Selected

18

The king is thrown off of me in a matter of seconds and relief floods through my system. I look up to see Drake.

Drake on top of his father.

Beating into his face senseless.

"I told you!" He grunts in between punches. "I told you, if you ever touched her!" He picks the king up by his collar, "I would fucking kill you!" He shouted punching him again in the face before letting him go.

The kings face was bruised and bloodied as he lay on the floor gasping for breath. I didn't know what to say.

He turns his attention to me, and he squatted so we were eye level. It was then I had realized I was still lying on the floor like an idiot.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?" He asks pulling me up from the ground.

I shake my head no at a loss for words.

"Come, I'll walk you back to your room" he says softly. I found it strange how when seconds ago when he was beating the shit outta his father his voice was so... Coarse, high, and angry. And a moment later when he assessed me it was instantly calming and smooth.

We shuffled past the king who lied limp on the floor, and I quickly kicked his stomach before skipping over him.

We walked back to my room in silence hand in hand, my eyes drifted towards our conjoined hands and I winced at the sight of his bloodied fist.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask after sometime.

He stopped in his tracks "huh?"

"It's just that, you hit him so hard. You're knuckles are probably bruised and your hand could be broken" I say pulling his hand up closer to examine.

He didn't say anything for a moment, I looked up slightly confused to find him staring intently at me "what are you looking at?" I ask my free hand instinctively flying to my face.

"You, something terrible happened to you and yet you're asking if IM okay" he says breathless.

I purse my lips "no, something terrible almost happened to me... But you saved me, and now I'm asking if you are okay" he sighs nodding.

"You're so amazing" he says a slight red tint gracing his cheeks.

I feel my face heat up as well as he looked into my eyes, the look he was giving made my knees week. "What?" I ask suddenly out of breath.

He didn't say anything just leaned forward resting his forehead on mine, our hands still intertwined. "Mariana" he says- no whispers.

"Dra-"

BLEEP

"This is not a drill"

The loud siren went off causing me and drake to flinch back.

BLEEP

"Shit, rebel attack" drake says and my heart drops, "c'mon" he says before taking off in a run. I follow behind closely confused.

Why would my dad host another attack? What's his motive?

BOOM

I fell to the ground at the force, what the hell???

"Mariana!" Drake called pulling me up, "fuck! They're bombing us!" That's when panic set in.

My dad would never do something to danger me?

"Were not gonna make it!" I shout, we were halfway across the palace away from the safety room.

"I know!" he said pulling me down a spiral staircase.