Melody (I think this is your name; I closed my review window so I am just guessing on the people who asked me questions): what do you think of Frola?...one word: NO.
Bacon girl (I don't remember your actual name; just that you love bacon): Sun or rain? - I'm more of a snow person. If i had to choose, I'd choose rain. i love sunny days and all but sometimes, in the summer, it's just too much sun. plus I'm a ginger so the sun and I? yeah, we're not friends.
"Making a big life change is scary. But you know what's scarier? Regret."
The alarm jolted America out of her sleep. Maxon got up and retrieved her robe and slippers for her as guards rushed in the room. "I thought the rebels are gone?" America asked him as she helped him put his robe on.
"Yeah, I don't know what's going on," he admitted, sounding scared.
They ran hand-in-hand to Christian's room where he was sitting in his bed with his hands clapped over his ears. Maxon gave him his sweatshirt and hoisted him onto his hip. He took America's hand with his free arm and they ran down to the safe room, surrounded by their guards.
America's family was already there, Kota being the last one to run in before the vault door closed. Kenna was comforting a terrified Astra and Gerad already looked bored, throwing a tennis ball against one of the walls and catching it with a steady rhythm.
Maxon set Christian down in the small bedroom set aside from the safe room, a room reserved for the royal family should they need to stay in the safe room for an extended amount of time. America sat on the end of the bed as Maxon curled up with his son, trying to coax him to sleep. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm scared," he whispered.
America smiled sadly at him, patting one of his feet. "All will be well. You'll see," she assured him as Maxon brushed back some of his unruly curls.
"No, you don't understand!" he suddenly exclaimed. America sat back a bit at his sudden outburst.
"Christian, don't raise your voice at your mother like that," Maxon warned.
The toddler was still shaking his head. "No, Daddy, what about our surprise for Mommy?" he asked. "I don't want it to get stolen."
America raised her eyebrows at her husband. He rolled his eyes and looked back to Christian. "It is a fine piece of work. That must be what they want! It's a wonder they didn't attack and try to take it sooner," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"We have to go save it!" Christian yelled, sitting up.
Maxon and America both laughed at their son. "Son, I was only joking," Maxon told him. "The guards will never let the rebels get so close to our private quarters. Our surprise is perfectly safe."
Christian sat back against the pillows and pouted. He started playing with his dog and America knew that he'd be asleep soon enough. She walked back out into the main room to meet her family. She sat down at the wood table with her parents and James. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "We thought the rebels had been taken care of."
"I don't know how you ever dealt with this on a regular basis," her mother gasped.
"It died off a bit after Maxon and I were married. I guess because it was the Masons and they didn't want to risk hurting him." Maxon walked in, giving her a thumbs-up that signaled that Christian had fallen asleep. He sat down in the chair next to her and casually put his arm on the back.
He crossed his legs and looked at America. "While we're here, maybe we could…you know," he suggested, nodding to her parents.
She frowned. "We don't know for sure yet."
"We're pretty sure," he told her.
" 'Pretty sure' does not make it definite."
He rolled his eyes. "Like, ninety-five percent."
"Ninety-five isn't one hundred."
"America."
"Maxon. No," she said firmly.
Kenna laughed and sat down at the table. "Can we guess?" she asked, watching them with a fond smile. She held James's hand and kissed the back.
Maxon sat back in his chair and looked at America as he said, "Sure, take a wild guess."
Kenna pretended to be stumped and then gasped and announced, "You're pregnant!"
Every head in the room turned to America and Maxon. America rolled her eyes. "Like I told my annoying husband, we don't know for sure yet."
"She's pregnant," Maxon confirmed, squeezing her shoulder.
May and Kenna both exclaimed with joy and jumped up to hug their sister. Mr. Singer shook Maxon's hand and offered him a congratulations. May was practically jumping up and down. "I'm so excited! I never got to see you when you were pregnant with Christian. Now I can see you every day!"
America groaned inwardly, remembering how disinterested she was with people when she was pregnant with Christian. "Yay," she said, feigning enthusiasm. At the time she just couldn't muster the energy to be excited but May and Kenna more than made up for it.
Maxon hugged her closer and kissed her cheek. "They would've found out within days anyway," he whispered to her, leaning his forehead against her temple.
"I guess you're right," she mumbled.
