The Elite (Selection)

about. It was actually kind of fun.”
    “You’re already done?” If the king was finished speaking with at least two girls, I’d have less time to compose myself than I thought.
    “Yes. Sit with me. We can have some tea while you wait.”
    Kriss pulled me over to a table, and a maid approached us immediately, setting tea, milk, and sugar in front of us.
    “What did he ask you?” I pressed.
    “Actually, it was very conversational. I don’t think he’s trying to get any information exactly, more like he’s trying to get a feeling for our personalities. I made him laugh once!” she gushed. “It went really well. And you’re naturally funny, so if you just talk like you would to anyone else, you’ll be fine.”
    I nodded before picking up my tea. She made it sound all right. Maybe the king had to compartmentalize himself. When it came to dealing with threats to the country, he had to be decisive, cold. He had to act quickly and deliberately. This was just tea with a bunch of girls. There was no need for him to be that way with us.
    The queen had moved away from Celeste and was now speaking softly to Natalie. The look on Natalie’s face was adoring. For a while I’d been irritated by her dreamy disposition; but she was simple, and it was refreshing.
    I sipped my tea again. King Clarkson drifted over to Celeste, and she gave him a seductive smile. It was a little disturbing. Where were her boundaries?
    Kriss leaned over to touch my dress. “That fabric is amazing. With your hair, you look like a sunset.”
    “Thank you,” I said, blinking my eyes. The light had caught on her necklace, an explosion of silver on her throat, and it blinded me for a moment. “My maids are very talented.”
    “Absolutely. I like mine, but if I become princess, I’m stealing yours!”
    She laughed, maybe meaning her words as a joke, maybe not. Either way, something about my maids hemming her clothes bothered me. I forced a smile though.
    “What’s so funny?” Maxon asked, walking over.
    “Just girl talk,” Kriss said flirtatiously. She was really on tonight. “I was trying to calm America. She’s nervous about speaking to your father.”
    Thank you for that, Kriss.
    “You don’t have a thing to worry about. Be natural. You already look fantastic.” Maxon gave me an easy smile. He was clearly trying to open up our lines of communication again.
    “That’s what I said!” Kriss exclaimed. They shared a quick look, and there was this feeling of them being on a team. It was strange.
    “Well, I’ll leave you to your girl talk. Good-bye for now.” Maxon gave us both a short bow and went over to join his mother.
    Kriss sighed and watched Maxon go. “He’s really something.” She gave me a quick smile and went to talk to Gavril.
    I watched the elaborate dance of the room, couples coming together to speak, separating to find new partners. I was even happy to have Elise join me in my corner, though she didn’t say much.
    “Oh, ladies, the time has gotten away from us,” the king called. “We need to make our way downstairs.”
    I looked up at the clock, and he was right. We had about ten minutes to get down to the set and prepare ourselves.
    It didn’t seem to matter how I felt about being a princess, or how I felt about Maxon, or how I felt about anything. The king clearly thought I was so unlikely a candidate that he didn’t even want to bother speaking with me. I was excluded, perhaps on purpose, and no one even noticed.
    I held it together through the Report . I even made it through dismissing my maids. But once I was alone, I broke down.
    I wasn’t sure how I’d explain myself when Maxon came knocking, but that ended up not mattering. He never showed. And I couldn’t help but wonder whose company he was enjoying instead.

CHAPTER 15
    MY MAIDS WERE GIFTS. THEY didn’t ask about the puffy eyes or the tear-stained pillows. They merely helped me pull myself together. I allowed myself to be pampered, grateful for the attention. They were wonderful to me. Would they be this nice to Kriss if she managed to win and took them away?
    I watched them as I debated, and I was surprised to notice a tension among them. Mary seemed mostly fine, maybe a little worried. But Anne and Lucy looked like they were deliberately avoiding eye contact with each other and not speaking unless they absolutely had to.
    I couldn’t begin to guess at what was happening, and I didn’t know if it was my place to ask. They never