The mood in the room was playful. Tiny-who had so far only managed to get close to Marlee-was talking to Emmica and Jenna and looking more animated than I'd ever seen her. Marlee hovered near a window, looking like one of the many guards dotting the wall. She made no effort to leave her chosen spot but stopped anyone who passed by to chat. A group of Threes-Kayleigh, Elizabeth, and Emily-all turned and waved and smiled. I returned the gesture. Everyone seemed so friendly and happy today.
Except for Celeste and Bariel. Usually they were inseparable, but today they were on opposite ends of the room, with Bariel speaking to Samantha, and Celeste sitting alone at a table, clutching a crystal glass of deep red liquid. I'd obviously missed something between yesterday's dinner and this afternoon.
I gripped my violin case again and walked toward the back of the room to see Marlee.
"Hi, Marlee. This is something, isn't it?" I asked, setting down the violin.
"It sure is." She hugged me. "I hear Maxon's coming by later to wish Kriss a happy birthday in person. Isn't that sweet? I'll bet he has a present, too."
Marlee went on in her typical enthusiastic way. I still wondered what her secret was, but I trusted her enough to bring up the subject if she really needed to talk about it. We spoke of little nothings for a few minutes until we heard a general clamor at the front end of the room.
Marlee and I both turned, and while she remained calm, I was completely deflated.
Kriss's dress choice had been incredibly strategic. Here we all were in day dresses-short, girlish things-and she was in a floor-length gown. But the length meant little. It was that her dress was a creamy, almost white color. Her hair was done up with a row of yellow jewels pinned into a line across the front in a very subtle resemblance to a crown. She looked mature, regal, bridal.
Even though I wasn't entirely sure where my heart was, I felt a pang of jealousy. None of us would ever get a similar moment. No matter how many parties or dinners came and went, it would be rather pathetic to try to copy Kriss's look. I saw Celeste's hand-the one that wasn't clutching her drink-ball into a fist.
"She looks really pretty," Marlee commented wistfully.
"Better than pretty," I replied.
The party continued on, and Marlee and I mostly crowd-watched. Surprisingly-and suspiciously-Celeste clung to Kriss, talking up a storm as Kriss circled the room, thanking everyone for coming, even though we really had no choice.
Eventually she made it to the back corner where Marlee and I were standing, soaking up the warm sun from the windows. Marlee, true to form, threw her arms around Kriss.
"Happy birthday!" she squealed.
"Thank you!" Kriss replied, returning Marlee's affection and enthusiasm.
"So you're nineteen today, right?" Marlee asked.
"Yes. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate. I'm so glad they're taking pictures. My mother will love this! Even though we do pretty well, we've never had money to have something like this. It's so beautiful!" she gushed.
Kriss was a Three. There weren't nearly as many limits to her life as mine, but I'd imagine anything close to this scale would be hard to justify.
"It is impressive," Celeste commented. "For my birthday last year, I had a black and white party. Any trace of color, and you weren't even allowed in the door."
"Wow," Marlee whispered, obvious envy in the tiny word.
"It was fantastic. Gourmet food, dramatic lighting, and the music! Well, we flew in Tessa Tamble. You've heard of her?"
It was impossible not to know Tessa Tamble. She had at least a dozen hit songs. Sometimes we saw videos of hers on TV, though that was frowned on by Mom. She thought we were infinitely more talented than anyone like Tessa, and it irked her to no end that she had fame and money when we didn't for doing essentially the same thing.
"She's my favorite!" Kriss exclaimed.
"Well, Tessa's a dear friend of the family, so she came in and did a concert for my party. I mean, we couldn't have a bunch of dreary Fives sucking all the life out of the room."
Marlee gave me a quick sideways glance. I could tell she was feeling embarrassed for me.
"Oops," Celeste added, looking at me. "I forgot. I meant no offense."
The sticky sweetness of her voice was infuriating. Once again I was tempted to hit her.... Better not to push it.
"None taken," I replied, as composed as I possibly could. "Exactly what do you do as a Two, Celeste? I mean, I've never heard your music on the radio."
