"May I have this dance?" Adonis held out a hand to her with a bright smile on his face. Juliette felt her cheeks flush. Some of the Selected on the other side of the room were staring with jealousy so strong that it crackled in the air.
She took his hand anyway, smiling shyly. He led her to the middle of the dance floor and the two started a lazy waltz. Gentlemen from around the room gathered up some of the other Selected to join them, and soon the floor was full of dancing couples. Juliette's eyes drifted to watch her feet every spare moment she could, not wanting to let her missteps be caught by any of the broadcast crew.
"You probably could've picked a more fan favorite girl for your first dance. It would've made you look better." She mumbled to him, feeling like she could finally say something now that the cameras wouldn't pick up her voice. The giant lenses were everywhere. The public wouldn't want to miss a moment of the action from the parties happening, especially not leading up to the Elimination at the end of the week.
"You might have a point. Or maybe it'll help raise tensions - who is he going to pick? Will it be my favorite?" He faked the voice of an excited teenage girl, and Juliette giggled. "Besides, it's my first dance and I choose who I please."
"People are going to start thinking you have some sort of a bias for me."
"Perhaps I do."
She didn't respond, instead just soaking up his words like a flower in the beams of the sun. It felt right. Being with him felt more right than anything ever had before. They were dancing on clouds, and for once she didn't stumble through any of the steps. He made her feel safe.
"Juliette, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you."
"Is it about how stunning my dress looks?"
He chuckled, "Well, no, but you are quite a sight to behold."
Pinkness rushed to her cheeks, "You clean up pretty nicely yourself."
"Thank you, but that's not what I wanted to say. I've been thinking about how to say it, or if it's the right time, but I think I should just come out and tell you how I feel."
Her heart quickened in her chest. She laughed, trying to play it off, "Gosh, I never would've thought of you as the sappy type."
His eyes bore into her, the deep blue waves playfully swirling, "What type would you label me as?"
Juliette's mouth went dry. His face was close to hers, only making the pounding of her heart seem louder. "Where would I even begin?"
"That's about the same boat I'm in." He took a deep breath, "I know that I'm not great with words, so forgive me if this comes out wrong. I haven't known you for too long, but it feels like I have. You make me feel safe. Comfortable, you know?"
'Please, Juliette. Just stay away from him.'
She didn't know what Phoenix's warning meant - not fully. But the look in that girl's eyes… Something was awry. Juliette took a deep breath, letting the voice become nothing but faint whispers in the back of her mind. She stepped out of line, losing her balance, which he covered brilliantly, pulling her into a spin that brought her back even closer to him. She choked out a laugh, trying to keep a pleasant look on her face, "Don't be so sappy, it'll make it even more painful when your mother sends me home."
His hand around her waist tightened. "I told you, I'm not letting that happen."
'But I worry about you… You're in danger.'
The song was winding down. She turned her gaze to meet his eyes. "Why don't you spend time with some other girls?"
Darkness flickered in the depth of his irises. He frowned. "What do you mean?"
She shook her head as much as she could without making it obvious to the eyes peering at her around the room. "You need to keep your options more open anyway. You have so many girls here that could make a wonderful Queen. Plus, you don't want your Selection to look rigged."
"What? Juliette, I can dance with whoever I please." His eyes flashed in confusion. A snake of doubt constricted her chest, twisting its scaly body around her lungs, her heart, threatening to crawl up her throat. What was she supposed to do? If she was too close, it looked bad. It made the other girls hate her. Yet, if she stayed away, would she be sent home? Tears pricked at her eyes.
The song was over. She pulled away from the prince and gave a deep curtsy. "Thank you for the dance."
"Juliette."
She picked up her dress and rushed back to a spot in the corner of the ballroom, ignoring his baffled voice behind her. Even when she got to the safety of the punch bowl, she turned and saw his eyes were still on her. She was grateful that she couldn't see his eyes this time, not sure if she could handle seeing the emotions they displayed.
