Through the Lies

Chapter 13

Mare

I open the envelope greedily, Gisa says it was delivered a few days ago by an older Silver man.
Julian.
His handwriting is unmistakable, engraved in my memory from months of reading his notes.

Mare,
I hope you get this soon. I assume the previous letters I've sent have not reached you thanks to a certain queen. I send this to your old home knowing this is information Elara will never let you have if she can help it.
I heard news of your baby and became even more concerned of your well being than I usually am. My sister Coriane miscarried three times before giving birth to Cal. And I believe she only had him because she kept him secret for as long as possible before telling the court. This way no one could get inside of her head and cause nightmares so violent her body would turn against her.
This is an entry from the journal Coriane wrote before her death.
Please read it, and be safe Mare. Be safe from that witch.

~ Julian

My hands are shaking so hard by the end of the letter, I can hardly read it. My mind reels, speeding at a thousand miles an hour as I flip over the second paper, an entry from Coriane's diary, transcribed by Julian.

The only person in my head, is me. 
Tibe is not the same, the crown has changed him as you feared it would. The fire is in him, the fire that will burn all of the world, and it is in your son. In the prince who will never change his blood, and who will never sit a throne.
The only person in my head, is me.
The only person who hasn't changed, is you. You are still the little girl in a dusty room
Forgotten, unwanted, out of place. You are queen of everything, mother to a beautiful son, wife to a king who loves you. And still you can't find it in yourself to smile?
Still, you make nothing? Still, you are empty?
The only person in your head, is you.
And she is no one of any importance.
She is nothing.

I hear Elara say every word. Is this what she was planning on doing to me?
But Elara wouldn't.
She wouldn't kill Maven's child.
Would she?
I stand frozen in Gisa's room, rereading the letter over and over in disbelief. I hear my mother calling me for breakfast downstairs.
Elara would.
She would kill my child, regardless if it was Maven's or not. Disbelief turns into white-hot anger and I hear something crack. Veins of electricity encircle my arms, sparking and popping, begging to be released.
And it will.
"Mare-? Woah, are you alright?" Gisa stares at me in the doorway.
I take a deep breath and let the lightning die down.
I glance once more at the letters, and then to Gisa, "I need to go back to Archeon."
"I thought you were staying for a week."
I pull her into a quick hug, "I know. But something came up and Maven-"
Maven. I left him alone with her.
"Mare?"
I begin hurriedly dressing into the court gown I brought. People would talk if they saw the queen in civilian clothes.
"I'm sorry, I have to go."
I run down the stairs, clutching my bag and the letter.
I say goodbye to my parents, both of them as confused as Gisa. I tell them I'll be back to make up for this and they let me go.
The transport sits on the other side of the road, and I open the door before the Sentinel can get to it.
"Archeon. Now. Go as fast as you can."

