I had never felt so alone. Even when I lived on the streets I had Lil by my side. I might've spent nights crying myself to sleep, but there was always someone for me to go to. I thought the loneliest night of my life was the first night in the palace. I hadn't had Lil then but at least I found Luke and my maids and even Val and Meghan eventually.

But for right now I felt so lost all curled up in a tiny ball on my enormous bed. I was so sad, yet so angry at the world. I jumped out of bed in a fit of rage and pushed all the covers and pillows off the bed. I screamed my bloody head off into the fluffy cloudily pillows and threw a complete full blown bitch tantrum. My maids stood by with their arms folded behind them and watched my silently. I hadn't known them for long, but they understood me so well. They saw my reasoning in my actions no matter how ridiculous they were. Even if they didn't agree with my actions they kept quiet and helped me with whatever I needed anyway.

I sat up quickly and swiped the tears from my face furiously. I jumped up and stormed towards them. They were probably afraid I would hurt them or something, a ball of rage charging at them, but they didn't even flinch out of my way. I laced my arms around the necks of Macie and Maddie and pulled them into a hug with Rosalyn squished between us. Macie and Maddie immediately swung their arms around me and returned my embrace, but Rosalyn went stiff at first but eventually lightened up to us.

I stepped back from them and looked them in the eye. "I have to leave tonight." Their eyes fell with a deep sadness, but they knew it was for the best. "I want to thank you for getting me through this. I really do love you guys. I promise you won't be forgotten"

Rosalyn was the only one not crying her eyes out and was stable enough to step up and speak. "Our queen will be back for us." She was so sure of me that tears threatened to burst out of my eyes again. I didn't think it was possible of Rosalyn's face wrinkled into a grin. Her eyes were glassy, but she was too stubborn to cry. She took my hand and patted it. "What do you need us to do?"

I swallowed hard. "Officer Max Chance will help me." I don't know why I said it, I guess I was just hoping it would be true; that he would go along with helping me escape. "Max Chance and Miss Petegry snuck Lil in though the kitchens." The memory was so distant now, even though it had been a night ago. Saying Lils name still made me wince, but I had to toughen up and fight for her life.

Macie cleared her throat as Maddie swished away to find Max Chance and Miss Petegry. "Sorry Miss," Macie said timidly. "But how are you going to get these rioters to join up as one force. It will be hard to just show up and ask them to blindly follow you."

Everyone was quiet for a while. Then my dear Rosalyn spoke with a stern voice. "We will broadcast it. If we can get your face everywhere, you can tell them you are leaving and where you want everyone to meet you."

I shook my head in frustration. "If everyone knows where I am, Queen Amberley will have me killed there. I will have deserted the Selection without being eliminated. That is highly illegal."

I was too deep in thought to notice that Maddie had returned with Max and Miss Petegry.

Max cleared his throat. "It sounds simple to me." We all turned to look at him blankly. "You need to get yourself kicked out of this place."

I raised an eyebrow at his smirk. "How do you suggest I do that? Alexandr won't just let me leave if I ask; he needs me for his ratings, remember?"

"It is also not allowed for a Selected to harm another. I know all the girls were very mushy and sad for you the other day." I don't question how exactly he knew this. "But they will be back to their bratty selves soon."

I drew my brows together, not following entirely.

Rosalyn pressed her lips together, trying not to grin. "I'd say, Miss Mallory, that it was high time you showed them all just how fierce you can be."

I looked into the eyes of everyone in disbelief. "You want me to get into a fight?"

"Knowing the Queen," Miss Petegry started, "she will not let you go like she would if it were one of the others. She will lock you up to rot. You already committed a crime and were pardoned, this will be her way to set fate right."

Max continued for her. "I have friends that stand guard at the cells. I can get you out and to the kitchen passageways."

Mis Petegry grinned. "There you will be lead out of the palace for good."

"When will the broadcast happen?" Macie chimed in.

Max look down in concentration. "No reporter would risk getting in trouble with the King. He would rip someone apart for delivering your message."

"What about that tiny reporter that always targets me?"

Max's face lit up. "The pixie looking one." He understood. "She wouldn't miss a chance for an exclusive interview with you."