It didn't take long for another girl to take his hand and pull him into the next dance. Elise, a stunning vision of violet in her form-fitting dress, swung him back into the center of the ballroom, the whites of her teeth bright against the dark velvet plum lipstick she wore. Juliette fought the bile rising up her throat. It was for the best, she told herself. Phoenix wouldn't have been lying to her. She needed to keep her distance. His eyes lingered on her for just a moment longer before the music swelled and the next dance began.
She ladeled a bit of the punch into a cup, bringing it to her lips quickly. It was fruity and cool, and she took deep breaths through her nose trying to focus her mind on the taste. On anything but him.
"How're you doing?" Juliette turned to see Lillianna approaching her. She was dressed in a beautiful soft pink gown, the top sheer and covered in intricate beading over her chest and flowing down her arms. Her eyes were soft and understanding. Juliette almost wanted to break down and tell her everything. She knew better than that.
"I've been better." Juliette admitted. She checked to make sure that none of the other Selected girls were anywhere near before continuing. "I think this whole competition is just getting to me."
"I would've assumed you were used to a high stress life."
"I am when it comes to work, but when it comes to romance…" Juliette sighed in exasperation. "I couldn't be more clueless. I don't know anything about love."
"I think you know more than you give yourself credit for." Lillianna replied, taking a small cup of the punch for herself. She sipped it, the picture of grace and sophistication fit for a Queen. Something Juliette would never be.
"I wish I was as well put together as you." Juliette admitted, "I admire that about you."
"Well, I can't say that I don't admire you in many ways too."
"Really?" Juliette asked, raising her brows incredulously. "I don't know why."
"The prince clearly likes you a lot."
"All that does is make the other girls want to tear me down. I'd hardly call it something to admire." Juliette muttered, "It drives me crazy, too, not knowing what's real or what's for the cameras. How do I know he isn't wooing every other girl here? How do I know that he doesn't just want a good name for his public image?"
Lillianna gave her a soft smile. "I think you can see it in his eyes… Prince Adonis truly is here to find love. I'm surprised that you of all people would doubt his sincerity. The way he looks at you is different. It's no surprise some of the other girls are jealous. I'm a bit jealous myself."
Juliette blinked a few times at the pale girl, unsure of how to respond. Was that true? Juliette always felt like there was no way of knowing what the prince said behind closed doors. Maybe that was the scariest part to how strong her feelings had become. He could be saying the exact same things to every girl. Looking at them the same way that made her heart melt like putty in his hands.
Lillianna took a hand and placed it on Juliette's arm. It was surprisingly cold. "You worry too much."
Juliette laughed, the sound almost catching in her throat, "You always know exactly what to say."
"My mother always told me that words are our most important tool."
The grip on her arm tightened and Juliette glanced at Lillianna in confusion. Her brown eyes looked glassy, but the girl recovered quickly. She let out a small sheepish laugh. "Sorry. The excitement of the ball makes me… kind of woozy. Shall we go take a seat?"
Juliette nodded and the two girls made their way to one of the couches. Courage was already seated there, but she shifted to the side as the two approached. Just as she's helping her friend take a seat, she hears some boisterous laughter from behind her. Lillianna offered a weak smile, "Hello, your majesties."
Juliette turned to see the Swendway triplets. Their glasses were all empty, and Juliette came to the conclusion that they must've been drinking something stronger than punch.
"Lady Lillianna, Lady Courage, and Lady Juliette." The eldest prince bowed, "My apologies, I have not introduced myself! Prince Hampus of Swendway. And these are my younger brothers, Prince Felix and Prince Albin."
"Wonderful to meet you." Lillianna bowed her head.
"Yes, we met at brunch." Juliette said, smiling at all three of them. Her eyes stopped at the youngest with a start as she realized he was gazing at her intently. Heat rose up the back of her neck.
"It's marvelous to speak with you again." Felix laughed jovially. He was clearly the drunkest of the trio, "It's a joy to meet all of the Prince's Selected in person instead of just on TV."
"It's a blessing to be able to meet such important people too!" Courage said. She moved her hand to rest on Albin's arm. Juliette tried not to wrinkle her nose at her forwardness.
