The next morning finds us once again gathered in the Women's Room. Maxon announced his plans for the Halloween party earlier at breakfast, so we chatter away about ideas for costumes. Even the Queen joins in for a moment, saying one of her maids had an idea for a dress that looked like the night sky, but she could never find an occasion to wear it. I was thinking about something maybe like a mermaid, since my father had told me a fairy tale about a red-haired mermaid when I was young. I'll probably end up giving Anne free reign and ask her to design her heart out.

Silvia delicately enters the room, curtsying to the Queen and quickly going to her side. They speak quietly to each other for a moment, then Silvia straightens up and addresses us all. We all fall silent.

"Girls, now that you are the Elite, we will begin preparing you to be a Princess of Illéa. You have already had several opportunities to speak on The Report and debate about pressing issues for our country. Now, we will begin the real work. First, this afternoon, you will all practice your dancing for the upcoming festivities that His Highness has so graciously arranged. I will see you all in the Great Room at two o'clock, please." She straightens her skirts as we chorus our agreement and walks out of the room.

I look over at Marlee and grin. "Well, now I'm intimidated." She laughs gently, just like a princess should. I think once again about how much better she would be as a princess than I would, but it doesn't get me down the same way it usually does.

Celeste flips her hair over her shoulder and checks her nails. "I started taking dance lessons when I was five. Maxon will love dancing with me." This does make me falter. I am going to have to learn so much. I know that being as wonderful of a Queen as Amberly is effectively unattainable, but do I even have it in me to be decent? I wonder what else they have planned to train one of us to reign next to Maxon. Every time I think I've made up my mind about him, something like this happens…

Natalie sighs. "I'm excited to get really dressed up and dance with him. It will be so romantic."

Marlee looks at us all with a gleam in her eye. "Have you all heard of dance cards? A long time ago, men didn't just ask girls to dance, they had to sign up in advance, and when a girl came to a ball, she was given a card of who she was dancing with, and she had to stick to it the whole night."

I roll my eyes at the idea. "That sounds awful.

"Why do you bring it up?" Elise asks diplomatically.

"We should make one for Maxon!"

We all laugh at the idea, and for a moment, it feels like we are a team all rooting for each other.

~PtG~

"Lovely, Miss. Keep pointing at the sketches, and the rest of you, try not to look at me," the photographer asks.

It's Saturday, and all the Elite are excused from our obligatory day of sitting in the Women's Room. Our maids have started working on costume designs, and photographers have shown up to document the whole process.

I attempt to look natural as I go over Anne's drawings while my maids stand behind the table with pieces of fabric, containers of sequins, and an absurd amount of feathers.

The camera snaps and flashes as we try to give several options, Just as I am about to pose with some gold fabric held up to my face, we have a visitor.

"Good morning, ladies," Maxon says, strolling through the open doorway.

I can't help but stand a little straighter, and it feels like my smile is taking over my face. The photographer catches that moment before addressing Maxon.

"Your Highness, always an honor. Would you mind posing with the young lady?"

"It would be my pleasure."

My maids step back, and Maxon picks up a few sketches and stands right behind me, the papers in front of us in one hand and his other settled low on my waist. That touch conveys so much to me. See, it says, soon I'll be able to touch you like this in front of the world. You don't have to worry about anything.

A few pictures are taken, and the photographer leaves us for the next girl on his list. I realize my maids have inconspicuously dismissed themselves at some point as well.

"Your maids are quite talented," Maxon says. "These are wonderful concepts."

I try to act like I always do with Maxon, but things feel better and worse at the same time. "I know. I couldn't be in better hands."

"Have you settled on one yet?" he asks, fanning out the papers on my desk.

"We're all fond of the bird idea. I think it's meant to be a reference to my necklace," I say, touching the thin string of silver. My songbird necklace is a gift from my dad, and I prefer it over the heavy jewelry the palace provides for us.

"I hate to say this, but I think Celeste has picked something avian as well. She seems awfully determined," he says.

"That's alright," I shrug. "I'm not crazy about feathers anyway." My smile falters. "Wait. You were with Celeste?"

He nods. "Just a quick visit to chat. I'm afraid I can't stay long here either; Father's not thrilled about all this, but with the Selection still going on, he understood that it would be nice to have some more festivities. And he agreed it would be a much better way to meet the families, all things considered."

"Like what?"

"He's eager for an elimination, and I'm supposed to do one after I meet with everyone's parents. The sooner they come, the better in his eyes."

I hadn't realized sending someone home was part of the Halloween plan. I thought it was just a big party. It makes me nervous, though I tell myself there is no reason I should be. Not after our conversation last night. Of all the moments I've shared with Maxon, nothing seemed quite so real as that one.

