Chapter 10

Alexis' pov

It had been a week since the girls had all been at the palace. Alexis was starting to sulk that she'd been one of the girls Alex hadn't eliminated but hadn't gone on a date with yet either.

His first date had been with some nobody name Stella. She wouldn't share any details or information of their date. It seemed to Alexis that Alex had planned one date every single day. Isabella Petran, a seven of all things, had gotten the second date. She said that she and Alex went down to the movie theater and watched a movie of her choice.

Next was a girl who looked almost as dull as she was. Aspen and Alexander had gone outside and walked through a path out back. Alexis had guessed it was because of how sickly pale Aspen was, it was really freaking Alexis out. Then were Brielle and Sabine. Brielle was taken star gazing at night by the observatory and Sabine played croquet with Alex. Sabine had told him that she was a professional golfer and he guessed it was closest thing to it at the palace.

Yesterday Alexander had sent a maid into the womens room and she walked right past Alexis to Kaden Hewitt. Alexis had wistfully looked out the window at the two mastering archery with envy for the duration of their date. But Alexis had to admit, Kaden had aim.

Alexis was determined to get the next date, even if she had to be the one to arrange it. After all, she was a one also, even though Alex was a prince he didn't have a higher status than her.

Alexis chose a flowery day dress that went to her mid thighs and had spaghetti straps. It was the perfect dress to ride side saddle in. Now all Alexis had to do was "accidentally" bump into Alexander and casually mention the date she had planned in her head.

Before breakfast, Alexis waited near the landing below the third floor, exactly where she knew that Alex would be coming down from. Finally he emerged, at first confused to see the brunette, but eventually reached her and extended his arm for her to take.

Alexis gave a small smile to herself and started some conversation. "It's such a lovely day outside your highness, wouldn't you agree?" "Yes it is rather cheerful outside Alexis." He added. "I think it would be even prettier on the back of a horse riding through the forest with a cool breeze blowing. What do you think, know any trails I should take?" Alexis asked batting her eyelashes at the prince.

Alex nodded his head in agreement and continued. "Yes it's one of the few trails that only Justin and I ride. It has glamorous views and it leads to a breathtaking lake and waterfall."

"Oh," Alexis stopped walking and put her finger on her lips in a questioning way. "But what if I get lost, I don't know the trail as well as you do. Maybe you should come and assist me to show the way there and back."

Alex again nodded and continued their walk. "The king and his advisors are busy in a meeting after breakfast, one I don't have to and wish not to attend. I have around two hours time to be back by. I think we'll have time to go and come back."

"Perfect," Alexis smirked in triumph. "It's a date."

Stella's pov

Stella hurried down the flights of stairs as she did once before with the crown prince. Her copper curls went flying back after every step until she reached the door to her brothers room. He'd told Stella that he had the day off but wouldn't have any others off for a week after that.

She knocked twice and waited as patiently as she could while she waited for Kyan to answer the door. After a moment a blond girl with a shrill giggle opened the door. 'Sierra!' Stella thought with hatred. Stella had forgiven her brother for the nasty things he'd done to her family because he did it out of love for someone else. She would never be able to forgive her maid though, she's the reason Kyan stayed, she's the reason Stella's family was so poor.

The blond girl looked at Stella and when recognition hit her she gasped. "My-my lady." She stuttered. "What-what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Stella spat as she crossed her arms. "I...um...I was just..." Sierra was cut off by Kyan who was shirtless and was making his way to the door. When he saw Stella he quickly threw a shirt on and went to Sierra's side.

"Hey sis," Kyan said with a lazy smirk. Stella was infuriated. Here she was coming to warn her brother of something huge and he's goofing off with her maid.

"S-sister?!" Sierra asked whipping her head around to look at Kyan. "Yes." He said as his face showed pure pride. "Now do you two need a proper introduction or are you guys good?" Kyan said jokingly.

"Kyan!" Both girls yelled. "Now is not the time for joking." Stella said trying to calm herself. "Oh, you're so right sis. I forgot, we should do things your way now that you're in a position of power. We'll all just stand here and glare at Sierra, that would be much better."

