Shattered Heart (Red Queen)

Chapter Twenty-Two

•Cal POV•
I shake my head and say, "He's made a deal with the Lakelands. I don't know if we have a chance against them both."
"How is that Maven made a deal with them? What could he have possibly offered them?" Mare asks.
"I don't know, but I don't like it," I respond.
"We can defeat them. We have the numbers," Shade says confidently beside Mare.
Farley is still recovering with the baby. Shade, of course, wants to be where the action is so he joined us in the war strategy meeting.
Mare sighs and says, "Look, it's me Maven wants. He won't stop until he has me. The only way to win this war is if I give myself up."
"No," I say fiercely. "I just got you back and there's no way I'm giving you to him. He'll have to go through me if he wants you."
"Cal's right," Shade agrees. "There's no way we're letting you go so easily. Besides, we need you to win the war. Without you, we're hopeless. You're extremely powerful."
She rolls her eyes at him and says, "I'm not he force that's going to save us. It would be easier if I gave myself up. A lot of innocent lives will be spared if I do this. Please, Cal. You have to understand."
I grab her shoulders and look her in the eye, "No! You aren't going! I told you I would protect you from him. Mare, I love you and it would kill me to let you go. We will find another way."
"We'll talk about this later," she says and leaves the room.
"There's nothing to talk about!" I call after her.
I run my hands through my hair and let out a long sigh. Shade watches me and leans back in his chair.
"Maybe we should let her go," he says after a while.
"Are you crazy? When she was gone a few months ago you were the one that fought to hard to get her back. Now you want to let her go back to him?" I argue.
"Well, you know how stubborn she is. She won't give up until she does this," he says.
"I can't let her go back to him," I say.
      "If she trains more then she can handle herself. Why are you so against this? It could end this war," he tells me.
     "No, I don't want her anywhere near him. I understand that if she's on the inside that she could kill him, but I can't take that risk," I say.
     "Why?! If she wants to do this then let her. I have a son that I want to grow up in peace. She's my sister and I love her more than anything, but she needs to do this," he says with anger in his voice.
     "I can't let her go because I'm not strong enough!" I yell finally.
     He raises his eyebrows and I say, "Yes, the great Tiberius Calore isn't strong enough to let his love abandon him. I can't, Shade. I've lost everyone else I love and I can't lose her too. She's all I have left."
      He stays quiet for a moment and then answers. "Cal, if you protect her too much, you'll lose her anyway. She can hold her own and won't let you keep her away from the fight. If you try to hold her hand through this, she will leave you. Try to convince her to stay, but don't force her. Don't turn into your brother."
     My hands heat up and I say, "I am not Maven. I never will be Maven. She knows that."
     "Does she?" he asks. "The same blood runs in both of your veins. Be careful with her heart."
     "I will," I say and stand up to leave. I walk out the door and head to the room Mare and I share. I stop in my tracks when I see Carac and Mare together. She's up against the wall and Carac is holding her there, leaning in for a kiss.

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Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading! What do you think is going to happen between Carac and Mare? What will Cal do? Anyone have any ideas on how the Lakelands king is going to get Mare? Leave your answers in the comments!