Still scanning the designs, he speaks absentmindedly. "I suppose I ought to finish my rounds."

"You're leaving already?"

"Not to worry, darling. I'll see you at dinner."

Yes, I think, but you'll see us all at dinner. Though my face did warm a bit at the term of endearment.

"Is everything all right?" I asked.

"Of course," he answered, offering me a quick kiss. On the cheek. "I have to run. We'll talk again soon."

And, just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone.

~PtG~

As of Sunday, the Halloween party is eight days away, which meant the palace was a hurricane of activity.

On Monday the Elite spend the morning with Queen Amberly taste testing and approving a menu for the party. It was easily the best task we've been given so far. That afternoon, however, Celeste is missing from the Women's Room for a few hours. When she returns around four, she announces to us all, "Maxon sends his love."

Tuesday afternoon we greet extended members of the royal family who are coming to town for the festivities. But that morning, we had all watched out the window as Maxon gave Kriss an archery lesson in the gardens.

Meals are full of guests who have come to stay early, but Maxon is often missing, as are Marlee and Natalie.

I feel more and more embarrassed. I've made a mistake by confessing my feelings for Maxon. For all his talk, he can't really be interested in me if his first instinct was to spend time with everyone else.

I've all but lost hope by Friday when I find myself sitting at the piano in my room after the Report, wishing that Maxon would come.

He doesn't.

I try to put it out of my mind on Saturday, as the Elite are obligated to entertain the influx of ladies at the palace in the Women's Room in the morning and have yet another dance rehearsal in the afternoon.

Thank goodness our family chose to focus on music and art as Fives, because I am a terrible dancer. The only person in the room worse than me is Natalie. Obnoxiously enough, Celeste is the epitome of gracefulness. More than once the instructors ask her to help the others in the room, the result of which is Natalie nearly twisting her ankle because of Celeste's intentionally poor guidance.

Smooth as a snake, Celeste faults Natalie's two left feet for her problems. The teachers believe her, and Natalie laughs it all off. I admire Natalie for not letting Celeste get to her.

Aspen has been there for all the lessons. I avoid him the first few times, not really sure I want to interact with him. I hear rumors that the guards are switching schedules so fast it is dizzying. Some want to go to the party desperately while others had girls back home and would be in huge trouble if they were seen dancing with someone else, especially since five of us would be eligible again soon and in very high demand.

But what group is Aspen in?

Seeing as this is our last formal rehearsal, though, when Aspen is near enough to offer me a dance, I don't turn him down.

"Are you all right?" he asks. "You've seemed down the last few times I've seen you."

"Just tired," I lie. I can't talk with him about boy problems.

"Really?" he asks doubtfully. "I was sure that it meant bad news was coming."

"What do you mean?" Does he know something I don't?"

He sighs. "You got my note, right?"

Oh, yeah. He'd left me a note in my penny jar. All it said was "The sky is blue, the sun is bright, and Aspen endlessly loves America. It's how the world was designed to be. Ready when you are." I didn't, and still don't, know what to do with that.

Honestly, I'd spent so much time thinking about my missteps with Maxon, I'd hardly thought about Aspen in the last week. I hold him a little closer than etiquette dictates as we dance. Even through the new, starched uniform and palace soap, he smells like home. It brings me more comfort than I can express.

I feel the bottom drop out of my stomach, and I try to keep a straight face.

If it were just Aspen and Maxon, I would choose Maxon in a fraction of a heartbeat. I know without a doubt, but Maxon the man is who I want to spend the rest of my life with. But choosing Aspen means getting to go home, and choosing Maxon means becoming queen.

No, I remind myself. I am a Three now, and Aspen is a Two. There's no going back to normal, no matter what I do.

Either way, I don't want Aspen. I will always love him, but… we've outgrown each other. In so little time, we've grown so far apart.

"America?" I look up, and Aspen is very concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes," I say, a little breathless with the weight of my newfound revelation. "Are you on my room tonight?"

"Yeah. But you should know, if you're preparing to tell me I need to stop fighting for you, that's not a conversation I want to have."

"Well, that's not a choice you get to make, is it?" I say a little sharply. "I'm doing my best here, but you started this."

Aspen rolls his eyes- definitely not in a good-natured way. "Mer, you're going to have to get over that. I made a mistake. A huge one, you're right. But I'm not going to spend the rest of my life paying for it."

I'm trying to keep up with the dancing through all of this, but of course, I can't.

"Oops," I mutter as a step all over Aspen's toes.

"Sorry, Miss, but you're terrible," he laughs as we twirl past Marlee and Officer Woodwork.

"I know, I know," I say. "I'm trying, I swear!"

"You'd think a Five would have better rhythm than this," he winks. Okay, so I guess we're past that fight. Boys. Who can figure them out?