"After I get released from the palace cells," I instruct. "She can get her camera down there to capture the last words of the Outlaw Princess."

"She'd swoon. But how will we protect her from the King's wrath. She was there to film you, but didn't stop or alert anyone of your escape. Sounds to me like she'd be punished for treason."

I light up. "Alexandr will help me there."

Everyone looked doubtful. Max scoffed. "You think he will help you on your escape to form up a group that will attack and threaten the crown? You are mad."

"What the Queen did with Lil never settled well with him. While he was escorting me he told me he owed me a favor; anything. I told him nothing was worth Lil's life. He has no choice but to help us by convincing his father to let the reporter go. I'll make him do it."

"So," Miss Petegry bubbled. "You need to get a date with the Prince Alexandr and then get into a fight that will get you eliminated, but not executed."

Hearing her say the words as a final plan made me shiver. "Easy enough," I muttered.

Macie shook with excitement. "Change is finally coming."

I couldn't let them all down. I had to reach out to the people of low castes. We would change the system, or die trying.

The next morning I attended all meals and lessons. The girls left me alone. It seemed as though Max was wrong about them ready to turn on me again. But me scoring a date with Alexandr would make them see me as a threat, and they would be out for my blood once again.

While everyone pretended I was invisible, I thought of what I would say to the reporter on the night of my escape. I strutted maps and searched for places that were not occupied by many people. That's when I decided it. We would meet in Bellingham, just north of Angeles. Barely anyone occupied the rainy area. It was perfect.

As the day was getting closer to an end I started to panic. How the hell was I supposed to get a date with Alexandr when I never even see him? How did these other girls do it? I couldn't just ask them, not even Meghan or Val would tell me. They may be the easiest girls to get along with in the Selection, but they still didn't trust me.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Meghan broke my thoughts and my attention was directed towards her, sitting next to me in a brilliant blue dress. She looked flawless.

"What's tonight?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "You really should pay attention during lessons. Tonight the French Princess arrives. We are having a feast so we can all meet her."

I sighed deeply. That's perfect.

Meghan saw right through me and into my mind. "I know you had a thing for him. I don't know exactly what you two did together besides beat the shit out of each other, but it is in the past." I nodded slowly. I knew she wasn't trying to be rude, she was helping me; warning me. "He is engaged and you are in a Selection. It is illegal and punishable by death if you are with anyone other than Alexandr. Even if that someone is Lucas."

I try my best to grin at her, but my sadness wouldn't allow it. "Thanks, Meghan," was all I could muster.

She put her hand on my shoulder and the sadness in her own eyes was unmistakable. I immediately scanned the room and my suspicions were correct.

"Where's Val?" I almost whisper.

She shook her head. "I know you don't take this Selection seriously. You never even worry about being eliminated. Val was taken away after the Report."

I felt so guilty for not even noticing. "I'm sorry I just-"

"Don't be sorry," she snapped. "I don't need your pity. Besides, Val was my competition. I should be happy she's gone."

I reached out a hand to comfort her, but she stood and bounded away from me as fast as she could without running.

I looked after her silently and spent the rest of the evening pushing Meghan out of my mind and focusing on scoring alone time with Alexandr.

My maids dressed me quickly and I was ushered into the Great Room for the introduction of the French Princess. My head hurt from the thought of her and Luke together. I had to constantly remind myself that I shouldn't even care. I was leaving him anyway.

I walked into the Great Room to see that the Selected were already in there in a circle, talking with one another. I avoided the group of girls that was exceptionally smaller than I remember.

I stand off to the side and look down at my hands and dress. I was so pampered. Soon I would be back to my normal self with dirt and grime all over me and my pants and no makeup and- I couldn't stop myself from grinning from ear to ear.

My grin disappeared at the sight of Queen Amberley and her family following in behind her.

"Hello ladies," she beamed at us. "Thank you for joining us in the welcoming of Princess Cossette."

I looked down the line for Royals and saw Luke standing at the end of the line. His hands were clenched together tightly, his shoulders were tense. I drank in every last detail about him from his too perfect hair that was usually messy, to the muscle that jumped in his neck at the name of his new bride. I would miss him so much.

His eyes shot at mine, sensing me watching him. When they looked into me I felt so exposed and raw. I wanted to look at him longer, but I forced myself to look away when the tall skinny girl that was Princess Cossette entered.

