Glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I thought you'd like another little twist to this already messed up story haha! Mockingjay04 I knew some would be shocked! I hadn't mentioned him in so long have I? But I won't tell you what happens because that is for me to know and for you to find out ;) 191838 thanks for following my story and I hope you keep reading! babysister1997 she does kick ass doesn't she? But don't worry there's more to come! avoxmermaid glad to know it was you! I thought it sounded familiar! But I cannot reveal anything right now so you'll just have to read! Erin I'm not killing you! Please don't die! And now to answer your questions. Aspen wasn't mentioned for a while and now you see why because no one knew where he was. Aspen didn't mean to but Maxon made him slip and it ran across her throat. And America wasn't left alone! Maxon was there for her! Luana Mesquita thanks for having my story as one of your favorites! ClaireMontieth I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter! Your review made me smile because I knew at least someone would freak out ;) Juliana Rose I know it's a little confusing but if you noticed Fredrick didn't go for America until she guarded Maxon. So he had to do something right? Plus Aspen did the same thing but he wasn't going to hurt her it was an ACCIDENT. I was trying to get you guys to think and read between the lines. But I'll be more descriptive about it. Sorry. But thanks for your review I'm glad you liked it! 123 love you love you love you! Thank you for having me as one of your favorites and my story! Also for following me and my story! And no I'm not Kiera Cass haha she's a better writer than me! Thanks so much and I'm glad you like my story! rjme1006 I'm glad you liked the chapter and to find out what happens I hope you enjoy this one! Keep reading! Thank you all and I hope you like this next chapter!

Love Smashleigh

Chapter 29:

The slow beep of a heart monitor wakes me. I try heaving myself off the hospital bed but it's no use. Both my shoulder and thigh are deeply wounded. I plop back down on the bed and the heart rate monitor picks up. That just gave me away, I thought. It did indeed for three doctors and nurses threw open the curtain. The doctor strides calmly to my side.

"How are you feeling You Majesty?" he asks while checking the monitors.

"I'm alright." I strain but my throats a little scratchy.

"Your vitals look good. I'm sure you'll be up in about a week or so but that shoulder needs much more time to heal." he told me.

I nod and the movement makes my head swim. "I just want to sleep." I told him groggily.

He chuckles. "Even after you've been asleep for a week?"

"What?" I ask. "Has it been that long?"

He nods. "Lady America isn't looking so good though. She's been asleep this whole time. At least you woke up once but I'm sure you don't remember."

"Where is she?" I ask.

He comes to my left and pulls the edge of the curtain for me to peek through. I spot her immediately and gasp. She looks…awful. Her skin is a sickly pale and her throat has a large mark going across it.

"She has a concussion and lost a significant amount of blood." he told me. "We are still unsure if she'll wake up because her healing process is significantly lower than last time."

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

"It's as if she isn't healing at all but she is by small portions." he tells me. "I don't know what it is."

My blood turns cold. "What do you mean you don't know?" I ask sternly.

He turns his kind eyes to me and I forget that I'm letting my temper get to me again. "Your Majesty we're trying everything but she doesn't seem to be doing well." he says sadly.

I glance at more one more time before he closes the curtain. She might as well be close to death by the looks of her. I've never been more hurt in my life when I catch that last glimpse of her.

"Alright little princess." Fredrick snickers. "Bring it on."

I lunge at him but am counter by Aspen. "You could've chosen me." he snaps and pushes me away.

I watch both of them approach me and try lifting my sword but I find my arms too weak to even move it an inch. They get closer and closer until I am dwarfed beside the two large men. Their eyes are cold and show no emotions. I remember looking into Aspen's eyes and seeing him stare at me with all the love we shared in them. Now they look menacing and ready to kill. Fredrick's eyes are the same black emotionless pools as always. But looking in them both makes me feel like their prey and now my predators were closing in.

"Any last words sweetheart?" Fredrick snickers.

I open my mouth but then I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. Glancing down I see Aspen has run his sword through my stomach. But there's no blood. Slowly I try peeling it out but am met by a wave of nausea. The pain's too much!

"You should've chosen me." Aspen says kissing me hard.

