A false alarm. At least that was what we were told, but I doubted that as we were hurried back to our rooms via the secret hallways and not the main corridors. We'd spent about an hour down in the saferoom and Zed had made the rounds with his brothers, checking that everyone was okay. Amelie had been shaking and I'd moved to comfort her without hesitation. When Zed reached us, the conversation was kept short and sweet and he swiftly moved onto Tina, pulling her into his arms as she cried and I desperately tried to keep my heart intact.

For the next two days, none of the girls even saw Zed. He and Prince Yves and Prince Xavier went away with the King and the Queen was left in charge, not that we saw her; she and Diamond were busy setting up for the Ball and that meant my early morning running sessions were halted. The day before the ball, we were called to the ballroom and I was not expecting to see what we did.

The room was filled with flowers and vases, all with an Autumnal colour scheme. Lanterns and fairylights were scattered over the cloth-covered circular tables and chairs, as was golden ribbon. Pumpkins featured too, as did faux leaves and pinecones. It was a mess.

'Oh thank goodness, reinforcements!' Queen Karla said as she appeared holding a garland made from faux orange and brown leaves. She looked exhausted, as did Diamond and Phoenix as they trailed behind her, arms laden with orange candles in different sizes. 'Ladies I'm so sorry to take you out of your classes this morning.'

We weren't sorry. Reading the textbooks we had been studying from was starting to make me go cross-eyed. I knew the other girls were feeling exactly the same.

'Your majesty.' We all chorused with a rehearsed curtsy.

'How can we be of assistance?' Amelie asked formally.

'The flu is going round,' the Queen murmured, 'and we are understaffed. An absolute nightmare with the party tomorrow. Will you girls please help us to decorate this ballroom?'

'Of course,' I replied with a smile and a nod.

'Excellent.' She stood up straighter but the tiredness was still evident on her face, 'Lady Tina and Lady Lucie, could you please help with the fairylights and bannister details. You are tall enough to assist with that.' The girls nodded and headed off. 'Lady Zoe and Lady Amelie, could you please assist Lady Phoenix with the ribbons for the chairs?'

'Of course, your majesty.' Amelie curtsied and they both grabbed the reels of ribbon before heading off towards the chairs.

'And Lady Sky, could you please assist Lady Diamond and I with the centrepieces?'

'It would be a pleasure, your majesty.' I replied with a curtsy. Queen Karla smiled a warm smile and I returned it, despite feeling nervous inside. I knew the other girls would not be happy that I was spending time alone with Zed's mother and they weren't. I looked up to meet a stare from Lucie and one from Zoe too but I ignored them and followed the Queen and the future Queen to a table. We all sat down, all of us with knees together and legs to the side as we'd all been trained to do.

'This is a centrepiece I prepared earlier,' Queen Karla said, signalling to an arrangement of orange and red leaves and flowers with a pumpkin and candelabra tucked into the middle. It was a perfect harvest centrepiece, looking elegant and sophisticated despite the theme. 'We need eleven more.'

'Between us we will get it done,' Diamond smiled, squeezing the arm of her future mother-in-law affectionately, 'Sky is a hard worker.'

'So I have heard,' the Queen smiled across at me and I blushed, 'you did some marvellous work with that children's home.'

'Thank you.' I looked up to meet her eyes, despite feeling a little embarrassed.

'And Lady Evelyn says you are an excellent student in all of her classes.' She said as I grabbed some flowers and started to arrange them in the same way she had. 'You have come a long way in this competition, Lady Sky.'

I smiled as I looked across at her, 'thank you, your majesty.'

'My son seems quite taken with you,' this time there was a sparkle of mischief in her eyes, a look I'd seen in her son's eyes on many different occasions. 'He speaks about you often.'

'Oh,' I tried to hide my smile and blush but it was impossible.

'He is happier than I have ever seen him and I feel that my kind and caring son is finally back on track.'

'Well that's lovely to hear.' I spotted Lucie watching me with narrowed eyes and I looked back down at the centrepiece, continuing my work.

