Training is called off today because of the Ball. Everyone seems to be busy. Kim could barely stay for breakfast because she had to go get her dress fitted. Ava couldn't stop talking about her dress and I couldn't stop stressing about tonight. Everything has to go to plan. No, everything will.

After breakfast I head back to my room to freshen myself up before I have to do my dress fitting. I re-braid my hair in the mirror and stare at myself a little longer than I should. I pick up my engagement ring and slip it on my finger. I take one last look in the mirror and then head out the door.

As I walk down the hallway girls run in different direction, gossiping about what they are wearing. Tonight, doesn't feel like a Ball should. A Ball should be fun and exciting. I feel like I'm starting a war. Once we escape there will be no going back. Queen Joanna will hunt us down. She will know I am the Black. I'm basically a criminal just like my brothers. Everything is wrong with this world. Things need to change, and the Resistance sees that.

When I approach the doors to the room, I am supposed to be doing my fitting. A petite girl tells me to follow her. She leads me into a smaller room with a mirror. She asks me to take my clothes off and for a second I hesitate. I already don't like this.

As I stand naked in front of the mirror the girl slides a white silk robe on me. She doesn't say a word. I start to wonder if she is an Elite or a Dreg. She pulls my hair out of its braid and places my hair neatly around my shoulders. She then leads me back to the set of doors and we walk in. First, I see Max and Cedric standing close by and then the Queen.

"Ah, there she is!" The Queen says from the other side of the room. Max approaches me and kisses me on the cheek. I smile and then his hands go around my neck and unclasp my necklace.

"I'll keep it safe during your fitting," he says tucking my necklace into his pocket. I grin and whisper a thank you. As Max leads me towards his mother, I notice the King sitting near the corner. He looks gravely ill, but he does not acknowledge me.

"Don't mind him. He grumpy that mother made him come," Max says. I give him an understanding smile. I meet Cedric's eye for a second until I'm pulled away. Everything about this fitting is extremely uncomfortable.

"Sybil, I want you to bring in the red dresses," Joanna says to the servant while examining my small body. "Yes, I think red will look nicely on you." Max smiles in agreement. Sybil leaves and Joanna leads me to the large pedestal and mirror before me. I hate being the center of attention. Sybil comes back into the room with a large rack of brightly red colored dresses. Different shades and styles fill the rack. The Queen starts sifting through them and then hands a few to Sybil who carries them with ease. She holds the dresses and makes no eye contact with anyone in the room.

"Okay, we will try these first and then see where they go," she says. I nod and follow Sybil to the changing room. The first dress she helps me get into is a very light red with a plunging neckline and mesh sleeves. I almost gag in disgust when I see myself in it.

When I walk out, I already feel the crimson color coming to my cheeks because of how much of my cleavage is exposed. Max holds in a laugh and so I do. Sybil helps me up on the podium and Joanna examines the dress.

"Hmm, I'm not loving the color. Maybe something a shade darker." Seriously the color? How about the neckline or the ugly mesh sleeves? "Octavia, dear, do you like it? Be honest." Her tone seems passive aggressive. I freeze and watch her in the mirror. Is this a trick or is she being nice?

"I think it's beautiful, but I don't love the... neckline," I grind out. She tilts her head.

"Yes, it is very... plunging," she says with something glittering in her eyes. Joanna waves her fingers at Sybil. "Shorter neckline and darker color." Sybil nods and helps me down and to the changing room again. I shrug out of the dress and she helps me put on a very elaborate sleeveless and strapless dark red gown. It is extremely heavy. I almost fall backwards. She leads me out again and this time Joanna takes one look at me and holds her hand up.

"No. Too dark." I glance up at Max and he winks at me. I hope we are almost done. Joanna sifts through the rack and hands Sybil another dress. Sybil drags me back into the room and dresses me in a crimson red gown with straps and a flattering neckline. It's very elegant. The bodice is decorated and embroidered in dark vines that go all the way down over the mesh skirt. It's beautiful and definitely more my style. I come out and I swear everyone freezes even Joanna. Max smiles as I get up on the podium. I take one look in the mirror and suddenly I'm breathless. I look... pretty. The dress flatters my figure and makes my hair stand out.

"Gorgeous," Joanna says. I smile in the mirror. "Max, what do you think?" He walks up behind me and puts his hands in his pockets.

"You look stunning, Octavia," he says meeting my eyes. My heart flutters. Max takes my left hand and grazes his finger over my wedding band. Until tonight.