I shove him away and fall to the ground. I feel movement beside me and see Maxon wrapping his fingers around mine.

"America!" he yells. Wait that's not what he said. "America!" There it is again.

"America! Wake up!" I yell as she struggles in her sleep.

She shows some signs of recognition but she won't wake up. I've been trying for two weeks to get her to wake up. It's pure torture trying to wake her day after day while she relives the same nightmare over and over.

Maxon. I hear it but she doesn't move her lips. Maxon. She's trying to wake up, she really is.

"America." I say gently. "America I'm right here. Can you hear me?"

She stirs in her sleep and I realize she can. But why doesn't she open her eyes and how can I hear her when she doesn't speak. Maxon. Is that all she can say?

"America…can you hear me?" I hear him loud and clear. My vision remains blank and I can't speak. My throat burns like a thousand knives were pinned into it. But I have to open my eyes if even for a second.

Her eyes flutter open and I gasp. Sometimes the blue of her eyes amaze me but now they render me speechless. They look almost purple now and I couldn't help but sit and stare.

"Maxon?" she croaks.

I lean over her and watch her eyes slowly adjust to the sudden movement. She's not falling asleep on me anymore. "I thought I lost you." I tell her brushing a few strands of hair from her eyes.

"How…long?" she asks.

I understand what she means. How long has she been out. "About three weeks." I tell her. "Today's December 1st."

She closes her eyes and sighs. "I think…" she stutters, "I'm gonna be sick."

I help her sit up and she throws up into the trash can beside her bed. How long has that been there? I didn't even notice it. "Darling are you alright?" I ask her when she sits back up.

She plops back down on the bed and shuts her eyes. But she never answers my question, just falls back to sleep.

"Were sorry, Your Majesty, but there's nothing more we can do." someone says softly.

Maxon sighs and I try opening my eyes. Immediately I'm met with the unwelcoming blinding sunlight and I shut my eyes against the glare. "Alright. Thank you." he mumbles softly.

I peek open my eyes and try to locate him. They must've moved me back into my room because the plush fabric beneath my cheek was comforting. But they've closed the curtains around my bed so everything was hazy because of the white transparent cloth. Sure enough though I saw Maxon. His back was to me and he has one hand against the wall, as if he were supporting himself up.

"Maxon." I croak softly.

At the sound of my voice his head jerks up. But he doesn't come rushing to my side. Instead he stares at the bed as if it were his imagination playing tricks on him. After a few seconds I try again but a little louder. "Maxon."

"America?" he asks hopefully when he realizes that it's not in his head. The curtains fly open and even more sunlight spills in. I shut my eyes and weakly throw a hand over my face. "Oh sorry."

He sits on the edge of the bed and closes the curtains around us. I feel his hand take mine and am comforted by the touch alone. "How are you feeling?" he asks. I try to sit up but my body strains too much and I plop back down. "Easy now! You've been asleep for almost a month."

"I've gotta get up." I croak.

"No you aren't leaving this room." he said firmly.

My head swims and I clutch my stomach as a wave of nausea hits me. "Oh God." I say. "Oh God!"

Already Maxon has a trash can and I don't hesitate to lose whatever's left in my stomach. Ugh that was nasty! When I start dry heaving he places it back down. That's when I notice all the worry lines etched in his perfect face. I feel guilty that I'm the one who put them there.

"You need to relax." he tries soothing me. "Would you feel better if I tell you there's only three weeks left until the wedding?"

My eyes widen in shock. "What?!" I exclaim and instantly regret it. My head swims and my throat burns. "Three weeks?"

"I intend for you to spend all of it resting." he said firmly. "You'll not leave this room unless it's to eat, which will be with me."

I huff and cross my arms over my chest. "Yes sir." I say sarcastically.

He gives me a look. I know he knows I won't be stuck in this room for three weeks. So obviously he was going to do much more than set guards outside my room to keep me trapped in here.

"It's only for you, you know that right?" he asks tilting my head up to look at him.

I nod. "It's just not any fun."

He chuckles and kisses my forehead. "I know honey." he says softly. "But it'll be alright. I promise."

Knowing one thing for sure: Maxon always keeps his promises.