The Lightning Queen

Chapter 16

Mare

His blue eyes looks glass like, his face looks battered, literally. A sheer feeling of happiness washes over me. I looks over to Cal, the fire in his eyes looks brighter than the last I've saw of him. I taste a hint of defeat.

Turning my gaze to Maven I mouth I win and seal it with a wink.

His jaw ticks. I don't know if he notices the flames that burst from the palms of his hands, snaking up his forearm. Cal takes a step back. Everything happened with such rapidity.

Walking into Airjet I see my brothers, Bree and Shade. Tramy being in Montfort with my parents and Gisa.

I guesture to Iris and Erin to sit in the seats.

"Enjoyed your teaching lesson." I knew it was a teaching lesson. Glaring at them.

"What if I would have died?" Bree focuses on flying the jet and Shade turns back to me.

"You wouldn't have, you're Mare Barrow and you still have to rise and rise alone." He smirks at me repeating Jon's words.

Breathing shakily, I look at Iris.

"I'm taking you back to the Lakelands." She sighs with relief.

"I have no desire nor need to keep you prisoner." I look at her in her eyes she doesn't flinch, Iris is a strong woman and she still is. Maven didn't get to break her.

"Your going to tell your father, there is going to be no war on Norta." She scoffs.

"He won't form alliance with you." Now I scoff.

"Well luckily, I do not need your alliance." But I know what this means for Norta if there is another war. Hindrance in progress of equality.

"I want nothing to do with Norta ever again but my father will not take this likely." I nod and heave a breath.

"Just promise me you will convince your father to hold of the war as long as you could?"

"I will try." Now's that's not good enough.

Cal

Maven always has a way with his words that shall forever be compelling and when lacking that compelling tone he swears like a sailor at Habor Bay. But he curses so loudly, a sailor would flinch and I'm sure Mare can hear him from the Airjet that is by now gone for Archeon's aerial space.

Walking back into the throne room. He seems filled to brim with rage, sleeves burnt up to his forearms.

Maven

I careen back into the throne room.

In and out. I urge myself to breathe. In and out.

"I heard what happened." Jake mutters as he and Jared leads me to a room. I realize it's my study.

"She stole my assets and now I have little resources left." I heave a breath. The air feels thick, so thick that I should be picking out my tomb stone.

Cal has more resources than I do.

Mother's voice resurfaces.

Use him, steal his territory.

Shaking my head I feel my goosebumps rise on my arms.

"Does Cal know what she took?" I shake my head. He just thinks she took something valuable. He doesn't want it is. Or in this case who it is.

Or atleast I thought he did, up until he walk in.

"I know what she took." He states as he sits. I can help but to roll my eyes, of course he is being like this; a know it all.