He helps me down and Sybil takes me to get changed. Sybil tells me the Queen will send someone to come get me later when it is time to get ready. I braid my hair again and then head out the door.

I decide to do my own training to distract myself for a bit. I go into one of the empty training rooms and set up the tennis ball machine. I plant myself in front of the machine and turn it on. I imagine Joanna's face planted dead center on each of the balls as they fly out. I burn four of them but the last one bounces away. I groan in frustration and then ready myself for the next round of balls. I do this several times until my hands ache. I finally stop and decide to try a different method. I channel my inner rage and let it build under my skin. Heavy and dark energy comes over me and all of the sudden I feel like I might burst. The balls come at me and the energy from my hand ignites. Shadows leap from each ball until they are all gone. I did it. I hear a slow clapping behind me. I spin around to see Max.

"I thought I was the only one that could do that." I give him a victorious smile. "That was incredible." He comes towards me and I wrap my arms around his neck, and he grins.

"I'm incredible?" I raise an eyebrow at him. He nods and puts his arms around my waist.

"You have been summoned to get ready for the ball," he says in a low voice. I laugh and let him lead me out of the training room. We walk hand and hand down the hall silently. We approach a door and the guards open it. Inside is what looks like a dressing room. There is a huge vanity on the far side of the wall and shelves surrounding the room that are full of shoes and other accessories. I spot my dress on the rack where Queen Joanna is standing. She is already dressed and ready. Her gold gown glimmers as she walks, and her blonde hair is braided into a bun.

"Finally, Sybil, we need to get started." She calls out. Max chuckles beside me. Sybil comes in and takes my arm. She sits me down in front of the mirror. I watch max and Joanna as they exchange a few words.

"I'll be back later, Octavia," he says to me. Don't leave me alone with her. He walks out of the room and I start to feel my hands shake. The Queen busies herself with some accessories while Sybil works on my hair. She puts my long hair in round curlers that stick to my head. I silently pray she doesn't notice the piece of black underneath my hair. Once she has finished Joanna shoos her away and she sits beside me. She digs through a few drawers and pulls out some tools and makeup products. I have only ever seen makeup let alone put it on my face. Joanna seems like she knows what she is doing. She holds a few skin color products up to my face and compares them.

"You just have such fair skin," she says shaking her head. I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. Either way I stay quiet while she works on my face. She puts the base layer down and then takes different colors of black and brown and puts them on my eyelid.

"You know you remind me of myself," she says grading the brush along my eye.

"How so?" I ask calmly.

"I remember when I came to the training program. I was top of my class too. I was so scared of what my future would look like." She puts the brush down and takes a pinkish colors and applies it to my cheeks.

"And then you were engaged?" She nods.

"It was unexpected, but we were friends and his mother was pressuring him to marry. He said he didn't know anyone else he could ask." She sets the brush down and then picks up a black pencil.

"Do you like being Queen?" Her features turn dark.

"It has its ups and downs," she clips. She drops the pencil and looks up at Sybil. "Finish her lips and take her hair out," she commands. Sybil turns my chair to face me and paints a coat of red lipstick on my lips. I almost feel like I have said too much to Joanna. She crosses the room and picks up some jewellery. I look in mirror and hardly recognize myself. My face looks like a dolls face. Sybil takes my curlers out and my hair falls and bounces in curls near my shoulders. She cleans up the vanity and makes me stand up. Sybil takes my dress off the rack and leads me into the dressing room. I strip out of my clothes and slip on the red gown. I walk out and Joanna gives a satisfactory smile.

"You look exquisite," she says. Sybil comes beside me and clips some diamond earrings to my ears and then I am done. I take one look at myself in the vanity mirror and gasp. I look completely different. I look beautiful and... powerful. Red is definitely my color.

A knock on the door breaks me from my thoughts. Sybil opens the door and Max walks in. His hair is slicked back, and he is in a tux. He stops when he sees me.

"Wow," he breathes. I grin and I feel my cheeks blush. He holds out his arm and I take it.

"Thank you, your Majesty," I say no matter how much I don't want to say it. He nods and Max leads me out of the room.

"I have to take you to your room and then I'll see you soon," he says.

"Do you still have my-," I refer to my necklace, but he cuts me off.

"It's right here," he says patting his pants pocket. I smile in relief and we keep walking. Once we reach my room, I turn to him.

"Everything's going to be fine right?" He takes my hands and nods.

"I'll be with you the whole time," he says.

"Always?" I bring him closer to me.

