your parents?” I replied.
“You know my parents.”
“No, I don’t. I know the public image of them. What are they really like?” I pulled on his arm, which was quite a feat. Maxon’s arms were huge. Even beneath the layers of his suit, I could feel the strong, steady muscles there. Maxon sighed, but I could tell I didn’t really exasperate him at all. He seemed to like having someone pester him. It must be sad to grow up in this place without any siblings.
He started thinking about what he was going to say as we stepped into the garden. The guards all wore sly smiles as we passed. Just past them a camera crew waited. Of course they would want to be present for the prince’s first date. Maxon shook his head at them, and they retreated indoors immediately. I heard someone curse. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to being followed around by cameras, but it seemed strange to dismiss them.
“Are you all right? You seem tense,” Maxon noted.
“You get confused by crying women, I get confused by walks with princes,” I said with a shrug.
Maxon laughed quietly at that but said no more. As we moved west, the sun was blocked by the massive forest on the grounds, though it was still early in the evening. The shade crept over us, creating a tent of darkness. When I’d sought isolation the other night, this was where I wanted to be. We truly seemed alone now. We walked on, away from the palace and out of earshot of the guards.
“What about me is so confusing?”
I hesitated but said what I felt. “Your character. Your intentions. I’m not sure what to expect out of this little stroll.”
“Ah.” He stopped walking and faced me. We were very close to each other, and in spite of the warm summer air, a chill ran down my spine. “I think you can tell by now that I’m not the type of man to beat around the bush. I’ll tell you exactly what I want from you.”
Maxon took a step closer.
My breath caught in my throat. I’d just walked into the very situation I feared. No guards, no cameras, no one to stop him from doing whatever he wanted.
Knee-jerk reaction. Literally. I kneed His Majesty in the thigh. Hard.
Maxon let out a yell and reached down, clutching himself as I backed away from him. “What was that for?”
“If you lay a single finger on me, I’ll do worse!” I promised.
“What?”
“I said, if you—”
“No, no, you crazy girl, I heard you the first time.” Maxon grimaced. “But just what in the world do you mean by it?”
I felt the heat run through my body. I’d jumped to the worst possible conclusion and set myself up to fight something that obviously wasn’t coming.
The guards ran up, alerted by our little squabble. Maxon waved them away from an awkward, half-bent position.
We were quiet for a while, and once Maxon was over the worst of his pain, he faced me.
“What did you think I wanted?” he asked.
I ducked my head and blushed.
“America, what did you think I wanted?” He sounded upset. More than upset. Offended. He had obviously guessed what I’d assumed, and he didn’t like that one bit. “In public? You thought … for heaven’s sake. I’m a gentleman!”
He started to walk away but turned back.
“Why did you even offer to help if you think so little of me?”
I couldn’t even look him in the eye. I didn’t know how to explain I had been prepped to expect a dog, that the darkness and privacy made me feel strange, that I’d only ever been alone with one other boy and that was how we behaved.
“You’ll be taking dinner in your room tonight. I’ll deal with this in the morning.”
I waited in the garden until I knew all the others would be in the dining hall, and then I paced up and down the hallway before I went into my room. Anne, Mary, and Lucy were beside themselves when I came in. I didn’t have the heart to tell them I hadn’t spent the whole time with the prince.
My meal had been delivered and was waiting on the table by the balcony. I was hungry now that I wasn’t distracted by my own humiliation. But my long absence wasn’t the reason my maids were in a tizzy. There was a very large box on the bed, begging to be opened.
“Can we see?” Lucy asked.
“Lucy, that’s rude!” Anne chided.
“They dropped it off the moment you left! We’ve been wondering ever since!” Mary exclaimed.
“Mary! Manners!” Anne scolded.
“No, don’t worry, girls. I don’t have any secrets.” When they came to kick me out tomorrow, I’d tell my maids why.
I gave them a weak smile as I pulled at the big red bow on the box. Inside were three pairs of pants. A linen set, another that was more businesslike but soft to the touch, and a glorious pair made from denim. There was a card resting on top with the Illéa emblem on it.
You ask for such simple things, I can’t deny you. But for my sake, only on Saturdays, please. Thank you for your company.
Your friend,
Maxon
I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE THAT much time to feel ashamed or worried, all things considered. When my maids dressed me the next morning without a hint of worry, I assumed my presence downstairs would be welcome. Even allowing me to come down to breakfast showed a hint of kindness in Maxon I hadn’t been expecting: I got a last meal, a last moment as one of the beautiful Selected.
We were halfway through breakfast before Kriss worked up the courage to ask me about our date.
“How was it?” she asked quietly, the way we were meant to speak at mealtimes. But those three small words made ears all up and down the table perk up, and everyone within hearing distance was paying attention.
I took a breath. “Indescribable.”
The girls looked at one another, clearly hoping for more.
“How did he act?” Tiny asked.
“Umm.” I tried to choose my words carefully. “Not at all how I expected he would.”
This time, little murmurs went down the table.
“Are you being like that on purpose?” Zoe interjected. “If you are, it’s awfully mean.”
I shook my head. How could I explain this? “No, it’s just that—”
But I was spared trying to form
