Truly Elected (Book Two of The Next Selection Series)

Chapter 13

I could hardly feel my limbs as Matthew lifted me into his broad arms. I only knew we were walking by the soft swaying of his pitter-pattering feet; my eyes were closed. Only when I was laying down on a soft mattress did I open my eyes, watching as Matthew shut the door to a room: my room.

"It's well passed lunch," he said, his tone slightly sombre. Obviously, he was still letting his mind work and pick at our argument like mine is, working out every word said and trying to create a message like pieces of a puzzle. "You don't mind calling your maids, do you?"

Instead of asking as to why he couldn't do it, I breathed quickly and rolled over, slapping the button on my nightstand. Starlet was the one who answered the call a few minutes later.

"Lady Sol," she opened the door and curtsied. As she did so, my eyes glanced right, noticing Matthew standing behind the door. He looked as if he were sucking in his stomach, holding his breath so he wouldn't make a sound. I raised an eyebrow at him quickly before returning to Starlet.

"How may I assist you?"

"I seemed to have missed lunch today," I chuckled, trying to sound sheepish, though I felt anything but. "Do you mind bringing in some left-overs? I would be greatly appreciative."

Starlet nodded quickly, curtsying again before carefully shutting the door.

Click.

"You can stop doing whatever it is you're doing now Matthew." I said, sounding bored as I flipped over onto my other side, my back facing him as I traced the small bumps in the wall paint.

"For your information Sol, I was hiding."

I snorted, facing him again. I sat up, crossing my legs. "Yeah, it was very clear you were doing that."

He rolled his eyes, crossing the length of the room. His hands flattened onto my bed, sinking into the spongy mattress. For once, he was looking up at me.

"But you just asked what I was doing."

"I meant why." I pressed, leaning down. His face was inches apart from mine, but I had no intention of kissing him. We stared at each other with great intensity.

"Because, while I was with you for the past hour, I was supposed to be in a meeting," Matthew said, his voice never shaking. "In fact, I'm still supposed to be there. So, even though I know your maids are very kind and good to you, they are still servants under my father's reign. He is the king; he has more authority in a single finger than I do in my entire body. All staff is authorized to report to the king if they spot any of his children out of a meeting and what they were doing. If I'm not caught, nothing can happen."

I was quiet. His logic made sense, but I wouldn't admit it.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I flew across the floor, my feet dragging behind me lazily, and laced my hand on the knob. My eyes met Matthew's for a moment and his finger flew to his lips, telling me he was going to be quiet; telling me to not mention him. I got the message.

"It looks lovely," I said immediately after I flung the door open, my voice so sugary sweet that I'm sure even Starlet could tell how fake my act was. However, she didn't bring it up as I quickly took the food of tray out of her hands. I in fact had yet to look at the food, I had no idea what was being served to me.

"Don't worry, I got this from here. Thank you, bye!" My voice grew higher and higher like a child telling an exciting story to his parents and seeming to run out of air as he did so. My heeled foot toed at the door, kicking it gently so that it shut. Starlet just stared at me, not having said a word, as the door shut in her face. I stayed still until her footsteps grow quieter, letting out a sigh of relief.