"What can we do for you?" Lillianna asked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
"Just thought we'd check in. You looked very pale." Hampus tilted his head in concern, "I thought I'd offer you a glass of water."
"Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Lillianna, despite her words, was still breathy.
"You probably could use some water." Courage asserted.
"I could use something a little stronger." Juliette joked.
"I can oblige that request!" Felix exclaimed. Juliette reached out a hand to stop him, but Felix was already sauntering his way back to the beverage table. "You want anything, Lady Courage?"
She frowned, but only for an instant, "I don't drink, thank you."
"I better accompany him…" Hampus took a few steps towards his brother before throwing over his shoulder, "We'll be right back. And I will bring you some water, Lady Lillianna."
"You don't have to drink what he gives you." Albin moved to stand close to Juliette. Almost a little too close. Their shoulders brushed. "He wouldn't notice if you just happened to leave it somewhere."
"Thanks or the advice." Juliette laughed, "But I could use a little stress relief."
"Be careful, Juliette." LIllianna warned, "You remember the last time you drank?"
The blonde flushed cherry red, and Albin laughed. "That's a story I have to hear."
Lillianna eyed Juliette, as if asking for permission. Courage, however, was the one to cut in, "Pfft, I heard you had to be carried to your room after your date."
Juliette shot daggers through her eyes. "I could've walked."
Albin shook his head, a good natured smile resting on his lips, "Don't worry, Lady Juliette. It doesn't change my opinion of you. Drinking isn't for everyone, right Lady Courage?"
"Right." Courage seemed oblivious to the glare that was being sent her way, "It's so nice to see a man that doesn't want to push alcohol onto a woman. Hard to find nowadays."
Felix and Hampus arrived back with the drinks, handing Lillianna her water and Juliette a small glass of some clear liquid. She took a gulp of it, only to sputter when the drink burned down her throat.
Felix laughed, "Settle down, girlie! Drink that too quickly and you'll be on my level."
"I doubt she could anyway. She doesn't handle alcohol well. You want to hear a story of when she-" Juliette interrupted Courage by downing the entire glass, making eye contact the whole time. Courage blinked a few times, "It wasn't a challenge, Juliette."
The bitter alcohol felt warm in her belly. Sensing the tension, Albin turned to her, offering a hand.
"I know you've already graced the dance floor once, but care to join me?" Juliette took his hand and he smoothly turned it over to place a kiss on the back of it. He shot her a smile when he looked back up, a hint of playfulness in his eyes
She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave her friend alone, but Lillianna nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be okay over here."
Courage's pouty lips were the last thing she needed to see to make her decision.
"I'd love to."
He didn't waste any time pulling her to the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eye, Juliette could see Adonis was dancing with Harper, who giggled as he twirled her. The heat in her belly ignited into a jealous fire, the flames lapping at her insides. She looked back at Albin, his eyes closed, waiting for the strong beats of the song to start their waltz.
The piano held a long, powerful chord and the two stepped into the next song. Dancing with Albin was easy - he clearly had a lot of experience. It wasn't like dancing with Adonis; Albin led the dance with poise and confidence. Juliette's eyes were glued to her feet, desperately speaking the steps in her head to not falter. Not in front of the dignitaries. Not in front of Eadlyn.
It didn't take long for the burning in her stomach to reach her head, though. Her worry ebbed away with the music, the strong melodies lulling her into a sense of security. The song that followed slowed down the tempo, and Juliette found herself starting to worry.
"I only learned how to waltz,"
Albin moved his hand under her chin, lifting her eyes to his. Their blue was icy, in an ice cream on a hot day kind of way. "Just follow my lead."
His hands moved hers to wrap around his neck, and then to her waist. The dance was much easier - more of a sway than a real waltz. The Swendish prince smiled at her, "See? You're a natural."
Her cheeks burned. They were already flushed from the alcohol. What had she drank? It felt much stronger than the wine she had with Adonis…
Adonis.
She scanned the room to try and find him. Who was he dancing with? Which girl got the honor of the slow dance? Finally finding his dark locks through the crowd, her question was answered.