"I model," she answered in a tone that implied I should have known that. "Haven't you seen my ads?"
"Can't say I have."
"Oh, well, you are a Five. I guess you can't afford the magazines anyway."
It hurt because it was true. May loved to sneak peeks at magazines when we managed to go by a store, but there was absolutely no reason for us to buy them.
Kriss, taking on the role of host again, switched directions.
"You know, America, I've been meaning to ask what your focus was as a Five."
"Music."
"You should play for us sometime!"
I sighed. "Actually, I brought my violin to play for you today. I thought it would make a nice gift, but you've already got a quartet, so I figured-"
"Oh, play for us!" Marlee begged.
"Please, America, it's my birthday!" Kriss echoed.
"But they've already given you a-" It didn't matter how I protested. Kriss and Marlee had already shushed the quartet and made everyone come to the back of the room. Some girls fanned their dresses out and sat on the floor, while others pulled a few chairs toward the corner. Kriss stood in the middle of the crowd, clutching her hands with excitement, as Celeste stood by, holding the crystal glass she had yet to take a sip from.
As the girls settled themselves, I prepped the violin. The quartet of young men who had been playing walked over to support me, and the few waitstaff who had been buzzing about the room became still.
I took a deep breath and brought the violin to my chin. "For you," I said, looking at Kriss.
I let the bow hover above the strings for a moment, closed my eyes, and then let the music come.
For a while, there was no wicked Celeste, no Aspen lurking in the palace, no rebels trying to invade. There wasn't anything but one perfect note stringing itself to the next in such a way they seemed afraid they might get lost in time without one another. But they did hold together, and as they floated on, this gift that was meant to be something for Kriss became something for me.
I might be a Five, but I wasn't worthless.
I played the song-as familiar as my father's voice or the smell of my room-for a few brief, beautiful moments, and then let it come to its unavoidable end. I gave the bow one last sweep across the strings and lifted it into the air.
I turned to find Kriss, hoping she'd enjoyed her gift, but I didn't even see her face. Behind the crowd of girls, Maxon had walked in. He was in a gray suit with a box under his arm for Kriss. The girls were kindly applauding, but I couldn't register the sound. All I saw was that Maxon wore a handsome, awestruck expression, which slowly turned into a smile, a smile for no one but me.
"Your Majesty," I said with a curtsy.
The other girls all clambered to their feet to greet Maxon. In the midst of this, I heard a shocked squeal.
"Oh, no! Kriss, I'm so sorry."
A few girls had gasped in the same direction, and as Kriss turned my way I saw why. Her beautiful dress was stained down the front from Celeste's punch. It looked like Kriss had been stabbed.
"I'm sorry, I just turned too fast. I didn't mean to, Kriss. Let me help you." To the average person, Celeste's tone probably sounded sincere, but I could see through it.
Kriss covered her mouth as she started to cry, then ran from the room, which ended the party. To his credit, Maxon went after her, though I really wished he had stayed.
Celeste was pleading her case to anyone who would listen, saying it was a complete accident. Tuesday was nodding, saying she saw the whole thing, but there were so many rolling eyes and sagging shoulders from the rest that her support was pointless. I quietly put my violin away and went to leave.
Marlee grabbed my arm. "Someone should do something about her."
If Celeste could move someone as lovely as Anna to violence, or think it was acceptable to try and take the dress off my back, or make someone as good as Marlee come close to anger, then she really was too much for the Selection.
I had to get that girl out of the palace.
CHAPTER 22.
"I'M TELLING YOU, MAXON, IT wasn't an accident." We were in the garden again, passing time until the Report. It had taken me a whole day to get a chance to speak with him.
"But she looked mortified, and she was so apologetic," he countered. "How could it not have been an accident?"
I sighed. "I'm telling you. I see Celeste every day, and that was her sneaky way of ruining Kriss's moment in the spotlight. She's so competitive."
"Well, if she was trying to take my attention from Kriss, she failed. I spent nearly an hour with the girl. Rather pleasant time I had, too."
