Ever After . . .

Chapter 31

~Maxon~

It was Friday. My eye was badly bruised, but makeup hid it well. Nathan still hadn't told anyone what had happened. I had told Kriss and my mother that I had tripped and hit my eye on something on my way down. My father looked pleased with my answer. I on the other hand was not. The red mark from the slap was gone in one visit to the infirmary.

I was standing in my office looking out the big window. I can see the front gates from here. I had finished all of my work before all of the girls began to arrive to the palace, so now I stood to watch them enter one by one to the palace.

My door opened, and I feared the worst. Instead it was Kriss. She came and stood next to me.

"What was it like when you first came to the palace?" I ask her as I watch another limo pull up.

"Terrifying, but in a good way if that makes sense at all," she said.

I smile. I can only imagine what these girls are thinking. Being taken away from their homes, and brought somewhere they didn't know.

This limo only had three girls in it, then it left. A few minutes pass before another one rolls up to the doors. I watch as a girl with vibrant red hair exits the limo last. I knew it was her. It just had to be Marissa.

She rushed after the other girls into the palace. She was going to get ready just like every other girl. I know they wouldn't change much of her. Her look was just too different to change.

Out of the corner of the eye I watch Kriss fiddle with her necklace. It's the same North Star necklace. I need to approach her about it, but discreetly.

"I like that necklace," I say.

"Oh. Thanks. I've had it for a while," she said.

"You have? I'm sorry that I'm just now noticing it."

"Oh it's fine. It's nothing too special."

"Where did you get it?"

She hesitates for a moment. "My father gave it to me as a gift before I was sent off for the Selection. I kept it as a good luck charm. Kind of like America and her old necklace." She said it with such venom I had to cringe. She saw this. "You still love her don't you? You love her and not me."

I sigh. We had a lot of conversations like this after the Selection. "No Kriss. I don't live her anymore. If I did love her it would be her by my side instead of you."

I pull her close and kiss her head. "Good."

We stayed that way for a few minutes. She touched her hand to my bruised eye. "You didn't fall and give yourself a black eye Maxon. Someone punched you," she said.

"How do you know this?" I ask looking at her.

"Because I've had my fair share of black eyes in my life, and I know what it looks like when someone punches you. Someone punched you Maxon. Who was it?"

I sigh. I can't lie to her. She'll know. It's a quality Kriss and America share. "My father punched me when I refused to take out the lower castes, then when Marissa, America's daughter, was Selected it sent him over the edge. I tried to confront him, but it didn't work."

"Oh Maxon." She hesitates like she is going to say something else but she stops her self.

The last limo pulls up and I watch as the last five girls file out of the car. Once they are in, Kriss and I go down for dinner. We have to eat early so that we can get ready for the Report, and so that the Selected can eat without the pressure of royalty.

Alison is ecstatic, Nathan seems at ease, and Ben even has a small smile on his lips. Dinner was quiet, except for Alison's continuous questions about the girls.

One of the advisors that had been downstairs came into the hall. He bows, then begins, "Sorry to interrupt your dinner, but the girls are ready, and the food is finished and ready."

"Thank you," I say. "We'll be done in a few  moments." The advisor bows and leaves again. "I guess that's our cue to leave. We have about an hour before the Report starts, everyone can go do what they want for that hour. Except bother the Selected." I directed that last part to Alison. She pouts but leaves the room.

Ben, and Kriss leave together, and Nathan and I leave together.

"Dad, could we take a walk in the gardens for a few minutes. I have a few questions I want to ask you," he says.

"Of course."

We walk down the hall, and to the doors that lead to the gardens. It's quiet, and the sun is about ready to set.

"What do you want to ask me?" I ask.

"As you know I'm meeting the Selected tomorrow. I'm not planning on doing an elimination right away, but I wanted to ask how you were able to eliminate girls easily," He asks.

"There is no easy way to eliminate girls. But I found a way to narrow the playing field. I just asked them some personal questions. You know, their name, age, province, and what they like to do in their free time. I took note of other things too. The way they talked, acted, and posture. Now they're not going to be good on the first day, but you'll know which ones to keep around, and which ones to eliminate. A big elimination on the first day will raise eyebrows. It did for me anyway. I'd give it about a week before you begin to eliminate."

"Thanks. That helped me a little better."

"I'm glad. This is tough, but like I've said before. It'll all be worth it in the end."

He smiles and we both head back i. To get ready for the Report.