Happily Ever After

by Kiera Cass

  It was embarrassingly loud, the rhythm my heart was making as I thought of being alone with him.

  “Yes. They leave for lunch together around one.”

  “I’ll see you a little after one then.” His smile still seemed sad as he walked away. Perhaps I should have been more concerned, more worried about whatever he was going through. But all I could think of was how happy I was that I would see him again so soon.

  I gazed out the window, watching America with Maxon. They were walking side by side now, and she held a flower loosely in her hand, swinging it back and forth. Maxon tentatively released one of his arms and went to put it around her, then, pausing, brought it back.

  I sighed. Sooner or later they’d figure it out. And I didn’t know whether to wish for it or not. I wasn’t ready to leave the palace. Not just yet.

  I barely touched my lunch. I was too nervous. And while I didn’t go to the same extremes as I had for Maxon a few weeks ago, I caught myself glancing in every reflective surface I passed, checking to make sure I still looked put together.

  I didn’t. This Marlee’s eyes were wider, and her skin glowed brighter. She even stood differently. She was different. I was different.

  I thought my maids leaving would help me relax, but it only made me more aware of the time. What did he need to say? Why did he need to say it to me? Was it about me?

  I left my door open as I waited, which was silly, because I was sure he had watched me pace for a bit before clearing his throat.

  “Officer Woodwork,” I said, a little too brightly, turning into a bird again.

  “Hello, Miss Marlee. Is now an okay time?” He walked in, his steps unsure.

  “Yes. My maids just left and will be gone for about an hour. Please sit,” I offered, gesturing to my table.

  “I don’t think so, miss. I feel like I need to say this quickly and go.”

  “Oh.” I’d built up a fragile kind of hope around this meeting, as stupid as it was, and now . . . Well, now I didn’t know what to expect.

  I saw how uneasy he was, and I hated it. I couldn’t stand the feeling that I somehow contributed to it.

  “Officer Woodwork,” I started quietly. “You can tell me anything you want to. You don’t need to be so anxious.”

  He let out a breath. “See, it’s things like that.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Shaking his head, he began again. “That’s not fair. I’m not blaming you for anything. In fact, I wanted to come here to take some ownership of it, and to ask your forgiveness.”

  I frowned. “I still don’t understand.”

  He bit his lip, watching me. “I think I owe you an apology. Ever since I met you, I’ve been going out of my way, hoping to catch you in a hall or get to say hello to you.”

  I tried to hide my smile. I’d been doing the same thing.

  “The times we get to speak are some of the best times I’ve had in the palace. Listening to you laugh or hearing about your day or going over a subject with you that I’m not sure either of us understands, well, I’ve loved it all.”

  His lip hitched up into that sideways smile, and I chuckled, thinking of those conversations. They were always too short or too quiet. I didn’t enjoy talking to anyone as much as to him.

  “I love them, too,” I admitted.

  His smile faltered. “I think that’s why they need to stop.”

  Did someone actually punch me in the stomach, or was that just my imagination?

  “I think I’m crossing a line. I only ever meant to be friendly with you, but the more I see you, the more I feel like I have to hide it. And if I’m hiding it, then I must be too close to you.”

  I blinked back tears. From the very first day, I’d done the same thing, telling myself it was nothing while knowing it wasn’t.

  “You’re his,” he said, talking to the floor. “I know that you’re the people’s favorite. Of course you are. The royal family will take that into account for sure before the prince makes his final choice. If I keep whispering things to you in hallways, am I committing treason? I must be.”

  He shook his head again, trying to figure out his feelings.

  “You’re right,” I whispered. “I came here for him, and I promised to be faithful; and if anything between you and me could be considered more than platonic, then it should stop.”

  We stood there, staring at the floor. I was having a hard time catching my breath. Clearly, I’d been hoping this conversation would take the opposite direction—but I hadn’t even been aware of that until it didn’t.

  “This shouldn’t hurt this much,” I mumbled.

  “No, it shouldn’t,” he agreed.