I didn't want to hear about that. I knew that there was something small and tenuous between us, and I didn't want to deal with anything that might change it. Not until I knew how I felt about it myself.
"Then what about Anna?" I asked.
"Who?"
"Anna Farmer? She hit Celeste, and you kicked her out, remember? I know Anna had to have been provoked."
"Did you hear Celeste say something?" He sounded skeptical.
"Well ... no. But I knew Anna, and I know Celeste. I'm telling you, Anna was not the type of person to head straight to violence. Celeste must have said something heartless to her for her to have reacted that way."
"America, I'm aware that you spend more time with the girls than I do, but how well can you really know them? You like to hide in your room or the libraries. I daresay you're more familiar with your maids' personalities than any of the Selected."
He was probably right, but I wouldn't back down. "That's not fair. I was right about Marlee, wasn't I? Don't you think she's nice?"
He made a face. "Yes ... she is nice, I suppose."
"Then why won't you believe me when I say that what Celeste did was a calculated move?"
"America, it's not that I think you're lying. I'm sure, to you, it seemed that way. But Celeste was sorry. And she's been nothing but gracious with me."
"I'll bet she has," I muttered under my breath.
"That's enough," Maxon said with a sigh. "I don't want to talk about the others right now."
"She tried to take my dress, Maxon," I complained.
"I said I don't want to talk about her," he said fiercely.
That was all I was going to take. I huffed and lifted my arms in the air just to drop them with a thud against my legs. I was so frustrated I wanted to scream.
"If you're going to act this way, I'm going to find someone who does want my company." He walked off.
"Hey!" I called.
"No!" He turned back on me and spoke more forcefully than I'd ever imagined he could. "You forget yourself, Lady America. It would do you well to remember that I am the crown prince of Illea. For all intents and purposes, I am lord and master of this country, and I'll be damned if you think you can treat me like this in my own home. You don't have to agree with my decisions, but you will abide by them."
He turned and left, either not seeing or caring that I had tears in my eyes.
I didn't look his way through dinner, but it was difficult to do during the Report. I caught him looking at me twice, and both times he tugged his ear. I didn't return the action. I didn't want to talk to him right now. I could only assume I'd be scolded more anyway, and I didn't need that.
I walked up to my room afterward so upset with Maxon I couldn't think clearly. Why wouldn't he listen to me? Did he think I was a liar? Even worse, did he think Celeste was above lying?
Maybe Maxon was just a typical guy, and Celeste was a beautiful girl, and in the end that would be what won out. For all his talk about wanting a soul mate, maybe all he wanted was a bedmate.
And if that was the kind of person he was, why was I even bothering with this? Stupid, stupid, stupid! I kissed him! I told him I'd be patient! And for what? I just- I turned the corner to my room, and there was Aspen, waiting outside my door. All my rage melted away into a strange uncertainty. Guards, as a rule, kept their eyes forward and stayed at attention, but he was looking at me with an unreadable expression.
"Lady America," he whispered.
"Officer Leger."
Though it wasn't his job, he leaned over to open my door for me. I walked past slowly, almost afraid to turn my back on him, almost afraid he wasn't real. As much as I'd tried to keep him out of my head and my heart, I just wanted him to be with me in that moment. As I passed, I heard him inhale just next to my hair. It gave me a chill.
He fixed me with another stare and slowly closed the door.
Sleep was pointless. I tossed for hours as thoughts of Maxon's stupidity and Aspen's closeness battled in my head. I didn't know what to do about anything. My reflections were so consuming, I didn't even realize that I'd been mulling them over until well past two in the morning.
I sighed. My maids were going to have to work extra hard to make me look good tomorrow.
Suddenly I saw a light from the hallway. So quietly it felt like I was dreaming it, Aspen cracked open the door, walked in, and shut it behind him.
"Aspen, what are you doing?" I whispered as he crossed the room. "You'll be in so much trouble if you're caught in here!"
He continued to walk silently.
"Aspen?"