Eden. Her dark skin contrasted beautifully with her look - shining and shimmering in gold from her head to toe. She looked absolutely gorgeous. She looked like a Queen.
Sorrow bubbled in her chest. Juliette rested her head against Albin's chest, trying to push away her thoughts. Why was she acting like this? She had told him to dance with other girls. That's all he was doing.
She felt Albin's chin resting atop her head. It was comforting.
"Lady Juliette, I'm thankful that you accepted my offer. You look exquisite tonight." His voice rumbled low in his chest as he spoke.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You can call me Albin."
She pulled her head away to look up into his eyes. They pulled her in. "Thank you, Albin."
He chuckled, his breath warm against her face. "I've thought you were beautiful from the moment they first showed your face on the television."
"You have?"
He gave a solemn nod. "Yes. And the more I saw of you, the more intrigued I became. You're a masterpiece. Beautiful, smart, ambitious. Your country is lucky to have you."
Juliette's heart hammered in her chest. His face was so close to her. She could feel his breath. The intensity of his cerulean gaze made her feel weak at the knees.
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." He murmured, inching in closer. Juliette, her mind still foggy from her drink, blinked a couple times to try and clear her head. The song was over, but they were still standing so close that she could feel his warmth.
"Lillianna!"
A shriek from the side of the room tore Juliette away quickly. She and Albin both turned to see where the commotion was coming from. Lillianna was splayed out on the floor, the pink of her dress like petals of a wilting flower all around her.
"Lil?" Juliette took a few wobbly steps towards her. Courage was fanning herself, the scream coming from her. Hampus lifted the petite girl up, rushing out of the room. Juliette followed without a second thought.
"Juliette!"
She heard Albin call from behind her, but the fear had sobered her up. Her skin crawled. Her friend needed her. She caught up with Hampus slower than she would've liked, meeting a nurse in the hall, wheeling a stretcher.
"We came as quick as we could."
"Will she be okay?" Juliette asked the nurse. How did they know Lillianna had fallen? Did word really travel that quickly? The nurse didn't answer her, simply continuing down the hall.
"Lady Juliette, we should head back." Hampus laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"But Lillianna-"
"Is in good hands." the eldest Swendway prince finished. Juliette opened her mouth to argue, but let her shoulders sink in defeat. "There's nothing we can do from here. We'd be in the way."
"What happened?"
Prince Hampus shook his head, "I'm not sure. She just kept getting paler and paler, then she stood to head back to her room for the night and passed out."
"I shouldn't have left her alone… She has health problems." Juliette felt awful that she couldn't explain any further. What a great friend she was. She mentally slapped herself.
"Come on. Let's head back to the ball."
Juliette begrudgingly followed him back to the large hall. When they got close to the entrance, she was surprised to see Albin leaning against the wall next to the door. A wave of heat washed over her neck as she remembered their proximity.
"Is she okay?" His eyes glimmered with concern, but she couldn't meet his gaze.
"I don't know."
"The doctors are taking care of her now." Hampus added.
Albin shook his head, "I'm sorry. My thoughts are with her."
"Mine are too." Juliette swallowed, her throat thick with emotion. Albin placed his hands on her arms, rubbing them in a way that she was sure was supposed to be comforting, but it just made guilt pull at her chest. Hampus returned to the ballroom, the door closing behind him.
"Are you okay?" Albin watched her carefully.
"I… I'm just flustered." In more ways than one, she thought bitterly.
Albin's stray hand traveled up her neck to caress her cheek. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you."
"What did you mean to do?" Her voice was soft. She felt weak. He leaned in close to her.
He shrugged, "I just meant to let you know I feel."
The words struck her, lightning cracking her chest open. Her voice caught in her throat. "That's treason. That would have me killed."
"If you stayed here, maybe." Albin responded, "But not if you came to Swendway with me."
"You've only known me for a day."
"You're here to marry a prince that you barely know already. What's the difference?"
Juliette shook her head at him, dumbfounded. "I thought Swendway was our ally."
