Hey guys!

Thank you, everyone who followed / favourited / reviewed!

Reviews:

PEETAMELLARKLOVER123: Thanks! :) Did you know that some people say that Warrior and Skyscraper are linked together? As in, she is talking about the same thing in those two songs. I don't know if that's true, though.

going for the win: Well, you didn't offend me. :) Everyone has different preferences! Thanks! I like Skyscraper too. (:

QueenAmberly: Thanks! And yea me too. I love the music video :)

HorseGalFangirl9: That's why I put a little A/N saying not to kill me! I knew you were going to. Turns out I was right. Well, okay, good luck finding my house. And okay, okay, I don't want to get killed, here's the chapter. Happy? :) Ha! I love I Really Don't Care! too! You know why? It's to that big jerk I was telling you about earlier ... yeah, that one. The jerk.

Theoneforever: YAS! I love the lyric video and I loved watching their reactions when they saw Demi ... :) I know it does! Maybe it gets boring after this ... JUST KIDDING! (or not ...) You'll have to find out ;P

selectionprincess59: Me tooooo! And yea, Demons ... AHHHHH I love that song ... there's a lot of meaning to that song ... love love love love love it to pieces :)

Happy reading!


•Chapter 7•

Queen America grabs Charmaine's hand and rushes into the safe room. She assumes her husband is close behind. She pushes open the door and runs down the stairs, Charmaine following close behind. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees her family and everyone else safe. Except for one person. Maxon.

Turning to their guest, Queen America asks Char, "Charmaine, was King Maxon behind you when I led you here?"

"Uh …" she hesitates. "I think he was behind me in the beginning. Some guards were with him. And then … I don't know what happened. Okay, I admit it. I was scared. I mean, this is my first time, so I didn't know what to expect. But now, to think of it, I should've made sure the King was okay before I got in here."

The Queen gently rubs her back. "It's alright, Charmaine. I know what you mean. But I'm sure King Maxon's safe. He's a smart and resourceful man. He'll be safe, Charmaine. He's probably going to be in the servant safe rooms." Char's pretty sure Queen America's trying to reassure herself more than Char.

"Um, your Majesty, I'm curious. Why did you bring me here? I mean, I'm just a Five."

"To be frank, I don't know. I really don't know. Maybe being a mother of four impacted it. I just reacted on instinct. You know, motherly instincts?"

Char nods.

At that moment, the King bursts into the safe room. He is bleeding heavily. "Max!" America shrieks. She rushes over to him and tries to stop the flow. "It's alright, Ames," he says. "Just bring me to the first-aid place." She obliges and the nurses take over. She turns around to continue her conversation with Charmaine, but the sixteen year-old-girl is nowhere to be found. She spots Char in a corner, talking quietly with Toria's ten year old sister. She catches the Queen's eye. Char tells Sofia that she has to go talk to the Queen, and then leaves her.

King Maxon, now bandaged, goes over to where his wife and guest are sitting. He points a finger at her. "Charmaine Carrington, prove to me you're not a rebel. You come here, and suddenly, BANG!, the rebels are attacking. We haven't had one in months."

Char gulps. "Um, I'm not. I'm a Five, and the only I want to happen are for the Castes to demolish. But my best friend's mother was—maybe now, too—a Northern Rebel. I think, uh, she was in your Selection too. I mean, that's what Celeste said …"

"Celeste?!" Maxon and America exclaim together.

"Celeste is my best friend. She's a Three. Um, her mother was in your Selection, Queen America. I think."

"What's her name?" America asks.

Char hesitates. "Um, I don't know her maiden name. Her name is uh, Kriss Gonzalez."

America gasps. "I think that's Kriss Ambers. She was a Northern Rebel?"

"Don't look at me," Maxon says. "I had no clue, until now."

"And um, also, I don't know a lot about the Rebels. Only the amount that everyone else learns at school. I know I don't have much to prove to you that I'm not a Rebel, but I'm not! Honestly! I know you might not believe me, but I'm not. I would never want to harm you guys. Sure, I'm pissed at you that you didn't dissolve the Castes, but …" she stops, horrified at the words she just said. "Sorry, your Majesties. I didn't mean it that way."

Maxon glances at his wife. "Okay, Charmaine, we'll put this aside. For now. Why do you want us to help you find our birth parents?"

"I can't directly tell you, as I said before. But maybe, once you piece it together, it'll make sense why I'm asking you."

"Okay …? Anything else?"

"We're fraternal twins—we don't look alike. I don't know how my adoptive mother found out about that, but I'm just going to take her word for it. So when I find my mother and tell her, she won't believe me—because I won't look like her daughter, my twin. So do you think you can help me convince her?"

"Well, I can try …" Queen America says. "But I'll need more information."

This was working better than Charmaine expected. "Um, how about we talk about it with my mom? Like, my adoptive mom. Maybe then, my bio mom will believe me."

"Sure, that works, I hope. I really hope your birth mother will accept you."

Char cracks a small smile. "Yea, me too."

"Well, before you can prove to her that you're her daughter, you have to know her name. Do you know it?"

"Yea. And I think she's in the area, too. I mean, I think she's in the palace. I think."

"Do I know her, Charmaine?" Maxon asks.

"Yes."

"Charmaine, I know dozens of females here in the palace that can be your mother. Please, tell us. I don't understand. Why, if you want us to help you find our birth mother and convince her, not tell us her name?"

"Yes, he's right, Charmaine. You'll have to tell us everything for us to help you."

"You know the answer, your Majesties. I can see it,"

They are getting frustrated. WHAT is the point of Charmaine's guessing game? And it takes a lot for the King and Queen to get frustrated.

At that moment, the door flies open. A guard walks in. "It is safe, your Majesties. You may go up now, but be careful of the glass." He says.

"Thank you, Officer Baker."

"No problem, your Majesties."

Once they are out of the staircase, King Maxon turns to Charmaine. "I hate for it to come to this. Who is your mother? If you don't answer, the Queen and I will not continue to help you."

Queen America swears that for as long as she lives, 'till the day of her death, she will never forget the next few words that come out the sixteen-year-old's mouth. Never.


Okay, I promise, there will be a little game soon.

And pleeease don't kill me now! I surrender!

Okay, RQOFD: What is your major obsession right now? It can be a thing, an actor / actress, singer, book, movie, song ... WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE!

Thanks for reading!