'I would not worry about them, dear,' the Queen said softly, 'only one girl in this competition has a hold on my son's heart and I think we both know who that is.'

I blushed and bit my lip as my heart thudded with a little bit of hope.

I would be making centrepieces in my sleep that night. That was all I could think about as the girls and I sat down for dinner together with the Queen, Diamond and Phoenix. But dinner was different that evening. The Queen moved to sit with us, not on their extended table that sat slightly higher than the others, but on our table. The others followed her and for once, we all spoke eagerly to Queen Karla and the future Queen as if they were old friends.

'I think we deserve a little celebration, don't you all?' Queen Karla said when we had finished dessert. 'Let's have some fun.' She led us to the women's room where the ultimate pampering session had been set up; beauticians moved around with nail products and face masks, a fire was lit, cheesey music poured out of the record player and disposable cameras and props were spread around in what looked like a photobooth. I couldn't help but smile. The Queen had organised something resembling a teenage slumber party and we were all surprised and ecstatic.

'Thank you, your majesty!' Amelie cooed with real enthusiasm as she draped a feather boa around herself and headed towards the makeshift nail salon.

'Sky, come and have a photo with me!' Diamond dragged me off and I laughed, letting her place a tiara on my head as she placed some bunny ears on her.

'You should be the one in the tiara.' I told her. 'You're the future Queen.'

'And you are a future princess.'

'Right.' I rolled my eyes.

'Stop doubting yourself,' she said. 'You heard what Karla said earlier. Zed is crazy about you. He's even been speaking to Trace about you.'

'He has?' I raised my eyebrows and not because she was speaking so informally about the Royal family.

'Like I said, stop doubting yourself.' She grinned and pulled me in for a photograph, snapping away on the disposable camera for good measure.

It was easy to say not to doubt myself when there was an underlying reason that Zed didn't want to be with me. And it seemed to have something to do with the fact that he could move objects, just like I could.

'You have a letter!' Abby cooed the following day as my hands and nails were being soaked in some kind of hydrating formula. It was somewhat relaxing, especially thanks to the jets that were giving my feet and hands mini hot tub sessions.

'You're going to have to open it on my behalf,' I told her. 'You've already told me off for taking a hand out to itch my face.'

'Because the treatment won't work otherwise.' Abby sighed. 'I'm trying to get rid of the callouses on your fingers. You've played guitar a lot lately.'

'It helps my mood.' I murmured.

Abby tore open the envelope and placed the letter on the table so that I could read it. She and Chloe turned away, busying themselves with the curling iron to give me some privacy.

Sky,

I am sorry I have not been around over the last few days, but unfortunately duty calls. It is so easy to forget about my title and duties around you that sometimes I kid myself that I am just a normal eighteen-year-old boy living a normal life, but unfortunately I am not. I know you will not have told anyone what I showed you the other day and I ask you to please keep it this way. I hope that perhaps I can explain later as I know you will have so many unanswered questions.

I have been thinking a lot about you recently, Sky. You seem to be my last thought at night and the first one in the morning and in ways it terrifies me. I have never felt like this before. No one else has been able to make me feel vulnerable, while just as safe. I do not know what it is about you. Perhaps it is the way nothing else matters when we are talking or how you make me smile more than anyone ever has been able to. Or perhaps it is the way you see so much beauty in things that others would not and how you have changed my perception of the world around us. Whatever it is, I just want you to know that it means everything to me and whatever happens, I will be always be glad knowing that there is someone like you in the world. A ray of sunshine in the darkness.

Yours,

Zed

'Everything okay, Sky?' Chloe asked with a concerned voice. I caught a tear and quickly wiped it a way as my heart hammered against my chest.

'Have I made the right decision? With my dress for this evening?' I asked her.

'Absolutely.' She smiled. 'Now let's make you a Queen.'

The dress was a perfect fit, the gold shining and hugging my curves. I wore gold strappy shoes perfectly paired, not that you could see them under my flowing skirt. A golden leave cuff wrapped around the top of my arm like a Grecian goddess and my loose curls fell over my shoulders. As Emmica had suggested, braids had been woven into my hair and pinned back into a half-updo with my golden-leaved half-crown tucked into the top. I looked like an elven warrior princess and I felt like one too.