"Always," he says and then presses his nose against mine. He gives me a peck on the lips and squeezes my hands. I clutch my doorknob and then he's gone. I shut the door behind me and sit on my bed. I pray that this will be that last time I will ever be in this bedroom. I fiddle with my ring and think of my parents, Kane, and Finn. If they could only see me now.

A few minutes later there are several knocks on my door. I open it and walk into the hallway. It's time. Kim's door opens beside me and she walks out in a lime green ball gown with lace and mesh all down the front.

"Green suits you," I say. Her eyes meet mine and she gasps out loud.

"Holy crap! You look..." She struggles to find the words. I smile and grab her hand.

"You don't have to say anything," I say. She scoffs and shakes her head.

"You look like a princess!" I give a nervous laugh, but she doesn't notice. A princess. My gut tells me I should tell her right now. Tell her how I'm so sorry for not telling her sooner.

"You have got to be kidding me," I hear a voice say. Ava stands at the end of the hallway looking at me. "Red? Really? They wouldn't let anyone else wear red!" Her anger seethes into my bones. Am I really the only one wearing red.? I can't stand out. This is my escape plan. I shrug at Ava and admire her orange gown.

"Come on, let's go," Kim says giving Ava her middle finger. Kim drags me away and down the stairs where everyone else in gowns and suits is walking. We enter the grand hall and Kim gasps. The whole hall is decorated in elaborate curtains, lights, and hanging balls. In the center sits a tall ice sculpture of the castle.

"This is amazing!" I look around and see different colored dresses everywhere and yet I'm the only one wearing red. My hands start to shake. This is it.

"Come on, let's get a drink," Kim pulls me to a table full of different colored drinks. Kim pours two cups full of a purple drink and we both take a sip. I can taste the alcohol. I immediately set it down. I can't be distracted. I need to focus. Kim is too busy drinking her drink to notice me as I grab a cup and fill it with water. I tilt the cup back and let the rush of cool water run down my dry throat. Kim and I find a spot near a table away from lots of people. I spot Max in the distance talking to a few people. I envy his calmness and wish that I could relax, but I can't. Kim blabs about some of the people around us and mentions the princes. I just nod and watch the crowd. The classical music in the background make all this bearable. My eyes move towards the drinks where Ava is sipping her drinking and staring at me. I suck in a breath and turn my gaze away from her. I look up towards the ceiling where the balcony from the next level overlooks. I picture Sage and her rifle perched on the edge.

Suddenly the crowd gets quiet and moves to the edges. Queen Joanna enters through the door holding the hand of her husband who looks very pale. A shush echoes over the crowd as they take their place in the center. A chair is pulled up for the King and Max stands by his mother. Cedric appears out of the crowd and stands by his father.

"Welcome everyone." The queens voice is sweet and angelic. I want to gag, but I keep a straight face. "Tonight, is a celebration of my son's engagement," she says gesturing to Max who steps forwards.

"Thank you for coming to this special ceremony. I know you are all eager to know who my lovely bride is." He pauses and finds my gaze in the crowd. I feel my chest seize up. "Octavia Copeland, will you please come forward," he says. I step away from Kim and the crowd and walk toward him. I hear a slither of whispers behind me. He holds his hand out and I take it. I stand next to him and then all I hear is applause. I spot Kim and she stares at me with wide eyes. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am. I wish I could tell her it's not what it seems. I wish I didn't have to leave her.

A loud bang erupts from the air which sends a piece of the ice sculpture flying through the air. A gunshot. Sage. Screams and cries fill my ears. Some frantically throw themselves to the floor. I look up at the balcony and see a rifle perched on the edge. Max seizes my hand and we run to the other set of doors. I can barely hear my own heels clicking on the floor. I don't even think I'm thinking straight. Max and I fly down the hall, but we see at least ten guards coming our way.

"Come on, we'll go around," he says pulling me the opposite direction. Before we enter the hallway, guards flood out of it and stop us.

"It's the prince!" One of them shouts. I look behind me and see we have been cornered by every single guard in the palace. No. That's all I can think. Horror freezes in my body. "Someone get them to the safe room!" Hands grab us and drag us down the hallway and behind a stairwell into a small space. When we are shoved in, I see the Queen and Cedric standing up. The King is seated on the floor.

"Thank god!" Joanna grabs Max and pulls him into a hug. He barely moves. I think he's as shocked as me. Cedric looks at me and then lays his head back on the wall. I'm sorry Dale. I have failed you.