June -

Someone willed it to be that all the girls selected are gorgeous, because that's what happened. Especially that girl from Dakota. I think her name is Dusk, and her facial features look like god took the most perfect person and sculpted her. But that's not even the most interesting part. Her eyes are the deepest gray, framed by white lashes, and her hair is shimmering silver. Her lips are a perfect Cupid's bow that curve up into a radiant smile. I don't think I've ever heard of someone with silver hair.

I make a mental note to look it up in the library. Frowning, I stare down at my dress, which is ivory and long, sweeping on the ground as I walk.

Mom says I'm much smarter than I look, but I'm not sure if she's referring to my age or my actual looks.

She's rather intelligent herself, so I'll take it as a compliment because she'd never say something so insincere if she meant that I look dumb.

Like Mom and Amber, I have flaming red hair the same color as theirs and Aunt May, but that's where the similarities end. My skin is darker, almost olive, and my eyes are bright green just like Apollo's. My nose is curved and upturned, and my lips are small, and rosebud shaped. I don't think I'm not pretty. I just don't look like them.

Dad tells me I look like his mother, and I can see the similarities in the portraits of her around the castle. She looked so perfect.

The tiara on my head is made entirely of silver wire, and it's the only piece of jewelry I have on aside from the platinum stud earrings I'm almost always wearing, depending on the outfit and occasion.

I reach the first-floor landing and make my way to the library. I never cared to memorize most of the palace's layout, but I practically grew up in the library.

I'm about to turn the corner, but I notice a part of the carpet where the fabric's come up a bit. I step over it, feeling proud, and as I'm congratulating myself, I trip over another piece.

I think I fall in slow motion, because there's no way he would've been able to catch me otherwise. I look up into his sparkling brown eyes and barely manage to contain my blush. He must only be a year older than me.

I know because he's a guard he could've been drafted, but there are guards that are here because they were born in the palace. I think that must be the case with this one. He doesn't look like he could be older than eighteen.

Suddenly flustered, I pull myself out of his arms and smooth down my dress furiously, not meeting his gaze. His nametag catches my eye and I subtly glance at it. Officer Brown. I bow my head in thanks and manage to get the words out, and somehow my voice doesn't tremble.

"Thank you, Officer Brown. I would've been seriously injured had you not stepped in."

Then I speed-walk to the library and resist the urge to look back at his face.

Dawn -

Dusk's been crying nonstop. She and Brandon have been spending as much time together as possible while I pretend to be her, so she doesn't have to deal with everything before she goes to the palace.

Even though she wakes up with puffy and red eyes, she comes back with a sad little smile on her face that says everything about what happened while she was gone.

I'm glad my sister is happy, if only for a little while. I've been feeding the reporters random information about our childhoods, spouting mostly fake memories about our old school and when we started working.

As for the phone calls that come at every hour of the day, Dusk and I are the same size in everything and know everything about each other, so I can answer those accurately.

I won't pretend I haven't shed a few tears. I know Dusk doesn't want to leave. She says she'll try to do something to be eliminated as soon as she can, but she can never come back and live with us like she used to. She's a Three now.

I'm watching her heart break with every passing day, from when I wake up next to her to when we sleep side by side. My other half is hurting, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Unless...