The Elite (Selection)

tonight.”
    Maxon looked at me as he spoke. “Of course. We’ll eat in your room.”
    “Wonderful!”
    That hurt.
    “America? Are you really leaving?” she asked, coming up to us. I could see the spark of hope in her eyes. I looked to Maxon, whose expression seemed to say This is what I’m talking about. I need you to accept the consequences of your actions, to trust me to make my own choice.
    “No, Kriss, not today.”
    “Good.” She sighed, coming to hug me. I wondered how much of this embrace was for Maxon’s sake; but, really, it didn’t matter. Kriss was my toughest competition, but she was also the closest friend I had here. “I was really worried about you last night. I’m glad you’re okay.”
    “Thanks, it was lucky—” I almost said that it was lucky I had Maxon to keep me company, but bragging would have probably ruined what little bit of trust I’d built in the last ten seconds. I cleared my throat. “Lucky the guards got there so fast.”
    “Thank goodness. Well, I’ll see you later.” She turned to Maxon. “And I’ll see you tonight.”
    Kriss skipped down the hall, giddier than I’d ever seen her. I guess if I saw the guy I loved put me above his former favorite, I’d feel like skipping, too.
    “I know you don’t like that, but I need her. If you let me down, she’s my best bet.”
    “It doesn’t matter,” I said with a shrug. “I won’t let you down.”
    I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and headed upstairs without looking back. A few hours ago, I thought I’d lost Maxon for good; and now that I knew what he meant to me, I was going to fight for him. The other girls wouldn’t know what hit them.
    As I made my way up the grand stairwell, I felt encouraged. I probably should have been more worried about the challenge that was ahead of me, but all I could think of was how I’d eventually overcome it.
    Perhaps the king sensed my joy, or maybe he was just waiting; but as I stepped onto the second floor, he was there, halfway down the hall.
    He approached me slowly, a clear display of control. When he stopped in front of me, I curtsied.
    “Your Majesty,” I said.
    “Lady America. It seems you’re still with us.”
    “So it does.”
    A pack of guards passed us, bowing as they did so. “Let’s talk business,” he said sternly. “What do you think of my wife?”
    I pursed my forehead, surprised at the direction of the conversation. Still, I answered honestly. “I think the queen is amazing. I don’t know enough words to say how wonderful I think she is.”
    He nodded. “She’s a rare woman. Beautiful, obviously, and also humble. Timid, but not to the point of being cowardly. Obedient, good-humored, an excellent conversationalist. It seems that even though she was born into poverty, she was meant to be a queen.”
    He paused and looked at me, taking in the clear admiration on my face. “The same cannot be said of you.”
    I tried to stay calm as he continued. “Your looks are average. Red hair, a bit pale, and I suppose a decent figure; but you’re nothing next to Celeste. As far as your temper …” He inhaled sharply. “You’re rude, jocular; and the one time you do something serious, it tears at the fabric of our nation. Completely thoughtless. And that’s not even counting your poor posture and gait. Kriss is far lovelier and more agreeable.”
    I pushed my lips together, willing myself not to cry. I reminded myself that I already knew all this.
    “And, of course, there is absolutely no political advantage to having you in the family. Your caste isn’t low enough to be inspiring, and your connections are nonexistent. Elise, however, was very helpful with our trip to New Asia.”
    I wondered how true that could be if they never actually made contact with her family. Maybe there was something going on that I simply didn’t know about. Or maybe all of this was being exaggerated to make me feel worthless. If that was the goal, he’d done an excellent job.
    His cold eyes focused on mine. “What are you doing here?”
    I swallowed. “I suppose you would have to ask Maxon.”
    “I’m asking you.”
    “He wants me here,” I said firmly. “And I want to be here. As long as both of those things are true, I’m staying.”
    The king grinned. “You’re what, sixteen? Seventeen?”
    “Seventeen.”
    “I suspect you don’t know very much about men, which you shouldn’t if you’re here. Let me say, they can be very fickle. You might not want to