He face was beautifully pampered, her eyebrows were thin and a light brown, like that had been stamped there in perfect symmetry. He pale arms were very thin, but not the type of thin of a person that had been starved. She wore a silver crown with multicolored jewels. It sat perfectly on her shinning caramel hair that rolled down over her narrow shoulders. Her silk dress clung to her and showed off everything about her in a perfect way. She did not look to be pompous or proud. She was a gorgeous work of art.

The King stepped up to give a speech, but I was too focused on Cossette to listen. I prayed that she would be good for Luke. i didn't care about anything else in that moment but that he would be happy with her. She was his for the rest of his life, and I hoped to God his life with her wouldn't be miserable. I wanted him to forget me in that moment, to wipe me from his memory and focus on his flawless bride.

People started to mingle together again, having private conversations and slowly introducing themselves to Cossette. I thought of going up to talk with her, get to know what type of person she was, but then I realized I had a mission here. I spotted Alexandr with no trouble.

I swiftly swept up by his side. He glanced at me, confused as to why I was with him. He knew I didn't like him at all, but I needed to change his mind about that.

"What do you think about the French Princess?" I asked him carefully.

He scoffed. "I should've known you were here on behalf of his well being."

I blinked up at him in shock. "Excuse me? I was just wandering if she was-"

"A bitch? If she would treat him right? You only think about him and it's maddening"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Are you jealous? I was kept here for so long to help your ratings, remember? Luke was the only one that didn't look at me like I was something he had just picked off of the bottom of his shoe. So, I'm sorry if you are mad that I spent so much time with him."

Alexandr was quiet.

"I never threw myself at you because I knew I wasn't even an option. You despised me and your mother would never let you marry me. So, I didn't even try."

"That's it," he said more to himself than to me. "That's why it's driving me crazy. You aren't like them and never came onto me. That's why it makes me want you so bad."

I take a wary step backward. "Maybe if you had been nice to me I would've tried to talk to you more. But being an obnoxious dick all the time won't get you everything."

He was taken aback by my words and for a moment I was afraid he might slap me or order me to be taken away. When he was quiet for long enough I curtseyed to him mockingly and stormed away.

I really fucked that one up, didn't I? So much for getting a date with Prince Alexandr.

That night, once I was back in the safety of my room, I sat on my bed all alone with my knees pulled to my chest. I stared at the stuffed bear that once belonged to Lil. The memories of her smiling on the streets next to me flashed by my eyes. Her small boney body shivering. I could still see the dried blood around her lip from a mugger that tried to take what little we had. It was a bad life, but at least we were both alive and together.

My eyes went then to the gold coated rose that lay next to the bear. This time images of Luke passed by me. His face next to mine, our breaths becoming one. His hands trailing up and down my body, tangling in my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut, my chest aching. Luke is gone. He is not yours. He is happy now.

I told these lies to myself until I opened up my eyes again. When I did I spotted a piece of paper on the floor. I jumped out of bed and I will admit that every part of me was praying that the letter that had been slid under my door was from Luke. But it wasn't

I opened up the latter and read it through carefully.

"Tomorrow after dinner. I'll retrieve you from your room. Wear something nice.
-Alexandr"

The letter was so simple and demanding. I knew I was the one that was looking to have this date with Alexandr, but I had never felt so scared. I hated that he made me so uncomfortable. I could handle anything he would say to me or even do to me. I had a purpose and that was to convince him to help me in my grand escape.

I would do whatever he wanted tomorrow, whether I liked it or not.

I took a deep breath that night, waiting for my date to begin. I had made sure to let all the girls know about the Prince asking me. They begged for details about the letter, but I gave them none. Cambria looked about ready to rip my head off for not sharing, but the truth was that the letter was anything but special. I was sure they had all gotten extravagant invitations and flowers when they were asked for alone time.

What I hated the most about the date was that even if I had wanted to, I could not have said no. Saying n to the Prince was not allowed, that was made clear from the beginning. Alexandr could do anything to me and I would have to let it happen. My skin crawled at the thought of him touching me at all.

The gentle knock at my door made my heart race.