  I ducked my head, rubbing the heel of my hand into an aching spot on my chest. My eyes flitted up, and I saw that Carter was doing the exact same thing.

  I knew at that moment. I knew he felt whatever I felt. It may not have been what was supposed to happen, but how could we deny it now? What if Maxon did choose me? Did I have to say yes? What if I was stuck here married to one man while watching the person I truly wanted walking around my home every day?

  No.

  I would not do this to myself.

  Abandoning every ladylike notion in my head, I darted to the door, shutting it. I ran back to Carter, placed my hand behind his neck, and kissed him.

  There was a split second of hesitation before his arms went around me, then he held me to him as if I was something he needed to live.

  When we pulled apart, he shook his head, scolding himself. “Lost that war. No hope for retreat now.” But while his words were filled with remorse, the little smirk on his face gave away that he was as happy as I was.

  “I can’t be without you, Carter,” I said, using the name he’d only recently shared with me for the first time.

  “This is dangerous. You understand that, right? This could kill us both.”

  I closed my eyes and nodded, the tears falling on my cheeks. With his love or without it, either way I was inviting death.

  I woke up to the sound of moans. For a second I couldn’t think of where I was. Then it came rushing back to me. The Halloween party. The caning. Carter . . .

  The room was poorly lit, and, looking around, I saw it was only big enough for the cots that he and I were sprawled out on. I tried to push myself up and immediately shrieked. I wondered how long my hands would be useless.

  “Marlee?”

  I turned to Carter, propping myself on my elbows. “I’m here. I’m okay. I tried to use my hands.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry.” He sounded like he had rocks in his throat.

  “How are you?”

  “Alive,” he joked. He was lying on his stomach, but I could see the smile on his face. “It hurts to move at all.”

  “Can I help you?” I slowly got to my feet and peered over at him. The bottom half of his body was covered in a sheet, and I had no idea what if anything I could do to ease his pain. I saw a table in the corner with jars and bandages on it, as well as a piece of paper, and hobbled over to it.

  He hadn’t signed it, but I knew Maxon’s handwriting.

  When you wake up, change your bandages. Use the salve in the jar. Apply it with the cotton swabs to avoid infection and try not to wrap the gauze too tight. The pills will help as well. Then rest. Do not attempt to leave this room.

  “Carter, I have some medicine for us.” I gingerly unscrewed the cap using only the tips of my fingers. The smell of the slightly thick substance was reminiscent of aloe.

  “What?” He turned his face toward me.

  “There are bandages and instructions.”

  I looked at my wrapped hands and tried to think of how I was going to manage this.

  “I’ll help you,” Carter offered, reading my mind.

  I smiled. “This is going to be hard.”

  “Absolutely,” he murmured. “This isn’t exactly how I imagined you would be seeing me naked for the first time.”

  I couldn’t fight the laugh
that came out. And I fell in love all over again. In less than a day I’d been beaten and made an Eight, and was waiting to be exiled to who knew where. Still, I was laughing.

  What princess could have more?

  It was impossible to judge how much time had passed, but we didn’t try to call out or knock on the door.

  “Have you thought about where they’ll send us?” Carter asked. I was on the floor beside him, running the tips of my fingers across his short hair.

  “If I got a choice, I’d pick someplace hot over someplace cold.”

  “I have a feeling it will be one of the extremes, too.”

  I sighed. “I’m scared not to have a home.”

  “Don’t be. I might be a little worthless at the moment, but I can take care of us. I even know how to build an igloo if we end up somewhere cold.”

  I smiled. “Do you really?”

  He nodded. “I’ll build you the prettiest igloo, Marlee. Everyone will be so jealous.”

  I kissed his head over and over. “You’re not worthless, by the way. It’s not like—”

  The door made a ratcheting sound, then opened. Three people walked in wearing brown hooded cloaks, and I felt a wave of fear.

  Then the first person pulled off his hood, revealing himself. I gasped and leaped to my feet to embrace Maxon, forgetting again about my hands and gasping at the pain.

