie. But through her anger at Skander taking Adeen, one light had lightened her day. Standing across the room, guarding the door, her favorite guard stood watch. With his red hair and his brown eyes, the Captain of the Guard watched the walls. He didn't move, but he didn't need to. For Regina, the rising and falling of his chest told her enough. Chraisten was alive, and she could still recall how his hands had gripped her hips the night before. He had smiled and said her name, and for the first time, Regina found out what her older brother talked about. 

On one of his letters, Damien had explained that he had left their family not because of her, definitely not, he'd assured her. He had left their family because he couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't keep acting emotionless, couldn't keep acting like he was the prodigal son, the one who gave so little and took so much. But Damien had also said there was another reason.

The day he left their family, he finally confessed his love to a lower girl, to a Five.

And the Five had returned his feelings. So he packed up all he had, took his fair share of the money the Castley family had given their son and ran away.

Up until the night of the ball, Regina had hated him for it. She'd always hated the way he talked about the girl, as if she had been his savior, his only love. As if he hadn't loved Regina. But when Chraisten had danced with her, when he'd laughed with her and his brown eyes looked at her, Regina understood.

Up until that moment, she hadn't experienced love.

But Chraisten had snapped her out of the emotionless coma she'd been for her entire life. She'd laughed and smiled and, for heaven's sake, Regina had felt alive. Truly alive. But even as Chraisten stood across from her, Regina couldn't cool down her temper as she stared at the screen.

Skander was sitting besides Adeen.

"Win the selection, my Regina" her father had said the day Regina had left, "prove me you're worthy of our family, of our legacy. The Castleys deserve it all, Regina. We deserve the entire world, and only those who seek to have the world can be worthy of being called a Castley. Prove you're worthy, my Regina."

But she wouldn't win. Regina had known that since she'd seen the way Skander looked at Adeen. It was the same look Damien used to give the Five girl. There was no mistaking it, Skander had fallen for Adeen.

But still, seeing Skander besides Adeen pained Adeen. She'd lost, and disappointed her father. Of course, that had changed when the man had kidnapped Adeen. Regina had been angry at herself for being almost happy about it. Almost.

So when Adeen had returned, and when Regina had learned that she was way ahead of everyone else in the Selection, Regina decided not to care. When she went to her room, Regina read one of Damien's letters, one of her favorites, where he explained how he didn't regret going against their father's wishes. He was in love, he'd said.

As Regina stored her letter back inside her drawer, she heard a sob. Frowning, Regina pressed her ear against the wall that separated her room from Adeen's. Another sob came through. Regina pulled back and decided to wait, it was normal for Adeen to cry. But even after Regina had lied down on her bed and tried reading a book, Adeen hadn't stopped crying. Regina sighed and went to Adeen's door.

"Adeen?"

She asked as she knocked. No response. Regina looked around, but nobody was close. She took in a deep breath and went inside. Regina stared at a room identical to hers, but really foreign. Adeen's bed wasn't made like Regina's. Her closet was open, revealing all her dresses. On her desk, Adeen had some books and a few drawings. But that was all. Unlike Regina, she didn't have any pictures of her family, or any signs that she had a personal hobby. Another sob made Regina jump.