Laurel and the Selection (Laurel's Selection #1)

Chapter Twenty Three- Christian

        The palace was in chaos. Laurel and Sylvia had been missing for two days, so the Selection was placed on hold until we found them. King Maxon sent his best soldiers out to find him, but so far, they didn't find anything.

        I sighed and shut the book I was reading. Where was she? What if she got killed? Then, I would have to settle for Winter or Quinn, which wasn't ever going to happen. I threw the book on my bed in furstration when one of my maids bursted into the room. I was about to protest, but she cut me off. "Laurel's back. With Livia," she said, breathlessly. 

        I stood up, ran out of my room, and down the stairs as fast as I could without falling on my face. Just like the maid said, Laurel was in the foyer, surrounded by guards and the King and Queen. "Laurel!" I shouted.

        Everyone turned toward me, including Laurel, and I noticed her bruised face. "Laurel, what happened to you?!" I asked frantically. She opened her mouth to talk, but Queen America stopped her. "Christian, she's explaining everything to us. We'll let you talk to her alone when she's done explaining to us," she gave me a hard look, a silent message that said Go back to your room, we'll talk about this later. 

        I sighed, and walked back to my room. I could hear their voices from my room, even with the door shut. I sat in my chair and attempted to start reading again. I sighed, and realized something. Where was Sylvia? 

        There was a quiet knock at my door. "Come in," I called, and set my book down.

        Laurel nervously looked through the door and walked in. One of her eyes was swollen and purple, and the rest of her faced was bruised. I stood up quickly, and she blushed. "So, what happened? You were missing for two days," I asked softly, not wanting to make her more nervous than the already was.

        She sighed and sat down on my bed. "The rebels happened. And Sylvia. She was the spy, plus she was working with the rebels. But, she got shot, and in the chaos, Livia and I escaped."

        "Wait, Livia was with you?!" How could Livia be so stupid?

        "Um yeah, she and I have been talking at night for the past couple of weeks," she swallowed. "I know that she's my 'sister', Blair, now. Anyways, she told me that Sylvia and one of the rebels were meeting that night, so we followed them and listened to their conversation. But, we got caught, and knocked out. When I woke up, I was tied up in a small room. Sylvia was there, and she taunted me, and made Livia tell me the truth. She told us her plans- betray the rebels, turn them in, and kill us- because she didn't think we'd make it out alive. But, a rebel was listening the whole time, and shot her." 

        I was speechless. Sylvia? Why would someone so close to the family betray us for some rebels? And what was her plan?