  “It will be all right,” Maxon promised as I drew back my hands. “The salve takes a few days to get everything back to normal, but, Carter, even you should be walking on your own soon. You’ll heal much faster than most.”

  Maxon turned to the two other hooded figures. “This is Juan Diego and Abril. Until today they have worked in the palace. Now you will be trading places with them. Marlee, if you and Abril will go into the corner, the gentlemen and I will avert our eyes while you trade clothes. Here,” he said, handing me a cloak similar to hers. “This will help with some privacy.”

  I looked at Abril’s timid face. “Of course.”

  We moved to one corner, and she pulled off her skirt, then helped me put it on. I slipped off my dress and handed it to her.

  “Carter, we’re going to have to put pants back on you. We’ll help you stand.”

  I kept my face turned, trying not to get anxious over the sounds Carter made.

  “Thank you,” I whispered to Abril.

  “It was the prince’s idea,” she replied quietly. “He must have spent the entire day going through records and searching for anyone who came from Panama when he found out where you were going. We sold ourselves into service at the palace to provide for our family. Today we’re going home to them.”

  “Panama. We were curious where we’d end up.”

  “It was cruel of the king to send you there on top of everything else,” she murmured.

  “What do you mean?”

  Abril looked over her shoulder at the prince, making sure he wasn’t listening. “I grew up as a Six there, and it wasn’t pretty. Eights? They end up being killed for sport sometimes.”

  I gaped at her in disbelief. “What?”

  “Every few months we’d find someone who’d been begging on a corner for ages dead in the middle of the road. No one knows who does it. Other Eights maybe? The rich Twos and Threes? Rebels? But it happens. There’s a very good chance you would have died.”

  “Now just hold on to my arm,” Maxon coaxed, and I turned to see Carter hunched into the prince, a hood already covering his head.

  “All right. Abril, Juan Diego, the guards should be coming to this room. Use the bandages and walk like you’re hurt. I think they plan to put you on a bus and ship you off. Just keep your heads down. No one’s going to look at you too closely. You’re supposed to be Eights. No one will care.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness,” Juan Diego said. “I never thought we’d see our mother again.”

  “Thank you,” Maxon replied. “Your willingness to leave the palace is saving their lives. I won’t forget what you’ve done for them.”

  I looked at Abril one last time.

  “Okay.” Maxon pulled on his hood. “Let’s go.”

  With Carter limping and leaning into him, Maxon led us into the hall.

  “Won’t people be suspicious?” I whispered.

  “No,” Maxon answered, checking around each corner all the same. “Lower-level staff, like kitchen workers or general cleaners, aren’t supposed to show their faces upstairs. If they absolutely must come up, they’re covered like this. Anyone who sees us will think we’re done with a task and heading back to our rooms.”

  Maxon took us down a long stairwell that opened to a narrow hallway lined with doors. “In here.”

  We followed him into a small room. There was a bed shoved into one corner and a tiny stand next to it. It looked like a carafe of milk and some bread was waiting, and my stomach roared just from seeing food. A thin rug had been placed neatly in the middle of the floor, and a few shelves lined the door-side wall.

  “I know it’s not much, but you’ll be safe here. I’m sorry I can’t do better.”

  Carter shook his head. “How can you be apologizing to us? Our lives were supposed to end hours ago; but we’re alive, together, and we have a home.” He and Maxon shared a look. “I know that what I did was technically treason, but it had nothing to do with a lack of respect for you.”

  “I know.”

  “Good. So when I say that no one in this kingdom will ever be as loyal to you as me, I hope you believe it.” Carter winced as he finished speaking and fell into the prince.

  “Let’s get you to the bed.” I moved under his other shoulder, and Maxon and I laid him on his stomach. He took up most of the bed, and I knew I’d need to sleep on the rug tonight.

  “A nurse will come check on you in the morning,” Maxon explained. “You can have a few days of rest, and you should stay in here as much as you can during that time. In three or four days, I’ll have you put on the official work orders, and someone from the kitchen will give you something to do. I don’t know what your exact jobs will be, but just do your best at whatever you’re asked.

