Far from over (1)

"Helena, you need to calm down so we can figure this out. You've yet to tell us what the queen said. Please," Renee said, gently rubbing Helena's back to comfort her. 

When Renee received the letter late in the night that she was to come to the palace in the morning along with her husband, Renee thought something had happened to her daughters. She tossed and turned all night as she thought about what it could be. There were times she had to be talked out of coming to the palace ahead of time to see what was wrong.

Renee never thought she would hear of Helena having to exit the selection. The explanation was that the queen wanted to have only one daughter present, but Renee knew there was something more.

Why wait for Helena to enter the palace to then send her out of the selection? What had happened with her daughters?

"Listen to your mother and tell us from the beginning what happened. If I hear you speak ill of your sister again-"