"Exactly. And Illea knows better than to make an enemy of someone stronger than she is. Especially now." He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, trailing a single finger down the line of her chin. She trembled, but she wasn't sure if it was from fear or anger.
"Juliette..?"
Juliette yanked away from the Swendish prince, her face on fire. She hadn't even heard the door open or close, she was so caught up. Her lips pressed into a tight line, and she turned to face the voice. Adonis tilted his head, looking confused for a second but his face registering with a pained realization.
"Think about it. The offer stands." Albin took a deep breath, adjusting his suit jacket.
"Adonis, I-" She rushed towards him, grabbing his hands with hers, but he didn't physically respond to the touch.
"What was that..?"
"I can explain."
"Were you going to kiss Prince Albin..?" His eyebrows wrinkled his forehead, and he shook his head as if trying to rid himself of the thought.
"No!" She exclaimed. Juliette put her hands on the sides of his face, "Damnit, Adonis, look at me please."
She wasn't ready for the look in his eyes when they met hers. His lip trembled slightly as he tried to smile, "I guess I understand now what you meant."
"What?"
"It does hurt to feel like you're just a toy in somebody's games."
He pulled away from her hands, staring at the ground. Juliette's eyes burned. "You're not a toy to me."
"You should go."
Her heart shattered in her chest. "Adonis."
"I'm not sending you home… I just," Adonis shook his head, taking a deep breath, "I just think it'd be best if you gave me some space tonight."
A tear slid down her cheek. "Okay."
"Goodnight, Juliette. I hope you enjoy the fireworks."
He turned back to enter the ballroom once more. Juliette crumpled to the ground. And, not caring who might see her, she sobbed.
"You look like a mess."
Juliette laughed, wiping some of the mascara that had waterfalled down her cheeks. "You don't look too much better yourself, Lil."
The Asian girl shuffled in her hospital bed to sit up. Her smile was weak, but her eyes held more life than they had at the ball. "Are you okay?"
Juliette shook her head, "I should be asking you that."
"I feel alright. Just tired." Lillianna shrugged. "I'm ready to figure out what's wrong with me so they can fix it."
The blonde took a seat on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath. "Prince Albin tried to kiss me."
"What?" Lillianna's hand shot to her mouth in surprise. "When?"
"Maybe a half hour ago? I'm not sure. I lost track of time." Juliette pulled the bobby pins out of her hair. "Adonis saw. He hates me."
"I'm sure he doesn't hate you."
"Trust me, I think that I've completely ruined whatever might've been between us."
Lillianna tilted her head to the side, blinking a few times. "What did he say? Did he eliminate you?"
"No. He needed some space."
"Do you have feelings for Prince Albin?"
"Gah, no."
Lillianna laughed, the sound breathy and frail. "It's almost a bit ironic that you broke his heart. That's not how the Selection is supposed to work."
Juliette didn't know how to respond. Saying it so bluntly like that… She had broken Adonis' heart. Nausea started to flicker in her stomach like a flame. "It was a misunderstanding."
"Did you tell him that?"
"No." The blonde looked at her hands in her lap.
"Well… I probably would. If it was a misunderstanding, then you just need to talk to him." Lillianna said.
"It's not that simple."
"It could be."
Juliette took a deep breath. "I don't think he wants to see me ever again."
"Well, if that's the case then you at least owe him an apology before you're sent home."
"You know, you're kind of a bitch when you're not feeling well." Juliette laughed.
"I'm just being honest with you." Lillianna replied, "Now, go get some washcloths and let me help clean you up so you can go say you're sorry."
By the time Juliette was looking presentable, the sky had darkened to a deep black blanket. The stars twinkled, a pang in Juliette's chest when she found her constellation gleaming. The stars didn't know the two were fighting. The stars shined on, clueless to the turmoil beneath them.
The ball was over, the fireworks being set up by the girls in the group. Juliette found herself standing in the middle of the clearing, her eyes squinted as she searched for Adonis.
"Who are you looking for?"
Juliette was surprised by the voice of Bambalina beside her. She smiled, her light brown eyes emanating comfort. "The prince."