  “I’ll check on you as often as I can. For now, no one will know you’re here. Not the guards, not the Elite, not even your families. You will interact with a small group of people on the palace staff, and the chances of them recognizing you are slim. Still, from now on your names are Mallory and Carson. This is the only way I can protect you.”

  I looked up at him, thinking that if I could hand choose a husband for my best friend, it’d be him.

  “You’ve done so much for us. Thank you.”

  “I wish it was more. I am going to try to get some of your personal items if I can. Beyond that, is there anything I can give you? If it’s within reason, I promise I’ll try.”

  “One thing,” Carter said tiredly. “When you get a chance, can you find us a preacher?”

  It took a second for me to understand the intention behind that request, and the moment I did, my eyes filled with happy tears.

  “Sorry,” he added. “I know that’s not the most romantic proposal.”

  “Yes, all the same,” I murmured.

  I watched his eyes get wet, and I temporarily forgot Maxon was even in the room until he spoke up.

  “It’d be my pleasure. I’m not sure how long that will take, but I’ll make it happen.” He pulled the medicines from upstairs out of his pocket, setting them beside the food. “Use the salve again tonight, and rest as much as you can. The nurse will see to anything else tomorrow.”

  I nodded. “I’ll take care of us.”

  Maxon backed out of the room, smiling as he went.

  “Do you want some food, fiancé?” I asked.

  Carter grinned. “Oh, thank you, fiancée, but I’m actually kind of tired.”

  “All right, fiancé. Why don’t you sleep for a bit?”

  “I’d sleep better if my fiancée was with me.”

  And then, forgetting I’d been hungry at all, I wiggled m
y way onto the tiny bed, half hanging off the edge and half squashed beneath Carter. It was shocking how easily I found sleep.

  PART II

  I FLEXED MY HANDS OVER and over. They had finally healed, but sometimes when I had a long day, my palms swelled and throbbed. Even my little ring was pulled too tight tonight. I could see where it was fraying on one side and made a mental note to ask Carter for a new one tomorrow. I’d lost count of how many twine bands we’d gone through, but it meant a lot to me to have that symbol on my hand.

  Picking up the scraper again, I scooped the loose flour off the table and into the trash. A few other members of the kitchen staff were scrubbing floors or putting away ingredients. Everything for breakfast was prepped, and soon we could sleep.

  I inhaled sharply as a set of hands wrapped around my waist. “Hello, wife,” Carter said, kissing my cheek. “Are you still working?” He smelled like his job: cut grass and sunshine. I had been sure he would be stuck in the stables—somewhere he would be hidden away from the eyes of the king—just as I’d been buried in the kitchen. Instead, he was walking around with dozens of other groundskeepers, hiding in plain sight. He came in at night with the outdoors hanging on him, and for a moment, it was like I’d been outside, too.

  I sighed. “I’m almost done. After I tidy up here I’ll come to bed.”

  He nuzzled his nose into my neck. “Don’t overdo it. I could rub your hands if you want.”

  “That’d be perfect,” I crooned. I still loved my end-of-the-day hand massages—maybe more so now that they were given to me by Carter—but if my day ended well after bedtime, it was a luxury I typically went without.

  Sometimes my thoughts got stuck on memories of my days as a lady. How nice it had been to be adored; how proud my family was; how beautiful I felt. It was difficult to go from being constantly served to being the one constantly serving; still, I knew things could be much, much worse.

  I tried to keep the smile on my face, but he saw through it.

  “What’s wrong, Marlee? You’ve seemed down lately,” he whispered, still holding me.

  “I really miss my parents, especially now that Christmas is so close. I keep wondering how they’re doing. If I feel this sad without them, how are they managing without me?” I pressed my lips together, as if I could mash the worry out of them. “And I know it’s probably silly to care about this, but we won’t be able to exchange gifts. What could I give you? A loaf of bread?”