My driver manages to shave an hour off the drive, speeding dangerously through the kingdom.
How could I have been so stupid? I hadn't even thought of Elara being the one to cause my nightmares. I thought it was just me.
She killed your child.
I take deep breaths, trying to calm my rage.
I braid my hair up and put on the white makeup I brought to give myself something to do during the long drive; I've seen my maids do it enough times. I never usually wear my crown, but today is an exception. Today it acts as a sign that she can no longer control me.
When we get to Archeon, I see Whitefire Palace and I've never been so eager to get inside.
"Where is King Maven?" I demand the first 
Sentinel I see inside the castle.
"The throne room, Your Highness."
"Is he alone?"
The Sentinel hesitates, his eyes flicking around underneath the mask. It's all the answer I need.
I head down the hallway, not waiting for a response. She is in there with him.
The throne room doors swing open aggressively, revealing Elara and Maven. They stand at the foot of the thrones, staring at each other.
Elara faces me, wearing a wicked smile, "You're back early."
I realize now that I'm panting, not from exertion, but rage, "I know what you've done."
Maven says nothing.
Elara narrows her eyes, probably trying to think of which crime I have discovered. She flicks her hand, and the Sentinels at the doors close them.
"Submit to arrest Elara Merandus, or I will make you submit. Sentinels?"
None of them move.
I look around at them in disbelief.
Elara laughs, "Do you think you have any allies, My Queen?"
Panic surges through me. They still serve her.
My confidence waning, I look at Maven. He stares back with cold eyes.
I feel the anger rise, and practically growl, "What have you done to him?"
Elara sighs nonchalantly, "What he wanted. He wanted the pain you put him through to go away. Now he's perfect." She rests her hand on his shoulder.
I stare at him, horrified, "Maven?"
No answer.
I glance back at Elara, and realize I've never wanted to kill someone until now. It's almost frightening, as all possible ways to kill her run through my head. The possible ways to make her suffer as long as possible, just like she's done to us.
I know she is in my thoughts, though I can't feel it. You're going to pay.
Elara smiles, and I hear her voice in my head. Then do it.
Lighting surges through the air, blasting my throne instead of Elara's head. She dropped down just in time.
I grunt in frustration and almost send another lightning bolt at her, when Maven steps in the way.
"Move!" I yell at him.
He does not.
"You're a coward, Elara!"
It doesn't matter, Red girl. Because in the end I will still win.
"How could you do it? How could you kill your own grandchild?"
Elara freezes, caught off guard, and even Maven looks confused. But only for a moment.
I hear the flick of his bracelet, and then see the sparks. I flatten myself to the ground, just before a ball of flame flies over my head.
Maven begins walking toward me, and I try to get up, but I trip on my stupid dress.
Why did I think this was a good idea?
Maven stands above me now, his face blank of anything. I grab his leg and put all my weight into it before he can summon more fire.
We topple to the ground and I wrestle him down, pinning his arms. I know I won't be able to do this for long; he's much stronger than I am, so I do the first thing that comes to mind. I slap him.
"Snap out of it!" I scream, hoping it'll do something.
Instead, he flips us over and we exchange positions. After a struggle, Maven manages to pin one of my arms down, and then the other with his knee. His free hand clasps something around my left wrist before going to my neck.
This is your end, little lightning girl.
I gasp in air while I still can, his grip slowly tightening.
I try to shock him enough to knock him out, but almost cry when I realize I have a silent stone manacle around my wrist. 
It's over.
"Maven, stop! Please-" I nearly gag he presses down so hard.
I wheeze in a small breath of air, "Remember, Maven. Remember who you are."
I only see a murderous rage wash over his face. He presses harder against my neck.
One last breath. The black spots grow.
"Come back to me Maven. Choose me."
Something in his eyes softens, and so does his grip.
I suck in air, the black spots in my vision get smaller, but then he begins squeezing harder than before.
I gag.
"Choose me." I didn't realize I was crying.
There is a war going on within him. He relents, but then pushes harder. He begins yelling and tears stream down his face.
"Maven," it's barely a whisper.
"Choose… me."
Release.
* * *

Maven

Kill her.
Kill her.
Kill her.
Kill her.

It feels like I'm sleeping, but I know I am not. A room of black walls keep me closed in. It's dark, and I can only hear one thing.

Kill her.
Kill her.
Kill her.
Kill her.

Choose me.

A new voice. Familiar and desperate. I long to hear it again, to find it. 

Kill her.
Kill her.
Harder.
Push harder.
Kill her.

Choose me.

It's an easy decision. Just choose her. 
Of course I'll choose you.

KILL HER.
KILL HER.
KILL HER.
KILL HER.
NOW.

Maven.
Choose… me.

And I do.
Release.

The black walls fall, and I can see again. Mare lies under me, coughing and gasping, trying desperately to get air back into her lungs. I release her arms that I don't remember pinning down.
Memories flood back, but they're not mine. I didn't do any of it. The last thing I remember was…
Oh god.
We sit up, panting, and I grab Mare's shoulders, pulling her to me. Once again, she's saved me from the darkness.
I clutch the manacle around her wrist; as long as we're touching it, she can't control us.
"I thought you were gone," she mutters in my ear.
I can only shake my head and pull her closer.
Movement in the corner of my vision turns my attention. Elara stares down a Sentinel, and he aims a gun at Mare.
"Stop-!"
I lift my hand up from her back; red blood trickles down my fingers. Mare's eyes are wide with shock and she slumps against me.
Elara smiles victoriously, and I take the manacle off of Mare's wrist. I stand, knowing my mother will never try to kill me.
"Sentinel Skonos, heal the queen," I order.
This ends now.
"Maven, what are you doing?"
I approach her, taking a gun from a Sentinel as I walk by.
"Tell me it's not true," I demand as I point the gun, clutching the manacle in my other hand like a lifeline.
"Put it down, son." She meant it as an order, but I don't have to listen now.
"Tell me, that you didn't kill our child."
She only stares at me. I feel my hand begin to tremble.
"NOW!" 
She takes a deep breath, "I did not."
I don't hesitate like I thought I would. Pulling the trigger is easy. 
It is an end to it all. 
An end to the lies, to the manipulation, and to the pain.
I feel tears on my face, but they're not tears of sorrow.