His Red Queen

Chapter Twenty-three

I do not spare Cal even the slightest of glances as I leave the house. I have no belongings to take with me. My trip back to Whitefire shouldn't be too bad as long as Shade helps me get to the mainland. Of course I'll have to face Shade and Farley before I can leave for good. I cannot just leave them without saying goodbye.

The two of them are off in the field, sitting in the knee-high grass. Farley smiles at him and it's impossible to not realize how beautiful she actually is. She carries herself like a soldier, all scars and guns and knives. It's sometimes weird to remember she's only a few years older than me. But there is something undeniably girlish about her sometimes. When she is around Shade, that is.

Shade has an arm around her, his head on her shoulder. He's saying something that I cannot hear.

As I grow closer to them, my breathing becomes shallow. Leaving them like this is nothing more or less than cowardice. But I don't have much of a choice, now do I?

I clear my throat, getting their attention. Shade jumps, startled by the sudden company. "Hey. Everything okay?" He furrows his brow as he looks up at me, squinting at the sun.

"I want to go back to Norta." I spit the words out before I think too much about their gravity. "Back to Maven, I mean."

Farley is on her feet in seconds, a pistol already aimed at me. Typical of her to bring a gun on an afternoon of cloud watching.

"Easy, Farley." Shade puts a hand in front of the gun. "No need to shoot her."

"I know why you found me. The real reason," I deadpan.

Shade pales. "Mare, I—"

"I don't want an explanation. I want you to jump to the Stilts and leave me there so that I can get back to Whitefire." I pinch the bridge of my nose, a headache creeping up on me. "In fact, if you'd just get me off of this island, that would be fine. Better that if I am found, no one is with me to get executed for treason."

Farley never lowers the gun. I've deserted her and her cause once before. This shouldn't surprise her. I steel my features into a fierce blankness, getting rid of any emotions that are building up inside me. They pile up like water at a dam, waiting to burst.

"If that's what you want," Shade says. All light is gone from his face. The happiness that was there, shriveled and forgotten.

"Are you serious, Barrow?" Farley keeps the gun aimed but her eyes are fixed on my brother. "After everything, you're just going to bring her back?"

Shade wrings his hands. "She should have a choice." He turns to me. "Mare," he gently asks, "where do you want to be?"

A year trickles down my cheek. "With Maven." Admitting it—saying his name—is like the final nail in my coffin. The death of anything that Cal and I ever had and ever will. The end of my days in the Scarlet Guard. And the final moments of any semblance of friendship with Farley. A goodbye to the brother I just got back from the dead.

Farley lowers the gun. "I never want to see you again, Mare Barrow."

Shade gasps.  "Diana."

She winces at the name. Diana? Who's Diana?

Oh.

"I don't like being called that, Barrow." I wouldn't be surprised if she aimed the weapon at him now. Instead, she continues talking. "Mare Calore, you are relieved of your duties in the Scarlet Guard. From now on, you are the enemy and if we cross paths again, I won't hesitate to act."

This time, I cringe at my name.

With a sharp glare, she turns toward the house.  "Get rid of her, Shade," she calls over her shoulder.

The words sink into me slowly. She will kill me if she gets the chance. Dethrone my husband and me. And Cal... He's played me just as bad as Maven has. At least Maven had his plans thought out properly and didn't force me to go with him, didn't send someone to convince me to go to him.

I tear my eyes away from the direction she stormed off in. She'll probably run into Cal. Good. They can both plot their revenge if they so wish. I'm getting out of here.

Shade snaps me out of my thoughts. "Let me at least give you your birthday present." His voice is soft, laced with pain.

"You didn't have to get me anything," I say. "Especially after what I just did. I'm sorry."

He hugs me tightly. "You're my sister. It doesn't matter if you are queen or rebel. Or both. I love you and I am giving you your birthday present before you leave."

He goes into the house and is back in a couple minutes. I stay outside. There is no way I'd be able to face Cal and Farley now. Shade appears with a small parcel in his hands. A little box wrapped in brown parchment.

"It's not much," my brother says, "But I found it before I left the house in the Stilts."

I open it up to reveal a red pendant. If only one of us had found it years ago. My family could have pawned it off. We would have had electricity rations for years.

"Thank you." My voice cracks as I begin to cry. I put the necklace on. Red. The reddest shade of it I have ever seen.

"You're strong, Mare. Remember that." Shade puts a hand on my shoulder. Fear flashes across his face for the briefest of seconds. "No matter what, I'll always be here for you."

Before I can respond, we jump through thin air. I keep my eyes shut, willing myself not to get sick this time around. Despite the familiar pulling and fraying and squeezing of every bit of my being, my mind is spinning. Whirling around and around so much that my body does not have the ability to process the jump until I am in the Stilts, inside the house.

How Shade jumped all the way here without stopping, I have no idea. He pants and stumbles to the couch.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired from the jump." He yawns. "Are you gonna puke again this time?"

"No." I can't help but laugh at his silly comment. "But I should get going. Will you be okay here? I can stay here until you jump back."

"No." He straightens his back. "You need to get back to the palace before anyone else finds you and makes it look like you're a criminal. I'll be fine." My wary look only makes him keep talking. "No matter what Farley said, you'll never be my enemy. I'll see you soon."

"Bye." Goodbyes have never been this hard for me. "Thank you for everything."

I climb down the ladder quickly. It's nighttime already. The jump must have taken a long time, not to mention any time difference from the little island versus here.

I pull my hood over my head, tucking my brown and gray hair into it. The air is cool, but not biting cold. This is going to be one long walk. Especially if I have to keep my head down.

For a while, it's pretty quiet. No one notices me. I make it through the neighborhood in peace. Soon, I realize that I should have thought this through more. This is going to be a very, very long trip.

Perhaps if I get to the Hall of the Sun, I can stay there, contact Maven, and then meet him at Whitefire tomorrow.

I head towards there, my legs burning from the already long, exhausting trek. The closer I get to the Hall of the Sun, the more officers are posted. Watching. Looking out for anyone.

For me.

I put my hands up in innocence as they realize who I am and charge me. Shiny uniforms glint in the moonlight. My eyes dart around as if Maven will be here, waiting for my return. Wait I got for him to stop them from attacking me.

I am running in seconds, cursing under my breath. I don't make it far.

Two guards grab me by the arms roughly. One of them pushes me to the ground and my face meets the dirt.

"It's me. The queen."

Chuckles and mocking laughs from those bastards.

I don't have time to scream or even say another word before someone places a wet, foul smelling cloth to my face and the world spins and then disappears.