'All you are missing is a bow and arrow,' Abby said as she adjusted the train of my dress.

'I would love one,' I replied, 'but I'm not sure the guards would agree.'

'You're probably right.' Abby laughed.

Chloe spritzed my hair with one final bit of hairspray and moved out of the way as Abby scanned my perfect outfit. 'If Prince Zed doesn't propose to you tonight then I'll… I'm not even sure what I'll do!'

'He's hardly going to propose,' I scoffed. 'There are four other girls still in this competition.'

'Four girls, one princess.' She winked. Her smile was wiped off when she spotted the clock. 'You'd better get going. The party has just started and it's probably not a good idea to be late.'

'Thank you for helping me look like this ladies.' I smiled at them and hugged each of them in turn.

'You always looked like this,' Abby replied, 'you just needed help enhancing it.' She gave me a wink and pushed me out of the door.

I wasn't the last selection contestant to enter the party, but I wasn't the first either. I spotted Tina and Zoe chatting in one corner and Amelie was already mingling when I entered the ballroom. It looked just as we had decorated it and everyone looked amazing; an array of Autumnal-coloured ballgowns filled the rooms and suits and official uniforms were worn by men. The other girls looked incredible with perfectly-styled updos and their hand-designed ballgowns reflected their personalities perfectly. I scanned the room and spotted Diamond and Prince Trace talking animatedly to King Maxon and the fiery-haired Queen America of Illea, the people responsible for the Selection being started in our country. Diamond lived up to her name in a navy fishtail fitting gown with hundreds of silver branches embroidered into the fabric. With the small tiara on her head, she looked ready to take over Queen Karla.

I walked forward, politely declining a drink from a passing waiter as I headed in the direction of Tina and Zoe, but then I spotted Zed. He wore a navy tailcoat and trousers with a golden tie and matching waistcoat. His messy hair was styled, he was almost clean-shaven and his perfectly-fitted suit made him look like an absolute god. I swallowed as he laughed, deep in conversation with Lord Nelson and some of his other noble friends. Their eyes moved to look at me. Then his eyes moved in the same direction and he spotted me.

His mouth looked as if it formed the word 'wow' as he stared at me with wide eyes. My mouth crept into a slow smile and his did the same.

'Lady Sky.' I turned my head to see Phoenix and Prince Yves looking the perfect couple, both dressed in black for the occasion.

'Your highness,' I curtsied, 'Lady Phoenix.' Prince Yves bowed back and smiled.

'You look incredible!' Phoenix cooed, reaching out to touch a sequin.

'You do,' Prince Yves nodded in agreement, 'and judging by my brother's facial expression, I would say he agrees.' I blushed as I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, Zed was still watching me. 'A fan of Lord of the Rings?'

'Absolutely.' I smiled. 'I'm no Galadriel but I was going for an Elven warrior Queen inspired look.'

'Nailed it.' Phoenix beamed and Prince Yves laughed at the informality.

'Don't let Lady Evelyn hear you speaking like that,' I warned.

'Just because you're her favourite student now doesn't mean you need to be a swot.' She teased.

'Speaking of which, I had better mingle.' I winked and curtsied before leaving them to it.

Mingling was somewhat nerve-wracking, although I hadn't expected anything less. I greeted each guest with a handshake or curtsy, careful to remember the details Lady Evelyn had made us memorised, and in response I was given plenty of handshakes or the occasional kiss on the hand. I did well moving around the room as the string quartet played cover versions of popular chart hits I recognised and then we had dinner before the mingling continued once more.

'Lady Sky, an honour.' Lord Nelson said in greeting as he bowed to me after dinner.

'The honour is mine.' I replied, letting him kiss my hand.

'I cannot believe we have not yet properly met,' Zed's old friend, who I had heard many stories about, said as Love Song by Sara Bareilles was covered by the band.

'Neither can I. I have heard many things about you.' Despite my nerves at speaking to someone so close to Zed, I kept my posture confident and stood up straight, hoping my outfit masked my nerves well enough.

