worth of pieces all in the same box. I had managed to put only one together when there was a knock at the door.
Maxon, I thought. Please be Maxon. I threw the door open hopefully.
“Hello, dearie.” It was Silvia. She had a little pout on her face that I supposed was meant to be a consolation. She scuttled right past me into my room, then turned and took in what I was wearing.
“Oh, don’t tell me you’re leaving, too,” she whined. “Honestly, it was nothing.” She wiped the whole incident away with her hand.
I wouldn’t call it nothing. Couldn’t she tell I’d been crying?
“I’m not leaving,” I said, tucking a hair behind my ear. “Are others going home?”
She sighed. “Yes, three so far. And Maxon, dear boy, told me to let anyone who wants to leave go home. Arrangements are being made as we speak. It’s so funny. It was as if he knew girls would be leaving. If I were in your position, I’d think twice before leaving over all this nonsense.”
Silvia started walking around my room, taking in the decor. Nonsense? What was wrong with this woman?
“Did they take anything?” she asked casually.
“No, ma’am. They made a mess, but nothing’s missing as far as I can tell.”
“Very good.” She walked over to me and handed me a tiny portable phone. “This is the safest line in the palace. You need to call your family and tell them you’re fine. Don’t take too long, now. I still have a few girls to see.”
I marveled at the tiny object. I’d never actually held a portable phone. I’d seen them before in the hands of Twos and Threes, but I never thought I’d get to use one. My hands trembled with excitement. I was going to hear their voices!
I dialed the number eagerly. After everything that had happened, it actually brought a smile to my face. Mom picked up after two rings.
“Hello?”
“Mom?”
“America! Is that you? Are you okay? Some guard called to tell us we might not be able to get ahold of you for a few days, and we knew those damn rebels had gotten through. We’ve been so scared.” She started crying.
“Oh, don’t cry, Mom. I’m safe.” I looked over at Silvia. She looked bored.
“Hold on.” There was a bit of movement.
“America?” May’s voice was thick with tears. She must have had the worst day.
“May! Oh, May, I miss you so much!” I felt the tears rising again.
“I thought you were dead! America, I love you. Promise me you won’t die,” she wailed.
“I promise.” I had to smile at such a vow.
“Will you come home? Can’t you? I don’t want you there anymore.” May was practically begging.
“Come home?” I asked.
I felt so many things. I missed my family, and I was tired of hiding from rebels. I was getting more and more confused over my feelings for Aspen and Maxon, and I didn’t know how to handle them. The easiest thing to do would be to leave. But still.
“No, May, I can’t come home. I have to stay here.”
“Why?” May moaned.
“Because,” I said simply.
“Because why?”
“Just … because.”
May was quiet for a moment, thinking. “Are you in love with Maxon?” For a minute I heard the boy-crazy May that I was used to. She’d be fine.
“Umm, I don’t know about that, but—”
“America! You’re in love with Maxon! Oh my gosh!” I heard Dad yelling, “What?” in the background and then Mom’s “Yes, yes, yes!”
“May, I never said—”
“I knew it!” May just laughed and laughed. Just like that, all her fears of losing me vanished.
“May, I have to go. The others need the phone. But I just wanted you all to know that I’m okay. I’ll write you soon, I promise.”
“Okay, okay. Tell me about Maxon! And send more treats! I love you!” she yelled.
“I love you, too. Bye.”
I hung up the phone before she could ask for anything else. The moment her voice was gone, though, I missed her more than I had before.
Silvia was swift. She had the phone out of my hand in a matter of seconds and was walking to the door.
“There’s a good girl,” she said, and disappeared down the hall.
I certainly didn’t feel good. But I knew that once I figured out how to set things right with Aspen and Maxon, I would.
CHAPTER 24
AMY, FIONA, AND TALLULAH were gone within hours. I wasn’t sure if the speed was due to the efficiency of Silvia or the nerves of the girls. We dropped to nineteen, and