Maxon:

I blinked, trying to regain my composure. I had been taught all my life to keep a calm front in the face of struggle. When all you wanted was to break down, to stand tall, to hold back. It had almost cost me America once, but right now, I couldn't focus.

"Your Highness?" I heard from the fog, but I blocked it out. It and everything else until I could not feel a thing. Then, just like I was taught, I slowly let in the task at hand.

Don't get emotional. That's not going to help. Focus.

I moved back to the desk, my vision like a tunnel. I just needed to see what happened to him. I rewound the footage until the beginning of the fight.

The tape started.

He looked back and forth around the room. He was struggling with something. His fixation wasn't on America like I had assumed that day, but on the guards around him. Suddenly he yelled, "Rebels!"

A man turned and fired at Leger, dropping him with a shot to the leg. —Avery cursed behind me—The men took out red bandanas and tied them around their heads.

Aspen was lost in the fight, I was beginning to think that was the last he moved when he pulled himself onto a chair. This time, his gaze was on America. She was sitting in the open, staring at the chaos. The chair moved and he went crashing to the floor.

But he didn't stop. He tried again and this time, brought himself to a hunched position, but he was standing.

A rebel took his aim at me and then America. Aspen fired but was too late to stop the bullet. I dived. The man dropped, which saved our lives. Then a man from the other side hit Aspen in the arm. He fell.

The room emptied of most of its occupants. The guards began chasing them out, when two bodies moved to stand over Aspen. They conversed for a short moment before one of them knocked him out with the butt of his gun. The rebels then carried him out of the room.

I stopped the tape.

Avery hit the desk, "Dammit, Leger." But I could see the tears in his eyes. He turned to me, "Your Majesty-"

"Don't. There's nothing we can do." I ran my hands through my hair.

"But—"

"I can't stage a rescue for one man. That's not how it works here. Not to mention we'd lose more men than we would save." I threw some papers off the desk. "Even if I wanted to, the king would have to approve the operation. Which is never," I turned to him, "never going to happen."

"But you're the prince, won't he—"

I let out a harsh laugh. "He's not going to be very pleased with me for a while." I could see the question in his eyes.

I began to explain when the doors burst open and a small girl ran through them. "Your Majesty," the sweaty nurse panted. "Lady America is out of surgery. She's not awake, but you can see her now."

Relief washed over me. I collapsed into the chair behind me. She's okay. She's going to live. I buried my face in my hands.

"Prince Maxon?" Avery placed a hand on my shoulder.

I laughed in relief before jumping up and heading down the hall.