'And I have heard many things about you.' Lord Nelson grinned. 'Would you care to dance?' I looked over at the other people dancing and knew that it was impolite to decline a request so I took his hand and let him lead me to the dancefloor. It was an upbeat tempo so there was no pressure to stand too close and we danced in time to the rhythm.

'So tell me about yourself, Lady Sky.' He said as we danced.

'I'm eighteen, I'm from-'

'Oh I know those details,' he smiled, 'I've read the papers and seen the weekly recaps on the television. Tell me something new. What would you like to do with your life?'

'I would like to play music.' I told him. 'And I would like to teach music to others.'

'Impressive.' He nodded. 'Zed says that you play a lot of instruments.'

'Yes,' I replied, 'it is the one thing I am good at.'

'I hear you're pretty good at tackling him to the ground too.' A playful smirk crossed his face and I resisted the urge to squirm and hide away. 'I like this Zed a lot better you know. He's far calmer and more interesting.'

'I think you will find I have always been interesting.' Zed's voice caught me off-guard and I turned my head as Lord Nelson released me.

'But perhaps not in a good way.' Lord Nelson raised an eyebrow.

Zed ignored the comment and turned to face me, 'Lady Sky,' he said with a bow.

'Your highness.' I curtsied low and he smiled as his deep blue eyes met mine.

'You are looking absolutely spectacular this evening.' He said, causing me to blush. 'Perhaps a little inspiration from Lord of the Rings, Xena the Warrior Princess and maybe even Daenerys Targaryen?'

'Perhaps.' I smiled and Lord Nelson cleared his throat.

'I'll be at the bar.' He said before excusing himself.

'He is not used to me complimenting beautiful girls,' Zed said with a twinkle in his eye, 'I think it makes him uncomfortable.' His hand reached to the back of my head and his fingers ran over my leaf-covered half-crown before they fell back to his side. 'You recently told me that you were not princess material.' He moved slightly closer to me before murmuring, 'you could not be more wrong.'

I blushed and broke his gaze, looking at my skirt where it fell down to the floor. 'Thank you for your note,' I said softly.

'I meant every word.'

The song changed to Everything I do by Bryan Adams, the song that had been played at Sally and Simon's wedding long before I had been born. It filled me with warmth and emotion, more so when Zed held out his hand. 'Lady Sky, would you like to dance?'

'Yes I would.' I whispered and his smile broadened as he led me to a space. He placed one hand on the small of my back and took the other in his as he started to lead me around the dancefloor.

'Sky, I do not want to run away from this anymore.' He said softly, his eyes staring into mine. 'Since meeting you, I have become a better person inside and out. I smile and laugh more. You are easy to talk to and unlike other girls, you listen to me.' He paused as he spun me before pulling me back into him. 'I know that with you I can be myself and you have never judged me for it. Our time together means a lot because with you I am truly happy.'

'Zed…' I whispered softly.

'Why does everything have to be so complicated?' He frowned.

'It doesn't have to be.' I said. 'I'm not asking for a fairytale, Zed. Not the pumpkin, not the dress. I'm stood here in my armour ready to fight for you. I want to be with you too.'

His eyes glistened and I wondered if he was going to cry. 'You, my dear, are my favourite thing to fight for. Did you know that? I have been fighting for you for a long time.'

'So surely the battle has been won?'

An earth-shaking and window-shattering explosion caught us off-guard and we both staggered on our feet as shrieks rang out through the ballroom. Guests got down to the floor, although some had ended up there as a result from the blast.

'Go!' Zed said to me with urgency, his eyes pleading as people dressed in guards uniforms ran in armed with weapons.

'They're not your guards.' I told him as the uneasy feeling filled my stomach.

'Get to safety.' Zed pleaded. 'Get the other girls and get out of here.' I looked at him, hesitant as he pulled a sword out from the holster in his belt. 'Go!' He insisted, his eyes wide and then he turned to help his family, who were already fighting.

I spotted Amelie, Tina and Zoe cowering in the corner, tucked under a table, and hurried over to them. 'Are you hurt?'

