For James. I can't believe it'll be six years tomorrow since you passed away. 10/27/1991-07/07/2008. RIP.

And to all my wonderful readers, here is your update and thank you for all the reviews. And to those who have favorited my story, I can't believe that I almost have 100 favorites! Also, to the one of you who voted Maxeriss on the poll...I'm curious if you'd step forward and tell me if you were that team in Kiera Cass' story or why you are just that team in mine.


America's POV

Maxon's body hit the floor, falling forwards, as the Archbishop fell backwards, bleeding from a small bullet hole in his head. Kriss shrieked and several of the guards looked around the room for the source of the shot but none was to be found. I wasn't sure if Maxon had been hit as well until he started to move up from the floor. I caught my breath, more than grateful that he clearly hadn't been the target. But why the Archbishop? He got up off the floor and was immediately holding Kriss as we were all rushed to the Safe Room inside of the church. His eyes found me and seemed to tell me that this was exactly what he had been talking about. The guards should have weeded out such an attack from even being possible. But the crazier thing was that the bullet had only reached one target and no other shots were fired to follow it. My heart was pounding and Scott reached my side, pulling me along when I hadn't even realized that I had stopped moving. Why would there have been just a single target—especially the Archbishop? He wasn't a monarch, he wasn't a diplomat, and he didn't have any control over the Caste System or the other things that the Southern Rebels fought against.

"Come on, America, we have to keep moving," Scott said pushing me towards the opening of the Safe Room as he and the other guards ran out of the church and out to see what was going on outside. Only a few remained inside the church and then the doors were shut. I looked around the room and saw Kriss curled up against Maxon's chest on the sofa. I wanted to talk to him, wanted to hear what he had to say about their only being one victim of the attack. What motive could there possibly have been to kill a single man who didn't have any real power except in the matters of the church? However, I knew that we couldn't do it here and I reached up and once again tugged my ear. This time, he tugged his. So we were going to meet tonight. That helped me to relax a little bit.

I looked over at Queen Amberly, sat at the opposite side of the room. I hadn't talked to her since the engagement and I wondered if she still held the same fondness for me even though I hadn't been her son's One. I slowly crept over to the other side of the room and cleared my throat. "Queen Amberly," I said with a small whisper, bowing slightly.

"You don't need to bow to me, Lady America." She said with a smile and gestured to the seat next to her. I took it, wanting to raise the same questions that I had for Maxon. Had she noticed the difference in this attack?

"Queen Amberly, forgive me if I'm being too bold, but why the Archbishop? Why just one target? This doesn't seem like a normal Southern Rebel attack."

She looked at me and I knew that the question had been out of my limits for what I was allowed to ask—or what I should be asking. However, there wasn't fire or anger in her eyes. I guessed that she had gotten used to me asking and saying things that I wasn't supposed to be or things that I should be knowing at all. She bit her tongue, trying to decide what she wanted to say. I started to get up when she put her hand on my shoulder, almost commanding me to stay put so that she could talk. Nonetheless, several minutes passed by before she answered my question.

"No, it doesn't seem like the South at all. Yet, we know it can't be the North as they are our allies now." She looked up at the ceiling and I saw tears beginning to rise inside of her eyes. I hadn't seen much of her since King Clarkson had been killed and now her only son was king in a world full of endless rising threats. I couldn't help but to wonder how much suffering she must be going through and wishing there was anything at all that I could do to help ease that pain and sorrow. "Clarkson didn't have to deal with this much and I worry about how much Maxon is ready for. Especially after everything that happened here tonight."

I nodded and decided not to mention the warning that I had seen or to continue my questions. I put my hand gently on her shoulder not sure what else to do. She smiled back at me warmly and I was grateful that we still had somewhat of a bond after everything that had transpired. I wondered if Maxon hadn't told her about my prior relationship that had destroyed my chances with her son once and for all. It wasn't like it mattered, though. If King Clarkson had survived the attack and I had bene chosen, he would have found a way to kick me out of the palace. And if he didn't pick me and the former King was still alive, I certainly still wouldn't be here poking my nose in the Royal Family's business or as a diplomat.

"How are you liking your new job?" She asked, trying to bring my attention back to the conversation. She smiled lightly at me her eyes dancing around the room to Maxon and Kriss.

"I appreciate the opportunity to work with Italy. I really liked and bonded with Nicoletta during the Selection and Daniele is also a wonderful friend." I nodded smiling at her. "How is Kriss' princess training coming?"

"She's a perfect princess. Though it seems her coronation will have to be put on hold for a while. I sometimes wish she had a little more fire, though. She's very agreeable and I worry about how she'll hold up Maxon's need for change. I've seen the drafts of his plans to get rid of the Caste System and I wonder how she'll hold up with her own planning. But, she is good for him in other ways, I suppose," she finished smiling softly as she stood up. "Well, it was nice speaking to you again Lady America. Don't feel like you need to be a stranger to me." And with that she walked over to go and check on her only son and I wondered off to go and speak to Daniele and Celeste for the remainder of our time stuck in here.

