"Well look who's room I got." Dawn said. "Sir Adam Dalhberg." "Good afternoon to you too." I muttered. Dawn sighed. "Look about last night-" "Don't." I said not looking up at her. "Gosh I was just going to apologize. Still will anyway." She sighed. "Adam, I'm sorry. I really am. About everything. Falling in love with someone else. Yelling at you last night. All of it. I should've chosen you. That other guy I was going to marry? His family sold me to the palace. He never loved me at all. He wanted to use me for even more money than he already had." Dawn's voice was starting to sound choked up. "I regret it all Adam... I'm sorry. I should've chosen you." I listened and pondered her story for a bit. "Dawn, I can't even believe I'm saying this myself but, I forgive you." "Oh thank goodness!" Dawn squealed. "So do you want to leave or-" "But," I continued "That doesn't mean I'm automatically in love with you. I need to decide for myself. It's also illegal to be with someone else during the Selection. So Dawn, until I'm sure of my feelings, I would like to kindly ask you to leave me alone." I said briskly. Dawn looked hurt. "Whatever." She sighed. "But don't make the wrong choice." She growled. "If you keep on telling me what to do I definitely won't choose you." I said. She snorted, and finished up cleaning. I laid back down, feeling a huge boulder of weight being lifted off my shoulders.
•••
I woke up around midnight, because Mango was shaking me forcefully. "Come on, get up." She said as she continued shaking me. I sat up groggily. "Wha-" "There are rebels in the palace." Ashley said with terror. Natalie's wail confirmed her statement. I sat up in a daze. "We have to get you to the basement!" Mango said guiding me. She led us all to a bookcase, which literally turned around like it did in movies, and there was a staircase leading down. "Hurry sir, all the members of the Selection are down there along with the royal family." "Aren't you coming with me?" I asked confused. Ashley shook her head. "We have our own places to go." Horrible images flashed through my head. My three maids lying on the ground, dead or injured. "No." I told them forcefully. "You're coming with me." "But-" "I don't care!" I snapped. "I don't want you all to get hurt." Before they could argue more I brought them down with me. The stairs were long. I estimated they were a quarter of a mile long. When we finally reached the basement, there were two guards. "Thanks for delivering sir Adam." One of them said with a nod. "You may go now." "No." I snarled. "They're coming with me." The guards looked surprised. "But-" "Okay fine. If you won't let them in, I don't go in. Come on girls!" I yelled, walking back up. "Wait! Fine, you can bring them in. Just, it's your fault if you get in trouble." My maids look shocked, as I dragged them into the room. Everyone have me looks of confusion as I walked in with my maids. Victoria was especially mad. She liked neatness and order, and since I had brought my maids I had disrupted the order. I sat in a corner with my maids quietly. All the guys were just sitting around quietly. My maids were exhausted. They had fallen asleep on each other within minutes. I saw Alesa making rounds and soothing all the guys in the room. I caught her eye. There was nothing left of our argument from the other day. Just gratefulness that I was alive. She walked over slowly "You okay?" Alesa asked me cautiously. "Yeah." I said glancing over towards my maids. "You brought them with you?" "Castes never really mattered to me anyway." I whispered. Natalie stirred and looked up wearily. "How are you feeling?" I asked her. "I've felt better." She murmured sleepily. "Are you surprised to find yourself down here?" Alesa asked Natalie. "Not with her your highness." Natalie said with a smile. Alesa nodded, and started to walk off. I grabbed her hand. "North or South?" I asked her anxiously. She turned around and gave me a sad knowing look. I nodded, fully understanding. These were the vicious killers, the heartless humans who would do anything for their way. They were the South.