"He's been a little off tonight, hasn't he?"
"It's my fault." Juliette bit her lip. "I don't have time to explain it, but just know it's all my fault. I need to apologize to him."
"You may have a hard time above all of the noise." Bambalina mused. "Fireworks tend to be very loud."
Her shoulders slumped. "I need to see him."
Bambi's face softened with understanding. "He must mean a lot to you."
Tears pricked at Juliette's eyes. "He does."
The Italian princess looked back and forth, before leaning down to Juliette. Her voice was hushed, "The Illean royal family is preparing for the fireworks. They won't be out here until the show begins, but they'll be seated in the area over there." Bambi pointed to a small covered area where chairs sat. It was risen higher than a lot of the other spots, with three sets of two chairs, each side by side.
"Thank you, Bambi." Juliette headed towards the clearing. If Adonis wasn't going to be out here for awhile, then she would sit and wait for him. A guard stopped her before she got there, however, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry Lady Juliette. This area is reserved for the royal family."
"I need to talk to the prince."
"Prince Adonis has already chosen the Lady that will join him for the fireworks."
Her chest tightened. "Oh."
"The Selected will be seated over on that end. You may take your seat. We will be starting soon."
Unable to pick a fight with someone so much larger than she was, Juliette dragged her feet to the line of seating. Some of the Selected were already there, talking amongst each other. Juliette wished there were more girls so that she could see who Adonis had chosen. If she hadn't caused a scene at the ball, would it be her sitting with the prince? She sank into a chair on the very end, the closest she could get to where Adonis and his family would be.
People trickled in fairly quickly. It didn't take long for all of the chairs in the garden to be full, the talking a small roar. A trumpet sang into the night, quieting the crowd as the royal family appeared.
The king and queen came out first, followed by Kerttu and her betrothed. Lastly, Adonis and his chosen Selected.
Juliette felt bile rise up her throat. Elsa hung on to his arm, her smile dazzling. Every step she took revealed almost her entire leg through the slit of her sapphire blue dress, revealing her long, toned legs. It was obvious that she was a model. Cameras flashed to capture the two, looking like a scene from a movie.
They all seated themselves and the show began. It wasn't hard to admire the fireworks. They were beautiful. Flashes of blues, purples, yellows, oranges. Each pop granted a thunder of applause from everyone watching. Juliette glanced at Adonis, but he didn't look her way. Not the first time she glanced. Or the second time. Or the third.
Juliette moved her eyes to the few Selected setting off the fireworks. Helena and Courage were the ones with the job, their lighters blazing a hot white as they timed each firework, one after the next in a succession of brilliant color. Helena looked her way. She lit a firework at her feet, making eye contact with Juliette as she smiled. It was a crooked, twisted smile.
'Skip the fireworks.'
Not breaking eye contact, she gave the firework cylinder a small kick. It fell to the ground, the fuse sticking up in the air as it shriveled away. She used her foot to position the cylinder, swirling it until it faced… The royal family.
'Yes, the fireworks. They're going to blow the prince away.'
Juliette sprang to her feet. She understood. Everything suddenly made sense. She couldn't believe it had taken her this long to realize. The entire time, Helena had been hinting at the danger. Stringing her along. How could she be so stupid?
'Adonis too will go up in flames.'
Helena was going to blow up the prince.
Juliette had never ran so quickly in her entire life. A couple people yelped as she pushed them out of the way. She slipped by a guard, who was distracted by the fireworks display before he spun to catch her.
"Lady Juliette!"
She ignored the voice. She had to. The guards for the King and Queen were the fastest to react to Juliette, each grabbing one of the monarchs and pulling them away from the frantic Selected.
"Move! Run!" Juliette shouted. Kerttu grabbed the hand of her fiance and fled towards where her parents had gone.
"Juliette, what are you doing?!" The shriek came from Helena. Juliette reached Adonis and Elsa, who were seated at the highest tier. She pushed Elsa out of the way, who screamed as she tumbled down the side, falling into some bushes. She spat profanities the entire way.
