The Elite (Selection)

idea of her flipping through pictures of herself drove my irritation deeper.
    “Lady America?” someone called. I turned and saw the queen and some of her attendants in the corner. She looked like she was doing needlework.
    I curtsied, and she waved me over. My stomach did a flip as I considered my behavior yesterday. I’d never intended to offend her and was suddenly afraid I’d done just that. I felt the eyes of the other girls on me. The queen usually spoke to us as a group, rarely one-on-one.
    I gave another curtsy as I approached. “Majesty.”
    “Please sit, Lady America,” she said kindly, motioning to an empty chair across from her.
    I obliged, still very nervous.
    “You put up quite a fight yesterday,” she commented.
    I swallowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
    “You were very close to her?”
    I choked back my sadness. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
    She sighed. “A lady ought not to behave in such a way. The cameras were so focused on the action at hand that they missed your conduct. Still, it doesn’t behoove you to lash out like that.”
    It wasn’t the order of a queen. It was the reprimand of a mother. That made it a thousand times worse. It was like she felt responsible for me, and I’d let her down.
    I bowed my head. For the first time, I truly felt bad about how I reacted.
    She reached over and rested her hand on my knee. I looked up to her face, shocked by the casual touch.
    “All the same,” she whispered, “I’m glad you did it.” And she smiled at me.
    “She was my best friend.”
    “That doesn’t stop because she’s gone, sweetheart.” Queen Amberly patted my leg kindly.
    It was exactly what I needed: motherly affection.
    Tears bit at the corners of my eyes. “I don’t know what to do,” I whispered. I nearly let everything spill out right there about how I was feeling, but I was conscious of the eyes of the other girls on me.
    “I told myself I wouldn’t get involved,” she stated, and sighed. “Even if I wanted to, I’m not sure there’s much to say.”
    She was right. What words could undo all that had happened?
    The queen leaned in to me and spoke sweetly. “Still, go easy on him.”
    I knew she meant well, but I really didn’t want to discuss her son. I nodded and rose. She smiled at me kindly and gestured that I was free to go. I wandered over to sit with Elise and Kriss.
    “How are you doing?” Elise asked sympathetically.
    “I’m fine. It’s Marlee I’m worried about.”
    “At least they’re together. They’ll make it as long as they have each other,” Kriss commented.
    “How do you know Marlee and Carter are together?”
    “Maxon told me,” she replied, as if it was common knowledge.
    “Oh,” I said, disappointed.
    “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you, of all people. You and Marlee were so close. Besides, you’re his favorite, right?” she said.
    I glanced at Kriss, then at Elise. They both carried a look of concern in their eyes but also maybe a sense of relief.
    Celeste laughed. “She’s obviously not anymore,” she muttered, not bothering to look up from her magazine. Clearly, my fall was to be expected.
    I changed the subject back to Marlee. “I still can’t believe Maxon put them through that. It was disturbing how calm he was about it.”
    “But what she did was wrong,” Natalie remarked. There wasn’t anything judgmental about her tone, only a quiet acceptance, like she was following instructions.
    Elise spoke up. “He could have had them killed. The law is on his side in that one. He showed them mercy.”
    “Mercy?” I scoffed. “You call having your skin torn apart in public merciful?”
    “Yes, all things considered,” she continued. “I bet if we could ask Marlee, she’d choose caning over dying .”
    “Elise is right,” Kriss said. “I agree that it was absolutely terrible, but I would rather have that than death.”
    “Please,” I sneered, my anger coming to the surface. “You’re a Three. Everyone knows your dad’s a famous professor, and you’ve lived your whole life in libraries, completely comfortable. You’d never survive the beating, let alone a life as an Eight afterward. You’d be begging to die.”
    Kriss glared at me. “Don’t pretend that you know anything about what I can and cannot tolerate. Just because you’re a Five, you think you’re the only one who’s ever suffered?”
    “No, but I’m sure I’ve experienced far worse than you,” I said, my voice rising in anger, “and I