Maddie went to the door and opened it with a curtsey. Alexandr stood straight, his suit perfectly fit to him.

"Good evening, Miss Mallory."

I turned to him, my soft black curls trailing down the open back of my silk crimson dress. "Good evening," I timidly squeaked.

He seemed to stare at me for a long while, making me shift with discomfort. "Shall we get going then?"

I nodded and took his arm in mine, letting him lead me down the hallway. "May I ask where we are going exactly?"

He grinned at me. "It's a surprise."

I tried my best not to worry about the location of the date. I let him lead me where we needed to go, only focusing on the clicking of my heels on the marble of the abandoned hallway.

"What will you do after you leave the palace?"

His question through me off guard. Did he know I was running away?

"I mean, once you get eliminated, which you will since you made it very clear how you feel about me." He kept his eyes forward, though I starred at him long before answering.

"I have no idea. I won't have anyone to worry about protecting anymore." My mouth told him one thing but my mind was thinking another. I would have everyone to worry about once I ran away. I would be responsible for every life this revolution might cost.

"I must say I am not fond of your opinions on most things." I could tell he was thinking of my outbursts on the Report. "But you are the most entertaining thing we have had hear in a while."

"What an honor," I say with as little venom as I could manage. "I think if I stayed any longer your mother might pop a vain."

He laughed. A very genuine deep laugh. I had never seen him smile with joy before. Usually it was a plastered fake smile for the cameras or a visitor. I admit his laugh was warm and welcoming. I almost felt a sense of pride for being the cause of such a thing.

"I haven't seen her so mad in years. You really know how to rub her the wrong way."

I grinned at him, meeting his cold dark eyes. "I seem to have that affect on people."

Alexandr opened up a door and we were finally to the location our date was to take place. When I walked through the door I found it hard to breath. The beauty that i was seeing was like nothing I could have ever imagined.

I was blinking up at a dark void that continued on forever. The black night sky was dotted with millions and millions of sparkling stars. The shimmering was mesmerizing.

"I've never seen anything like this," I started.

"I thought you might like it."

"I was always surrounded by buildings growing up that I never even knew this whole world was here." We were so high up on the palace roof that no other lights from below affected the sky. We were alone with the darkness and I didn't feel scarred of Alexandr anymore. The stars were somehow comforting me.

"Luke suggested I take you here," he admitted.

I whirled around to look at him, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "I wanted your last night to be something to remember."

My heart stopped. He knew my plan. This was the end of me. How was he so calm about me attempting to run away and start a rebellion? He would never let me go. "How did you-?"

He smiles at me again and I feel the warmth. "I figured you would leave. You probably want to go start a real life of your own."

I feel myself sigh of relief. He doesn't know the plan. He knows nothing about the rebels and me going to join them.

"I know you and Luke were," he chose his words carefully, "close. But there is nothing for you here anymore and like I have told you I really do feel bad about the things that have happened to you here."

We are both quiet. What the Queen did to Lil haunts us both.

Now was my chance to get what i want. "You once told me you owed me a favor for what happen to Lil." Her name is sour in my mouth.

Alexandr nods slowly. "I feel it is only right since you lost your only family."

I take a step towards him. "You were right about me leaving."

"You want me to protect you," he guessed. "You will be killed for deserting and my mother won't let you be eliminated, so you want me to keep them off your trail?"

I shook my head and leveled my eyes on him. "You will not protect me. You will protect the reporter."

He looked greatly confused. "A reporter?"

"Not a reporter, but the reporter. You will know her when the time comes. Queen Amberley will be asking for her head and you will keep her from harm. Let her live at all costs."

"Annalise, I am not sure what you are talking about. What are you planning to do with a reporter that might get her killed?"

I shook my head and smiled at him. "I can't tell you that."

He pursed his lips in dissatisfaction. "Fine. I'll do it."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Thank you," I breathed. "Not just for this, but for everything. You might be a grade A douchebag, but very deep deep deep down you might just possibly be a good person."

He shook his head with a smirk. "Don't get your hopes up."

We didn't speak of anything else of importance for the rest of the night. We sat on the palace roof and starred into the stars. I wished with everything that I was that I could sit here and look at the stars forever.

But I knew better. Tomorrow I was to set my plan into action, starting with punching Meghan.