Juliette took Adonis' hand. Their eyes met. Confusion swirled in the depths of his blue eyes. The sound of the firework being launched from its cylinder was deafening. She pulled him to the edge of the platform. "Jump!"
He didn't hesitate. She pulled him close to her body and the two toppled down the flower arrangements. The platform they had stood on mere milliseconds before went up in flames as the firework exploded. The entire thing was engulfed. Juliette might've screamed, but the sound was nothing compared to the commotion. Everyone was panicking. Juliette could hear Helena screaming, anguish and anger that was animalistic and inhuman. "You ruined it! You ruined everything!"
Juliette clung to the prince's shirt, shutting her eyes tightly and pressing her face to his chest. Her dress had a thick tear through the skirt and the bodice from thorns that had caught the fabric on their way down. His heart thumped in his chest, "Juliette, what's going on."
"The firework. It was going to kill you." She couldn't keep the tears from flowing, sobs bubbling from her chest. "Helena was going to kill you."
"She tried to kill me..?" Adonis breathed. Terror rippled through his features.
"I-I saw her kick the canister to point it towards you." Juliette felt like she was going to throw up. The whole time, Helena had been telling her. Phoenix somehow knew, too? She had told Juliette to stay away from Adonis during the fireworks. Was this her fault..? She had no idea it was happening. Why didn't Helena just straight up tell her?
Adonis wrapped his arms around Juliette, calming her heaving cries. "You saved my life."
It only made her cry harder. She didn't. She didn't save his life. It was her fault he was in danger in the first place. She was here to kill him. Everything was wrong. "No."
"I'm sorry that I doubted you."
"I wasn't going to kiss Prince Albin. He wanted me to leave the Selection and go to Swendway with him. I would never do that. I would never leave you. I-"
Adonis ended her sputtering by pressing his lips to hers. He pulled her closer, one hand at the side of her head, the other pressing against the small of her back. Juliette sighed into his mouth, her arms enveloping around him. When he pulled away, he breathed heavily, his thumb tracing intricate shapes along her cheek. "I thought you hated me."
Adonis snorted, "Juliette, that's ridiculous. Of course I was hurt. But I just needed some time to think."
"I would never hurt you." Juliette whispered. And in that moment, she knew. It was true. She would not be able to kill him. She couldn't. She pressed her lips against his nose, his cheeks, and buried her face into his neck, inhaling his cologne as if she could get high on his essence.
"I know that. I trust you. I trust you with every ounce of my being." Adonis murmured, his voice muffled by her hair. "Juliette, I love you."
"He's down here!"
A barrage of guards cut through the flowers. One yanked Juliette away by the arm. Pain shot up her shoulder and she yelped.
"Prince Adonis, are you okay?" The guard asked. Adonis rose to his feet.
'Officer Norman, release her."
The guard's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "This girl attacked you. She should be arrested."
Adonis narrowed his eyes. "This girl saved my life, and you will release her."
Officer Norman's grip loosened and Juliette's knees buckled, slinking her to the ground. Adonis knelt beside her, shooting an order back to the guards, "Go gather everyone up. Make sure everybody is safe. Lady Helena is the one that needs to be arrested and questioned."
The lead guard nodded and all three of them left. The prince held out his hand to Juliette, a smile on his face despite the few cuts that littered his cheeks. "Come on. Let's go make sure everyone else is okay."
Juliette accepted his help, pulling her to a standing position. He led her around the loose brambles and leaves. She squeezed his hand a little tighter, and Adonis turned his head to look back at her. "Yes?"
Juliette tried to smile, but her lip trembled. Her voice caught in her throat, "I love you too."
A/N : Well, there it is! I hope the build up has been worth it, because this chapter was a wild ride for me to write. Haha. Thank you to everyone that's been reviewing - it warms my heart to see people as excited for the characters as I am. Also, it's my birthday today so if you're someone that's been lurking and reading like a little fly on the wall, I would really appreciate any input on things I can do to improve! I've been trying to make my prose a little more exciting, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed. To wrap up this author's note, I hope everyone is staying safe out there! Until next week.
