AMERICA

The Great Room was packed. For once, instead of the king and queen being the focal point of the room, it was Maxon. On a slightly raised platform, Maxon, Kriss, and I sat at an ornate table. I felt as if our positioning was deceitful.

I was on Maxon's right. I always thought being on someone's right was a good thing, an honored position. But so far he'd spent the entire time speaking to Kriss.

As if I didn't already know what was coming. I tried to seem happy as I looked around the room. It was packed. Gavril, of course, was in a corner, speaking into a camera, narrating the events as they happened. Ashley smiled and waved, and beside her Anna winked at me. I gave them a nod, still too nervous to speak.

Toward the back of the room, in deceptively clean clothes, August, Georgia, and some of the other Northern rebels sat at a table by themselves. Of course Maxon would want them here to meet his new wife. Little did he know she was one of their own.

They surveyed the room tensely, as if they feared any second a guard would recognize them and attack. The guards didn't seem to be paying attention though. In fact, this was the first time I'd ever seen them look so poorly focused, eyes meandering around the room, several of them on edge. I'd even noticed that one or two hadn't shaved and looked a little rough.

It was a big event though. Maybe they were just rushed. My eyes flitted over to Queen Amberly, speaking with her sister Adele and her gaggle of children. She looked radiant. She'd been waiting for this day for so long. She would love Kriss like her own.

For a moment, I was so jealous of that fact. I turned and scanned the faces of the Selected again, and this time my eyes landed on Celeste.

I could see the clear question in her eyes: What are you so worried about? I gave her a minuscule shake of my head, letting her know that I'd lost. She sent me a thin smile and mouthed the words It'll beokay. I nodded, and I tried to believe her.

She turned away, laughing at something someone said; and I finally looked to my right, taking in the face of the guard stationed closest to our table.

Aspen was distracted though. He was looking around the room like so many of the other men in uniform, but he seemed to be trying to think of something. It was as if he was doing a puzzle in his head. I wished he would look my way, maybe try to explain wordlessly what he was worried about, but he didn't.

"Trying to arrange a time to meet later?"

Maxon asked, and I whipped my head back.

"No, of course not."

"It's not like it matters. Kriss's family will be here this afternoon for a small celebration, and yours will be here to take you home. They don't like for the last loser to be alone. She tends to get dramatic."

He was so cold, so distant. It was as if itwasn't even Maxon at all.

"You can keep that house if you want. It's been paid for. I'd like my letters back though."

"I read them," I whispered.

"I loved them."

He huffed as if it was a joke. "Don't know what I was thinking."

"Please don't do this. Please. I love you."My face was crumpling.

"Don't. You. Dare," Maxon ordered through gritted teeth.

"You put on a smile, and you wear it to the last second."

I blinked away the tears and gave a weak smile.

"That'll do. Don't let that slip until you leave the room, do you understand?" I nodded.

He looked into my eyes. "I'll be glad when you're gone."

After he spat out those last words, his smile returned and he faced Kriss again. I stared into my lap a minute, slowing my

breathing and putting on a brave face. When I brought my eyes up again, I didn't dare to look directly at anyone. I didn't think I could honor Maxon's last wish if I did. Instead, I focused on the walls of the room.

It was because of that I noticed when most of the guards stepped away from them at some signal I didn't see. Pieces of red fabric were pulled out of their pockets and tied across their foreheads. I watched in confusion as a red-marked guard walked up behind Celeste and put a bullet squarely through the back of her head.

The screaming and gunfire exploded at once. Guttural shouts of pain filled the room, adding to the cacophony of chairs screeching, bodies hitting walls, and the stampede of people trying to escape as fast as they could in their heels and suits.

The men shouted as they fired, making the whole thing far more terrifying. I watched, stunned, seeing death more times in a handful of seconds than ought to be possible.

I looked for the king nd queen, but they were gone. I was gripped with fear, unsure if they'd escaped or been captured.

I looked for Adele, for her children. I couldn't see them anywhere, and that was even worse than losing sight of the king and queen.

Beside me, Maxon was trying to calm Kriss "Dont worry we're going to be fine" I looked to my right for Aspen and was in awe for a moment. He was on one knee, takingaim, firing deliberately into the crowd. He must have been very sure of his target to do that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flicker of red. Suddenly a rebel guard was standing in front of us. As I thought the words rebel guard, it all clicked into place. Anne had told me this had happened once before, when the rebels had gotten the guards' uniforms and had sneaked into the palace. But how?

As Kriss let out another cry, I realized that the guards who were sent to our houses hadn't abandoned their posts at all. They were dead and buried, their clothes stolen and standing in front of us.

Not that this information did me any good now.

I knew that I should run, that Maxon and Kriss should run if they were going to make it. But I was frozen as the menacing figure raised his gun and directed it at Maxon.

I tried to distract Maxon and tell him about his attacker but he was to busy tryng to calm Kriss down. I watched his attacker carefully, trying to see any sudden movement. I noticed him pushing down on the trigger and that moment, I knew Maxon's life would be in danger. I immedietly dove in front of him with out any hesitation and braced for the pain that would soon follow.

As soon as I landed on the floor, I felt the strong burning sensation on my chest. I immedietly looked for Maxon with the pain in my chest starting to grow stronger. When I finally found him, I regretted my desicion.

He was downright devastated.

I turned my body to look at him but winced from the pain that greeted me.

"Oh my god America" I could see tears forming in his eyes.

"Im so sorry Maxon. Im so sorry"

"There is nothing for you to feel sorry about America, it is I that must thank you." He said, finally setting my thought at ease. I felt the pain getting stronger by the second.

"Don't talk America. Just focus, okay?" He said in a calm voice. What made so calm despite the mayhem right now I had no ideea.

"Maxon look at me" I said trying to sounf forceful yet my voice is failing me.

"Maxon I need to tell you something. We don't have much time. I need you to remember that-" This time wincing from the pain in the left side of my chest.

"Your Majesty we need to get you the safe rooms." Aspen said inturrupting my train of thoughts. I noticed Maxon looking around probably for Kriss. It broke my heart to see him yet at the same time I know he would be happier in her arms.

"Maxon go. I need you to live for me. For the country. For Iléa" I told him

"But America-"

"Maxon, please it would be my last wish to make sure you are safe and sound" I said finally accepting my fate. The pain in my chest was growing unbearable and black spots was already forming around my vision, slowly losing consciousness.

The last thing I remember before losing concoiusness was Aspen leading Maxon away from me and into the safe rooms.