It was by the way I was standing. I saw it. Celeste sighed and slapped herself in the face hard.
"Ow!" she screamed and held her hand to her face as if it were blistering.
Maxon looked over to her.
"She did it to herself." I whispered in his ear. "Go with it."
"Who did it?" he asked the girls at the table.
"It was Kriss." Celeste said through fake sobs. "I don't know what provoked her."
"I didn't hit her!" Kriss yelped. Over at the other side of the room, the king stood up.
"Relax, father, I'll handle this one." Maxon called to him. "Celeste, please come with me." He took a scrap of paper out of his pocket and scribbled words down. He shoved it into my hand, fiddled with something, and went with Celeste.
'recording it, show you later.'
I smiled to myself and tucked the notes into my sleeve when no one was looking.
"Excuse me, Lady America." I heard a voice from behind me. The queen's. "I have a bit of free time and I wish to talk."
I nodded to her. I could tell she was disappointed in me, and that she saw that I was disappointed in myself.
I followed her into a room that I didn't know existed. "Lady America. This is a room I like to visit when I'm troubled." She started. "And right now, I know you're troubled. I also know that you're sorry."
We sit down on a couch in the room.
"You shouldn't have done that." she said. "I know my husband shouldn't have reacted like he did, but he wouldn't have had anything to react to if you hadn't shown that book, or that idea."
She sighed. "He's just a man. He is just a man under that crown." She said quietly.
"I'm so stupid. And sorry." I said in a very small voice.
"You're not stupid. No no. Far from it. I could never let my son marry someone stupid." She stated and smiled. "He told me."
"I would've guessed." I said and sighed.
"I wanted to let you know that he will be ending the Selection in January." She declared. "Hopefully."
"Okay. Do you approve?" I asked.
"You're a very bright girl." She answered. "I couldn't in a thousand years disapprove. And another topic... May I have the note?"
My eyes widened.
"From Lady Celeste."
Relieved, I reached up my sleeve and handed it to her.
"She," She started. "Needs to go."
"Tell me about it." I said.
We both laughed. She stood up. "You're dismissed." I nodded and left the room. I decided to walk out to the garden.
I heard muffled but recognizable voices as I walked towards to exit.
"Yes... Going now... Good day, dear..." I made out. I came to my senses and hid in a room, watching through the cracks.
"Such a shame." Celeste faked. "I'm going to miss you. You're the reason that my heart is beating." I see her take his hand and put it to her chest. He sure looked uncomfortable.
She dropped his hand and was about to turn away, until she turned back to him and grabbed him and kissed him. His eyes were wide open and hers were closed.
"I really must be going." He said as he ripped from her grasp. He gave a friendly wave and left to find me. The last thing I saw was him end the recording. When Celeste was gone, I went to follow Maxon.
"I saw that." I said as soon as I caught up with him. "Just the end. Let's go up to your room. And listen."
He nodded and put an arm out. I grabbed it and we went up the staircase to his room. He opened the door for me and closed it behind me. I admired his room.
The walls and floor was white. His bed was on a tan platform that had gold silk cushion wallpaper.
"It's definitely royal." I said with a grin.
"Come listen." he said urgently. I sat down on his bed with him. He played the tape.
"I didn't do anything. She just whispered something and then slapped me! It hurt so bad!"
"I'll handle it."
"She slapped me harder than Anna did. Harder than America did, that one day, and harder than America did today,"
"I didn't hear about today."
"Kriss was talking about Marlee. So I asked the question everyone wants answered - Is Marlee dead? Well personally I think she is. I said that out loud and America attacked me. She threatened everyone else and told them not to tell."
"I'll speak to her."
"And she was gone during lunch, probably out with a guard or something. Explains what happened at the caning."
"Best not to talk about that."
"Then can we talk about when everyone's going home? All of the public thinks America's next."
"They can think."
"So can I."
"Just like you can talk."
"MAXON." I said, obviously surprised but jubilant.
"I couldn't help myself." he said, smiling.
"Just don't blow it." I added.
"She already knows somethings up. You just have to deal with her." He said.
"I'll try."
