Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 44

I spent the day inside my room before lunch with my maids, enjoying their company since I hadn't talked to them much in the last week.

"I think it means something that he went with you for this. I don't believe they've ever been able to do that before." Amelia shrugs as she dusts the perfectly clean shelves.

"I hope so. I can't imagine what my life would be if I was made to go now and forget all of this." I mutter and look down with a shrug.

"Good think none of us think that is going to happen." Liliana smiles as she cleans the window. I can't help but smile at her.

"Let's get you ready for lunch, Miss. The other girls haven't seen you in a while and will probably have quite a fit when they realize the prince went home with you." Amelia says.

I didn't want to go to lunch because I knew how the other girls would act and this time I couldn't just hide away from them.

•••

I walk into the Great Hall and notice the quiet that seems to turn the room cold. Too many eyes were facing me and I just ducked my head and walked to my seat.

Even when I sat down, everyone was still unusually quiet.

"I'm so sorry about your mom, Autumn." Josie says to break the silence.

"It's alright, but thank you." I say quietly and return my eyes silently to my plate.

"What happened?" Eden asks innocently and I barely look up to meet her gaze.

"I'd rather not talk about it, honestly." I say a bit harshly but I felt used on the topic. None of them felt like it was important to ask me about it in the Women's Room before I left a few days ago, but now in front of Will it was important.

They all begin their silence until maids rushed from the kitchens and alarms blasted through the air.

The kind stands abruptly in his seat along with Logan and the queen. The maids start talking to the Royal table and explaining the situation.

"Rebels have attacked the palace!" King Alex's voice booms loudly over the chaos. "Please follow the maids and royalty to the closest shelter!"

From that point on everything was a mess. I found Will's hand in mine and other than that didn't feel or see anything in particular except for quick shoving and the sound of clicking shoes.

Suddenly stairs appear below me and I'm stumbling down them with a hand tight in mine. I hear the loud slam of the door behind me and everything became quiet.

"Are you okay?" Will says quietly beside of me and I feel the absence of his hand in mine and I realize both our knuckles are white from the stress we put on them.

"I'm okay." I whisper and look around the fairly sized room. Cots were lining the walls just like the last room we'd been in during an attack.

"I have things I need to go settle but I'll be back I promise." Will says softly to me and leans in to kiss my on the forehead. He didn't show that sort of affection often in public so I stood there a bit shocked.

"Wanna come and sit with me?" I hear Paige say in front of me. I blink and re-enter reality.

"Sure." I say quietly and walk to a cot to settle down across from her.

"I'm sorry about your mother and I didn't hear about it until after you'd left." Paige looked genuinely sorry which was why I believed her unlike the other girls.

"Thanks." I force a smile. "It was really hard going back and her not being there, but I do believe she is in a better place now."

"That's a good way to think of it." Paige smiles at me. "How has you and Will's relationship been? I know he's in love with you, I see it all the time whenever he's talking to you or when he's picking you out in a crowd or holding your hand under the table at meals."

It takes me a few minutes to say anything because I was reliving short moments from our past.

"I just hope everything works out like I've been dreaming it will."  I look down at my hands and twist my fingers together.

"I think it will." Paige smiles cheekily. I was about to reply when she notices Will walking up near the bed. "I better be off, but I'll talk to you later."

"Bye." I say quietly and attempt to smile at Will who sits in front of me on the cot.

"I really want to talk to you." Will says seriously. I knit my eyebrows together and wonder what on earth he meant. "But I cant now. After we get out of here I want you to meet me the gardens."

"Okay." I say worriedly.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing bad, trust me." Will smiles for the first time and moves to my side and leans against the wall beside of me. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"It's fine don't worry about it." I smile and give him a hesitant look. "Shouldn't you be talking to the other girls?"

"Stop worrying. They are all together and I don't want to interrupt that. I don't like leaving you during these things." The raw emotion in his face was enough to convince me there was little left that I needed in my life. Between the two of us there was some sort of connection that no matter how long someone watched us, they just wouldn't understand.