His Red Queen

Chapter Thirty-four

Weeks pass, all of which are full of speeches on broadcasts, dinners with the court, and Maven inspecting the legions. I have had no direct content with Farley but I have been spying for her, giving whatever information about what's going on here.

My eyes are always open, watching everyone, every move, looking to see who has the advantage.

It sure as hell is not me.

Maven is planning a tour around the country. He says it's to get more people on his side now that support is dwindling from all sides; Silver and Red. But I know the truth. He's looking for more like me. Like that girl, Cameron, that Farley mentioned. Maven may not take action right away, but he will find gray area in our agreement and act on it eventually.

He walks into the salon where my servants and I are packing for the trip. "You need more dresses."

"I'm fine with pants." I hold up a pair of pants before handing them to a servant. "You, on the other hand need a nap." Dark circles lie beneath his eyes, his face paler than ever.

"It's very difficult being king." He sits on the couch, throwing his legs over the arm. He looks like just a boy, tired from a long day of training, not the king of a crumbling nation.

I sit beside him, staring at the floor. "It's very difficult being queen."

He lifts my chin up with strangely cold fingers. He just stares at me for a moment, face swimming with unsaid thoughts. "Leave us," he says to the servants, not deigning to look their way. I don't know if I want to scurry away with them or lean into Maven's touch. That decision is made for me when the servants leave us.

He knows. He knows about Farley, about the information I've given her about the tour.

Instead of revealing that he's found out about my scheming, he kisses me soft and slow, pulling me on top of him. I deepen the kiss, forgetting about everything else. But then I remember my plan and I can't do this.

I pull away and he groans as I stand, returning to packing. "I suppose I deserved that since I haven't made enough time for you lately."

You have no idea. "I just really need to do this."

"You have servants," he deadpans, sitting up.

I zip the large case full of more clothing than any regular Red could ever dream of. "I know, it's just—"

"Mare." Maven hugs me from behind. "Tell me what's wrong."

It's moments like these that my gut twists, reminding me of every betrayal and every kindness. Sitting in a cell, waiting for death, and being crowned queen, saving my family. Trying desperately to save others like me.

I've told Maven what is wrong so many times but he neve does anything about it, content in repeated brutality and death at the expense of his own people. A king's heart will never change, no matter who his queen is.

"We have an agreement, remember?" I breathe.

His nose grazes my neck. "Mhm." He kisses my collarbone.

"Then what's with the tour? Why now?" He pulls away from me quickly, his warmth lingering. I continue speaking before he can say anything. "What are you trying to do?"

"That is what's bothering you?" Maven sighs. "The agreement. There was nothing in it that said we cannot go greet our loyal subjects."

"I know you're looking for more people like me."

He shrugs, smug. "Who says I haven't already?"

"What?"

He slinks into a chair, staring up at me beneath thick eyelashes. "Really foolish of you to think I wouldn't have found them eventually. I didn't go purposely looking for any of them, but an opportunity presented itself and therefore, I will be taking it." He speaks to me not as my husband and equal but as my king. "And it was never written down that I must not work with any Reds with abilities that want to work with me."

"Why would they want to work with you?" The words pour out before I can think. The heat rises quickly, putting me and my electricity on edge. I walk out of the room and he follows me down the hall.

Maven lets out a cold laugh. "Same reason you wanted to work with me."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, I see. They wanted to keep their families safe from your wrath."

Maven shoots daggers at me with his eyes as we pass a group of sentinels on our way down the stairs. One of the brushes hands with me discreetly enough so that Maven cannot see. They shove a small piece of paper into my hand and I tuck my hand in my pocket without missing a beat. My years as a thief have trained me well for situations like this.

"No," he grumbles, "they wanted to aid in the new regime." When he looks ahead of us at servants covering the furniture and paintings on the walls with white cloth, I open the paper enough to see the words scrawled in ink. No, not ink: Silverblood.

The Bridge.

I crumble the paper and shove it back into my pocket. "Where are they?" I try to sound excited and not like I am about to puke from nerves.

He perks up. "You want to meet them?"

I plaster on a smile. "Of course I do!" Let him believe I am just excited to finally be around others like me.

But he doesn't buy it. "You're not allowed to corrupt them and turn them against me." A servant hands us our crowns before we step outside into the pouring rain to broadcast the beginning of the royal tour. Maven puts an arm around me, hand tight on my waist. "Let's go greet our loving people."

The court is assembled, waiting for us. They clap as we descend the stairs and they follow us as we parade into Caesar's Square. Sentinels flank us on all sides, a wall of robes protecting us from any possible threats. My eyes dart around once we are closer to the bridge, where transports wait for us. The crowd of Reds and Silvers assembled cheer at the sight of their king and queen approaching.

Maven keeps me close to him, always holding my hand, or slinking an arm around my waist. Holding on to his favorite toy. My eyes scan the crowd, waiting for whatever Farley was planning. She couldn't tell me directly; most of the information remains redacted. But, the servants have done a good job of updating me with locations and times, where to be and when to be there.

I wave with Maven, smiling to the crowd, acting like Mareena as much as I can. I flex my hands, letting the lightning crackle.

One spark. Anyone can betray anyone.

Two sparks. Rise, Red As The Dawn.

Maven steps up to the podium set up for him to deliver his speech. The crowd grows silent in anticipation.

Before King Maven can say a single word, the bullets ring through the air.