Sierra slipped away from Kyan and out the door. "I, uh, think I'll leave you two alone for now." "You better," Stella grumbled under her breath. Sierra walked down the hallway with silence while both pairs of siblings gray eyes followed her.

"Care to come in?" Kyan asked after Sierra was out of view. Stella brushed past him and into the room without another word. She flopped down on the bottom bunk in a huff and looked away from Kyan to a calendar with the guard rotation written on it.

"Now did you need me or are you wasting the time I could be spending with Sierra?" Kyan shot at her. He was just as annoyed with Stella as she was with him, the thing is, Stella couldn't see why.

"They're coming Kyan." She said without moving a muscle to look at him. "Who?" Kyan questioned before realizing what she meant. "Oh no. Please don't tell me you've gone and done something stupid."

"I didn't," Stella replied. "I did what I had to do to survive. And trust me, you won't think it's stupid when you find out what they're gonna do."

Kyan gripped his hair and yanked on it before turning and punching the wall. "Why?!" He shouted full of anger. Stella finally turned to look at him and she saw tears brimming in his eyes. "You know there's no way of it now don't you?"

"I know," Stella whispered in a hoarse voice. Her eyes were fixed on the floor when she spoke. "I just thought that they'd helped us before and they would do it again. Kyan, they provided mom with money to help her get better. They provided me with training and gave me a new sort of family. I wouldn't be here without them."

Kyan turned around to face Stella and he slumped down in the chair by his desk. "Do you know how many people they've killed?" He asked numbly. Tears silently ran down his face and he shook. Stella couldn't decide if it was out of anger or regret. "You don't know the things they've made me do. You don't know the things they'll make you do. It's horrible, the worst kind of torture."

Kyan got up and walked to sit down next to Stella. "I applied to be drafted for the war and to become a guard because it was my escape from them; besides death, it was the only way. Now tell me why on Earth you'd go and join the rebels after I decided to leave them?"

"I already told you Kyan," Stella shouted. "Mom and I had no other choice, and that's partly your fault for ditching us." "No...no...no." Kyan weeped as he put his face in his hands. "I won't let you kill like I had to. Stella, you need to leave, don't become one of them, I don't want to see you be a monster."

"It's already decided." Stella whispered ashamed of herself. "They're already on their way to attack. They won't stop until everyone is dead. They're too powerful to stop Kyan, especially since they have an undercover agent."

"Who?" Kyan asked as he sat up interested. "If you know who it is then we can turn them in and stop them from giving information to the rebels."

"No, Kyan," Stella shook her head. "Well why not?" He asked annoyed. "Because Kyan!" She yelled as she stood up. "It's me! I'm the undercover agent. The selection was rigged for my province so I'd get in. I'm not only apart of the rebel alliance, but I'm the only source they have right now. I can't quit either because if I do they'll kill me along with everyone else when they attack."

Kyan pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up at Stella. He threw his hands up in defeat as he said, "alright! I can't talk you out of this I see, but I'm not helping you either. Just tell me, when are they attacking so I can give a warning to the other guards?"

A siren blared and Stella covered her ears. Kyan jumped up to attention and glared at Stella. "Um," she said sheepishly. "Right now."

Alexander's pov

Alex hadn't necessarily wanted Alexis to be his date that day. He had stuck to his schedule of going on one date with one girl every day. He figured that he had now wasted his date his date that day with Alexis, a snobby daughter of one of his father's advisors.

Alex didn't like Alexis and certainly didn't like her father either. He was one of the many advisors that Alexander didn't like and knew he would fire if anything happened to the king. As for Alexis, well she'd grown up her whole life longing for Alex and he knew it too.

Every year the family hosted a royal Christmas ball. Alex hated the balls, he had to dress up and mingle with people he didn't like or had no interest in learning to like. Alexis and her family had been one of many families to attend the dance and Alexis had always stuck to Alex like glue. She was always asking for dances and putting her arm through Alex's. One of the better reasons Alex had wanted a selection was because of Alexis. He knew that all of her antics would stop when she wasn't selected. Unfortunately for Alexander, things never worked out the way he wanted them to.

"So," Alexis finally spilled off her lips. It had been almost half of the ride to the waterfall already and neither the prince nor his date had said a word.