'No.' Tina said, her voice cracking. 'Where's Lucie?'

'I have no idea.' I murmured, 'but you need to move now.'

'A passageway… over there.' Amelie said through sobs. I hauled them to their feet and pushed them towards the passageway I remembered from our welcome pack. Fourth panel to the left of the fireplace. I pushed at it and pushed them inside.

'Where is Zed?' Zoe asked with a pained expression.

I glanced over my shoulder and watched as he caught another sword thrown his direction. Like in a movie, he turned and quickly clashed his two swords against the enemy, the fight almost choreographed.

'Sky, we need to go, now!' Amelie said with worry and panic etched across her face.

'I can't.' I replied. I couldn't leave Zed to fight these people. If he never made it out… the thought was painful, like a dagger in the heart. He meant far too much for me to leave him now. I had to do something to help. Anything.

Sky! Look out! Zed's voice sounded pained and echoey as if it were in my head. I turned my head as arms grabbed me around my waist. Quickly slamming the panel closed, I whipped into action. Stamp on the foot with stilettos, hand to the nose and then I tackled my opponent to the floor. The traitor in the guard's uniform winced on the floor, held down by my foot. I looked up at the guards fighting one another and Zed, Trace, Xavier and Yves caught in the middle of it. I took the sword off of the guard at my feet and held it in my hand, hoping that using a sword was as easy as Zed made it look. My hands trembled.

Sky! Behind you!

I elbowed someone in the ribs and they doubled over behind me as I straightened up. Another guard moved to me and attacked the enemy I had just tackled so I stepped aside, suddenly wishing I was more suitably dressed for a fight. I hesitantly tore a slit in my dress and stood up straight, feeling freer. I looked across at Zed and realised he was staring at me with puzzled eyes.

Did you just hear me? His mouth wasn't moving.

How are you doing that? I asked back, sending my voice through my mind and his eyes widened before my view was blocked by someone dressed in black.

'Lady Sky.' He grinned as he held a large sword out towards me. I held out my sword too as I heard a cry out in pain behind him and I prayed it wasn't Zed. 'You wouldn't hurt me with that thing, dearie, I bet you don't even know how to use a sword.'

'Oh really?' Acting as if I knew how to use a blade, I aimed it at his heart, daring him to make a move and he laughed just as a ball of flame flew towards him. He yelped as his shirt caught fire and I knocked the blade from his hand with my own as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. I looked for Zed and his brothers but they had their hands full, joining the guards and fighting as fire filled the ballroom. I didn't have long to watch the brothers as enemies came towards me, all willing to fight. Thankfully they were weaponless and with a cut from my blade to their arms or legs, they fell to the ground, not dead but in pain as their wounds bled.

Bodies, glass and harvest decorations covered the floor and I flinched at the sight. Bile started to rise in my throat as another enemy came towards me, but this one was stronger. Our blades crashed together, left and right, left and right and then mine was knocked from my hand and sent sliding across the floor away from me. He blocked my acts of defence and I groaned in pain as the blade sliced my arm, scratching the top layer of skin. However, he'd left his stomach unguarded and with a slice from my own blade, he staggered and dropped the sword. We reached the wall and with one final blow I sent him into it. With a knock to the head, he fell to the ground unconscious and I groaned, leaning against the wall in pain. My lip was bleeding and my stomach felt achy and swollen. And breathing felt really difficult and not just because of the corset.

'Hello princess.' A woman in black walked towards me, a dagger at the ready and my eyes widened as I forced myself to stand up straighter, trying to stop myself from looking as injured as I was.

'I am not a princess!' I hissed, pushing my weight towards her in an attempt to knock the dagger right out of her hand. I pushed my energy towards it, physical and mental but she fought back, a warrior just like I was. And then my arm throbbed as I cried out in pain; the blade was in my arm. I staggered backwards as the blood started to trickle down my left arm, just under the gold, sequinned sleeve of my dress. A ball of fire hit the girl seconds later and she ran but I didn't see if she got away or not. Everything went black.