They left the safe room the next morning as the sun was starting to rise. By then America was dead on her feet from being so tired. Maxon practically carried her up to their bedroom and he would have if he didn't have to carry their sleeping son. She stood on their balcony, looking over the gardens. Dark storm clouds loomed in the distance and she knew that winter was coming.
Maxon joined her and stood beside her, his hand resting on her waist. "Snow," he said, pointing to the clouds.
She nodded in agreement. Then she turned and leaned against the railing, facing away from the gardens. "I'm scared," she whispered, looking down at her feet.
"Everything will be okay," he assured her, putting his other hand on her shoulder.
She shook her head. "No. I feel like this rebel attack was a sign. Like, something bad is going to happen."
Maxon sighed and pulled her against him. She rested her head against his chest and breathed in his cologne, letting the familiar scent comfort her. "I'm not going to let anything happen to our family. That's a promise," he said, his voice dark. "Come hell or high water, I will always be here for you guys."
It was a couple days later when America was sitting in her office and a guard ran in, demanding that she go to the infirmary. She didn't need to be told twice. The guard said that there had been an accident while Maxon was out on his ride and he was taken straight there. She couldn't run fast enough. Her heart pounded in her ears as she ran recklessly down the several flights of marble steps to reach him.
When she arrived in the hospital, Dr. Mackey was patching up Maxon's left shoulder. She ran to his side, demanding answers. "What happened?" she practically yelled.
Maxon shook his head as Dr. Mackey applied some antiseptic to his shoulder. He winced and then looked at her. "It was a rogue shot. It's okay," he told her.
"You were shot?" she repeated.
He waved to her to keep her voice down. "It was probably a hunter who thought that I was a deer. Really, it's fine."
Dr. Mackey gave him a wary look, making America think that there was more to the story. She didn't press him on it though until later that night when he was resting in their bedroom. "It was another assassination attempt, wasn't it?" she finally asked quietly, the fire crackling in the background. Maxon was quiet for a while and that was all the answer she needed. "We shouldn't be having this baby."
He sat up suddenly and then winced, leaning back against the pillows. "We can't change that now," he ground out between his teeth.
"Maxon, someone's tried to kill both of us in the past month and a half! Then there was also a rebel attack…it can't all be coincidental."
"Ames, you know I love your conspiratorial side but I can tell you that there is no connection in any of these events." He shifted to kiss the side of her head. "For now, just try to get some sleep because we have a big day tomorrow."
She rolled her eyes, dreading the next day which would surely be packed with posing in front of cameras and smiling and waving. She slept little, waking up sometime in the early hours of the morning needing to go to the bathroom to get sick. Maxon slept through it, sleeping heavily due to the pain medication Dr. Mackey had given him for his shoulder.
Her maids did their best to cover up the bags under her eyes. Marlee eventually came with the dress she would be wearing that day. It was a beautiful blue satin with a gold belt. When she was done getting ready, she met Maxon in their room where he was wearing a suit complimentary to her dress. He smiled at her despite the obvious pain he was in.
"Are you ready?" she asked, holding his hand tightly.
He gave her a chaste kiss and nodded. "I've been waiting for this day for months. Finally signing the country over to this new legislation? It will be a relief to not have to hide from my advisers anymore."
She smiled and they walked down to the room they did the Report in and stood behind a large oak desk, all of the papers requiring their signatures laid out in front of them. The cameras would film it and then play it to the country later that night at primetime. America just hoped that if she threw up they could edit it out.
Sawyer was there, also dressed in a spectacular suit. He stood by them as Maxon explained the new format of the country to the cameras. The people had known the vague details but Maxon laid it all out to them in the simplest terms possible.
Then the time came for them to officially sign the new constitution as king and queen of Illéa. Maxon signed first, his signature compact and sharp, probably from years of squeezing it in beneath his father's signature. America leaned down, pen poised, with Maxon standing next to her wearing a proud smile.
Suddenly, the doors burst open and in marched Amberly. "Stop!" she demanded, her voice filling the room. "You cannot do this Maxon."
Maxon paled, looking at his mother. "It is already done Mother," he said in a controlled voice.
"Oh, no, it's not really. Because she," she raised a shaking finger to point at America, "is not officially queen. She never signed those papers at her coronation." America looked at Maxon, knowing that Amberly was right and also knowing the horrifying truth in what Amberly said next. "That means, I am still queen and I am taking back control of this country."
game changer! hope you guys liked it! review and send questions please!