"So?" Alex prompted hoping they could go back to silence. The only reason Alex had kept Alexis around as long as he had was because of his father. The king insisted that he kept Alexis around for as long as possible, both to appease her father and to also show respect for a fellow caste member. There aren't many ones and the king thinks they should respect each other.

"So are you going to talk to me?" Lexi prompted as she bat her eyelashes again. Alexander almost gagged. Alexis had pretty dark ocean eyes, but aside from that fact she wasn't all that pretty. It really annoyed Alexander how much disrespect Alexis gave some of the girls who were prettier than her and had a better chance at winning his heart.

"Sure," Alex moaned as he tried to hide the eye roll he gave her. "Are you enjoying your time in the palace so far?" Alexis' eyes sparkled and she gave a seductive smile as she answered, "Well of source I am Alex! I always enjoy my visits to the palace and spending time with my favorite prince."

Alex smirked to himself as he thought of a response. He knew what he was about to say would make Alexis angry, which is most likely why he said it in the first place. "I didn't know you spent so much time with Justin. I'll tell him to keep up the good work since you appreciate his company so much."

Alexis just gaped and Alexander and bugged her eyes out before converting them into a glare. "Really Alex?! I didn't mean Justin and you know that!" "You're right I'm sorry," he he said dead serious. "You spend way more time with Max than you do with Justin, my apologies."

Alexis shut her mouth after that and Alexander finally relaxed on his buckskin horse, Apollo. Alex was finally starting to enjoy the day when he heard the thundering sound of distant horse clops.

He and Alexis looked at each other mirroring the same confused expression. "Go, Lexi. Hide behind those trees away from the trail I don't know what this is."

Alexis did as told and took her white Arabian horse, Ace, into the trees where his white hair was hidden in the shadows and where the two were safe.

Alex had dismissed Alexis' two guards for the duration of the date as he did with all of the girls while they were with him. Now though, he wished he had backup for whatever was coming up on the trail.

When six guards riding matching black horses barreled around the corner Alex was surprised and waited to hear what was so important to interrupt his date. He knew that if it wasn't a good excuse the king would be mad, he wanted Alex to fall in love as fast as possible and the guards were interfering with the process.

"Your highness," one of them called not saluting or bowing to Alexander. If the guards didn't have time for formalities then Alex knew it had to be only one thing.

"Rebels," Alex growled as his grip on the reins turned to steel. "Yes," the guard nodded. "We came as soon as we could. The rebels have been coming in from the forest and we were all terrified that they'd find you before we did."

"Well it certainly isn't safe to go back to the palace now is it?" "No," the guard shook his head. "But it isn't any safer out here your highness."

"Have all the selected except for Alexis Grant been accounted for in the safe room?" "Yes sir," the guard answered. "Then we go to the next best place." Alex confirmed. The guard nodded to the other guards and two went ahead of Alexander and two behind.

"It's safe to come out Alexis," Alex called to no place in particular. Ace ftrottdd over to Alex and the two remaining guards went to the sides of Alex and Alexis.

"Where are we going?" Alexis asked having heard Alex's previous conversation. "We're going to a hunting cabin my grandfather built to hunt game here in the forest. It has a safe room for just in case rebels attacked while he was out here. It's hidden in the woods so well though, I don't think they even needed to bother with the safe room.

"So were staying there for how long?!" Alexis asked concerned. "As long as necessary." Alexander responded as he saw Lexi smirk at him and raise an eyebrow. Alex had wished any other one of his girls were with him right now.

"Oh by the way," Alex added, "no one has been to the cabin since my grandpa died and I'm not really sure what kind of vermin and bugs now occupy it."

Alexis grimaced at the thought. "Well then I hope we don't have to stay very long." "Me too," Alexander said, only his reason for wanting to leave was very different from Alexis Grant's.

I know it's been awhile since I've updated and I'm sorry. If you go to my profile it has the girls who will be main characters. It doesn't mean that they will be in the elite and it doesn't mean that the girls who aren't mains won't be in the elite, it just means that the mains will have povs throughout the chapters. Remember to review!

-Jess