•Elsa's POV•

      I am an Elite. I am in the final ten of the Selection; but why am I still here? Jack and I fought, yet he chose me to stay here. I'm just a Six; I shouldn't even be considered important to him. But I'm staying..for now. Why?

     The eliminated girls finish their breakfasts and all head up to their rooms to pack the things they brought with them. As everyone else leaves, including the Elite, I sit in the Dining Hall just thinking through everything that just happened. Ten girls left, and it has been what, just a few months? Though I could understand why he had narrowed the pool down. The longer this many girls were here, the more of a danger they were in the hands of the rebels. The rebels see the Selection as a continuing of the monarchy, and obviously the Southern rebels want the monarchy to end. The question is...why?

    I mean, I've never been a fan of it or the caste system, but you can't just take down a leader of a country without there being an economic collapse. If King Adgar, Queen Avalon, and Jack died, who would lead us?

    No one. This country would be spiraled into chaos in the hands of those rebels.

   I shake my head, clearing away such horrible thoughts. I couldn't bear it if the queen or Jack died. I was fond of them both. The king on the other hand...well, let's just say I wasn't exactly supportive of his tactics.
     

     As the maids come in and start to clear away the tables, I just now notice it feels...empty without the rest of the girls here.

     After breakfast, I head to my room to freshen my makeup. "Here, let me re-do your hair, miss. It's falling," Maddox says. Ever since we were captured, we had a certain closeness that Leah and Leuh didn't posses with me. I loved all my maids, but Maddox and I share a sister-like bond. I knew I could count on her for anything-I could count on all of them.

    As she replaces the pins in my hair, her fingers delicately trailing along my scalp, she also adds,"And we got your dress ready for the Report next week. It should be grand now that it is down to the Elite."

     I smile, grateful I had such a wonderful trio of maids I could count on. "You guys are too sweet to me. Seriously, you don't have to do all this for me."

   Maddox looks at my reflection in the mirror, her eyes soft as she says tenderly,"Even if we are obligated to, I would still do all of this for you, my lady. You inspire all of us, you know. We adore you."

      I don't know who the 'we' was, and I had planned to ask her...but there was a knock on the door. As she helps me finish up, Leuh gets the door.

"Your Majesty," Leuh says, curtsying deeply. She moves so he could come in. I frown as she opens the door and Jack is standing there.

    "Hello, ladies. If you would be so kind, I need to speak to Elsa for a minute." I shake my head as Maddox finishes pinning my hair. She turns around, giving me one final glance as I nod at her, and they leave as I sit on the bed. Jack closes the door behind them.

    "Why?" I ask softly, averting my gaze from his.

   "Why what?" He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

    "Why did you keep me here after we fought?" This time I do look at him, and his eyes grow soft as he shakes his head.

   "You know how I feel about you, El."

  "Yet you won't believe me when I'm hurt, and you refuse to send home a girl who tries to manipulate her way to the crown at every turn."

   Prince Jack sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "I know how you feel, but-"

   "No you don't!" I shout, balling my fists. "You have no idea."

   "Yes I do!" He shouts, but he lowers his voice, calming himself down. "I've been hurt before by the people I love. And-and the reason I kept Kaya here is she's my father's pick. I can't disappoint him."

   I let out a huff, forcing myself to calm down. Fighting would get us nowhere. "I...I understand. Your father does seem a bit...harsh. And I'm sorry I got mad. I should've been listening instead of shouting at you." He leans over as he pecks me on the lips quickly.

    "You have nothing to be sorry for. I will punish her by cutting off her compensation. And if she does hurt you again...she better not." I shake my head a bit, looking down. "You and I both know you won't send her home. She's the people's favorite. Well, one of them, anyway. And she's a Two. She's a better fit for you than I am."

   Jack leans even closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Despite our disputes, you are the one I adore more. I admit, I have feelings for her, but Elsa...don't count yourself out." He pulls away from me a bit, and a smile creeps on his lips.

   "I want to show you something." I raise an eyebrow as he takes my hand softly, pulling me along.

  "Jack, what are you taking me?" I inquire, confused as to what he was up to.

    He stops at the third floor, in front of a painting of his grandmother on her wedding day. He looks around, making sure no one was watching. When he was satisfied, he pushed the painting a little, and it revealed a secret passageway.

  "Woah," I say incredulously. Jack looks at me, saying softly,"What I show you in here, you can tell no one. I'm trusting you." I nod, and we walk up a flight of stairs after he pushes on the door. I gasp at what I see.

    My dad once kept some old books he claimed were forbidden from using in Illèa. I remember reading a lot about the old country, the United States, and how it was before years of war took its toll. It looked really old, like these books.

   "These are forbidden books. We keep them here because...well, no one ever wanted to destroy such precious knowledge. Father wanted to keep it, as a reminder we are stronger."

   I look on the highest shelf, seeing twelve books that looked exactly the same, with the same bindings. "What are these?" I ask, pulling one of the shelf after Jack tells me I could.

    He looks down at it like it's a dangerous secret...which I guess it was. "These...these are Gregory Illèa's diaries. You can read them, if you like. But you'll have to hide it."

   I nod, looking down at the precious secret he entrusted me with. "You can trust me."