Hey darlings! Chapter 17 is finally out and it is quite short. I promise you this is not because I've become lazy but because there is too much to fit into only one chapter so I've broken it into parts. I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned for chapter 18!

Dawn -

Breakfast is silent. None of the royal family has arrived yet, and Nadia gave us the all-clear to start eating. My plate is already clean, but I resist refilling it. A lot of the other lower castes have also finished their food and are taking second servings, but I don't.

I shouldn't even be here. I feel like it's my fault Dusk got drawn. If I hadn't lost it with Mom and agreed to enter, Dusk wouldn't have either. Our lives would still be the same. The doors to the dining room open, and Nadia walks in. Some of the girls mutter disappointedly; we've been waiting for the prince a while. Nadia's expression is somber.

"Girls, I'm sorry to be the one informing you, but the royal family will not be coming to breakfast today. It is most likely they will not be at lunch or dinner either, but you may expect them back tomorrow morning."

Shocked murmurs ripple through the selected girls, and the girl next to me grabs my hand. I turn around to give her a piece of my mind, but she looks so worried I decide against it.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

I think her name is Nina. Her amber eyes are laced with concern.

"Do you think something's happened?" She asks quietly.

I shake my head, dismissing the thought.

"If something happened, they'd tell us about it." I tell her.

I don't believe the words myself, but I'm not telling her that.

"Yeah, you're right."

But she sounds like she's trying to convince herself.

-o-

After breakfast, Nina drags me to the Women's Room to see if the queen or either of the princesses is there. They aren't but a lot of the other selected girls have come as well and are quickly populating the room. Maids weave through the clusters of girls, carrying refreshments and snacks. I don't recognize any of them.

I take a glass of water, just so I have something to do while Nina talks in my ear about how handsome Austin is and how she can't wait to get to meet him. It reminds me of Astra.

"Do you think he'll ask any of us on a date this week?" Nina says.

"No." I reply, hoping she won't ask me another question.

It isn't that I don't like Nina, but I don't want to make any connections that will make me want to stay here longer than I must. I wonder what the grounds are for elimination from the selection, and I consider asking Nina before dismissing the thought. She seems too lost in her dream world to fathom anything other than the fairytale in her mind.

"I wonder why the queen isn't here." Nina says, for what seems like the millionth time.

This time, I decide to answer her obvious question.

"Maybe they just ran into something." I answer.

It's a good enough explanation, and I think Nina accepts it because she doesn't say anything again.

Lucy -

"Oh dear." Are the first words out of my mouth.

Aspen places a warm hand on my shoulder as I cover my mouth. Princess Amber is lying on her bed. Her vibrant eyes are closed, but I can see the movement behind her lids. Tears are caught in her long lashes, and someone has placed a wet cloth on her forehead.

"What happened?" Aspen asks Queen America.

My lady looks like she's going to burst into tears, but she pulls herself together like the queen she is.

"We're not sure. The doctors are running test right now with the samples they've collected." Her voice wobbles, and I walk to help her sit down but refuses to budge from beside the princess.

My hand instinctively goes over my belly. I found out last week that I'm pregnant. I haven't told Aspen yet, and now I won't; not while my lady's child is suffering. It would seem cruel to celebrate my own. The king stands right behind her, rubbing her back. I sigh, thinking about how perfect they are for each other. And they created four perfect children.