Hi friends! I just posted Chapter 12, but I couldn't stop writing so I'm posting Chapter 13 right now. It hurts a little. Enjoy :) I'll be back again soon!
Maxon's POV
A gunshot echoed through the room. Screams followed it and women in heavy ball gowns fell to the ground. Father's face was red from shouting. Guards ran around the room, flooding in from the doors lining the Hall with their guns drawn. My eyes caught on America's bright hair across the room. God, she looked stunning. She stood near Father, eyes darting around the room. She watched Father cautiously. Why didn't she get down? Why was she still standing up?
Two guards marched up to me, guns drawn. One stepped forward to take my arm. I bristled, still watching America.
"Sir, you have to get to the safe room. King's orders." The other guard took his arm. His voice was gruff and his hold was tight.
"No. America is out there still." I started to pull away from him again. The other guard caught me.
"This is nonnegotiable, sir." I knew that voice. I swung my head to look at him.
"I won't leave her there. Let me go, Aspen." He shook his head and they began pulling me toward the door. She was looking at me now. Her head tilted as though confused and her eyes fixed themselves on something out of my sight.
"AMERICA!" I roared. "AMERICA, GET OUT OF HERE!"
She didn't move. There was another shot. A window shattered. I distantly heard the rebel alarm blaring. They had pulled me to the door now. I yelled for America again, even though I knew she couldn't hear me.
I grabbed Aspen desperately. "Go get her. Go get her."
He nodded and disappeared through the passage back into the Great Hall.
I walked to the safe room. The other guard, Leger had called him Avery, kept a firm hold on my arm until I was locked safely inside. I let out a deep breath, running my hands through my hair. Mom sat in the corner surrounded by people. The purple silk of her dress was wrinkled and there were red marks on her fingers where she had wrung them. Most people would only have seen the serene Queen, but I knew she was worried.
She stood when she saw me. I strode towards her and she pulled me into her arms. She shook against me.
"It's okay, Mom. I'm okay." I whispered into her hair.
She broke away, to grasp my elbows. Her gaze traveled up and down-carefully surveying me for injury. She nodded, pulling away, but worry still clouded her eyes.
"Did you see your father?" Her voice shook.
My mouth slid into a straight line. I nodded. His red face screaming flashed in my face. For some reason I couldn't stop watching him push people toward the safe room. He turned back to the crowd.
The color left her face. "No."
"He was still in there when they took me." I tried to sound reassuring. I don't think she heard it. "I don't know what happened."
Mom's head snapped up and caught sight of something behind my shoulder. Her face crumpled. The door banged shut. A guard set the lock with a click. I turned to face the door. My father in front of Aspen. His face was pale, but his lips were set into a determined line. My eyes flickered lower. My heart stopped.
I was across the room in three steps. "What happened?" I growled.
Father didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward. "Get Dr. Ashlar!"
I stepped closer to him. "What happened?"
Dr. Ashlar ran into the safe room, surrounded by guards. He set down a heavy bag and started pointing. People ran around, moving cots and getting bandages. All of my focus was on America. Father set her on a cot that Dr. Ashlar pointed to.
"Tell me what happened!" I roared. "Tell me, I swear to God, or I will kill you myself."
Father took a step back. "She… there was… There was a man, a-a rebel. He aimed at me. She-she took the bullet."
The room was loud. Women cried in the corners. Dr. Ashlar shouted orders. Gunshots were still distantly audible from outside the safe room. It was loud, but everything went silent. America had thrown herself in front of a bullet for that… that bastard piece of shit.
I shook my head. "Get out of my sight."
For once, he listened and had enough piece of mind to look justifiably guilty. How dare he? How dare he risk her life? How selfish could he be?
Mom tapped my arm. I twisted around to look at America. She was so pale. Her dress was shimmering still, but patches of blood the color of her fiery hair slid across the bodice. I fell on my knees next to her. I took her hand, gripping it tightly. God, I couldn't lose her.
The tips of her mouth curved up like a secret smile. "America. America, stay with me. I need you to stay with me."
The echo of a smile faded. My cheeks were wet. I wiped them, but there was blood on my hands. America's blood.
Dr. Ashlar pulled me to my feet. "We need to operate. You need to leave so we can do so, or she will die. Go get cleaned up. Try to distract yourself."
I looked around desperately. Mom's grave gaze caught mine. She took my arm, pulling me away from America. "There's nothing you can do now. Give them space to work."
She brought me around the corner and sat on the floor, curling her arms around me. I folded into her like I was a child again. My body shook with sobs that came easily.
"I can't live without her." My voice cracked.
"I know," she murmured. "Neither can I."