Maxon's POV

When the ban was finally removed from the Safe Room I took Kriss back to her room before going to meet with some of the advisors. Nobody really understood why the Archbishop had been the only target and that only frustrated me more. Nobody really held any grudges against the Religious Head simply because they didn't have any power over the state of the country or how things were ran. They were simply used for church and for certain ceremonies that had always required a religious aspect. Everyone was throwing around useless ideas that didn't get us any closer to the answers that we needed. However, it was decided that Kriss' ceremony would just be a part of the wedding as we no longer had someone to lead over the ceremony and there was a new aspect of fear that the Southern Rebels might try and attack again.

After my meetings that I finally got out of around midnight, I remembered that I was supposed to go and meet America. I walked to her room and decided that I might as well try to acknowledge her even though I figured she might be sleeping. I went to turn the corner to her room and saw Scott walking out, which made me turn against the wall so that he didn't see me. After our previous conversation I didn't know if he would be so happy that America and I were trying to be friends so shortly after everything had gone south. But I was glad that it confirmed she was awake and I wasn't going to be disturbing her. I knocked on the door and waited.

"Hello, Maxon," she said, ushering me in as she turned the lights in her room back on.

"I'm sorry that I took so long," I replied, sitting down on one of the chairs absolutely exhausted. She shrugged her shoulders and sat in front of me.

"Sorry for tugging my ear in the middle of your ceremony. Old habits I guess," she whispered looking down at the floor. I gently laughed at her trying to lighten the mood between us. She smiled up at me and rolled her eyes. "Why the Archbishop, Maxon? Why weren't they aiming for you or someone else who actually has power?"

"I don't know, America. But this was what I was telling you about I don't know who I can trust. It doesn't seem like a Southern Rebel attack but who else is there? Especially who else is there that would want to kill him? He doesn't have any political ties and it's not like murder for personal agenda is a thing like it used to be before there was Illéa."

"That used to be a thing?" She responded, almost like her mind had been blown out of the water.

"Yes but don't go repeating that. It's a history lesson very few get. It's why there are so many guards out and about, just to make sure that things don't ever get too bad." I replied and looked up at the ceiling. "Kriss is going home tomorrow and I couldn't be more grateful. It's not safe for her here and this is no time to be trying to plan a Royal Wedding."

"So it's really happening this year?" Her voice choked out. But why would it bother her so much when she was obviously starting a new relationship herself? Scott was as good as they came and he would treat America well. Perhaps I was making up the sound of her voice in my mind remembering the old times when she would fall apart during the Selection because she had seen me with some other girl. That must be it, I told myself.

"May 12th is the Friday that Kriss wants to have it on. It's a lot to plan especially with all of this popping up. Sometimes I wish I had waited to tell the Council my plans to end the Caste System because I feel like they'll throw it on the back burner because of the wedding." I nodded leaning back against my seat. "So you and Scott then? He's an old friend, very good guy," I whispered, hating every word that I was spitting out. I guess some wounds just don't ever heal.

"It's not what you think, Maxon."

"Sure it isn't." I couldn't believe that I had just said that to her and by the look on her face, neither could she.

"What does it matter if it is or isn't, Maxon? You're going to marry Kriss in four months and I'll have to be there and watch and pretend like I don't want to be more than just your friend. I've been trying to move on like you have, Maxon. I wanted to spend my life with you but instead I'm going to have to watch you grow up and love someone else, have children and a life with someone else. It'll be broadcasted every day and I'm going to have to live with it. If you get to be happy, I think I deserve to be happy, too."

"I know you do America but don't you think it's been hard for me too? You were running around with Aspen Leger the entire time I thought I had finally won you and it broke my heart. And while you'll see my life broadcasted, if you leave your job I won't know what's happening in yours. I won't see who you marry or how many children you have or what they look like. I'm moving on with my life and yes, so are you. But you never forget your first—well technically second for you—love." I bit back the tears at how harsh the words were that were coming out of my mouth. "I'm just grateful to have your friendship back so perhaps we could stop talking about significant others and work on keeping it alive. I can't lose you this is all too much of a mess and I don't know what I'd do with one less person that I know I could trust."

She nodded quietly. "It'll be alright, Maxon. The people will see that you're going to be a great leader and they'll side with you. Whatever this attack was tonight, it's over. We'll all just have to move past it together."

I nodded and leaned in closer to her. It almost felt so natural to be this close to her. I wrapped my arms around her and held her in a tight hug. "You're an amazing friend, America. You always have been and I'm always going to be grateful that you asked to stay so that we could be friends."

"I am too, Maxon." She returned my hug and we just sat there for a moment before I got up. "I'm always going to be here to be your friend, Maxon. I know it's not the kind of love that I used to feel for you but I do still love you. I'm not going to leave your side until you don't need me there any longer and I'll make sure that I can help in whatever ways possible."

"Thank you, Lady America." I said smiling softly as I turned to leave her room. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."