My King of Darkness (Maven x OC)

Chapter 32

Lots of switching between POVs in this chapter

Lydia

                 "M—Maven?" Elara stammered, "What are you doing?"
                 "I think that would be obvious," Maven said, coolly.
                  Elara looked from her son to me and back again, "You—you tricked me!"
                  "You see, this is what I needed Lydia for. Surprise," he said the last word deadpan.
                  "You insolent, ungrateful child!" Elara spat, "You really think the High Houses will tolerate you murdering their queen?"
                   "Oh, but I won't have. The Scarlet Guard infiltrated the palace and assassinated you. There was nothing I could do. They're on their way as we speak,"
                   "I don't believe this," she sputtered.
                   "Really? You don't? Why, I am my mother's son,"
   

Mare

                   Cal, Shade, and I burst through the servants door into the hallway. "Mare, slow down, please," Shade begged me, "We don't even know what this is about."
                    "It's Lydia. She's in danger, I know it," I said, purple sparks dancing in my palms.
                    "Maven wouldn't do anything to hurt her," Cal said, "He's proven that."
                    "But what about Elara. You know she'd want to get rid of Lydia. What if she uses Maven to hurt her, like she did with you and your father," I tried to put it delicately, but it failed to come across as I was still several paces ahead of the men.

Lydia

                   There was a wild look in Elara's eyes. She whirled on me, still laying against the wall, "You! You've turned my son against me!"
                    "She hasn't done anything," Maven said, advancing on her with the gun, "After you're gone, we'll tell all of Norta who she is and we'll wed and Lydia will be queen. We'll free her people from ours and you, mother, will be nothing but a very distant memory."
                    "You can't do this," if I wasn't mistaken tears were boiling in Elara's eyes, "You'll turn our family into a joke, Maven! The Reds will think you're weak!"
                     "You're wrong. I'll be their savior. A just and benevolent king for both Reds and Silvers and they'll never know what I've done to get there,"
                     Elara was shaking now. She put her hands up in front of her and took a step towards her son, "Maven...my boy...you don't want to do this...I know you don't. You would never kill me."
                      Now she stood inches away from him, her hand on the pistol, "I'm your mother."
                      I saw a flicker of doubt pass through Mavens eyes as he let her lower the gun.
                      Then it was gone.
                       "You're not. You haven't been for a long time,"
                       A shot splintered through the small room and Elara's face drained of all color.

Mare

                       A gunshot somewhere nearby broke the silence in the hallway. I stumbled to a halt an undignified cry tearing out of me, "Lydia! No!"
                      Cal caught me by the elbow, "It can't be. You know that's not Elara or Mavens style. Come on."
                       He and Shade spurred me forward and around the corner. "There!" Cal exclaimed, pointing towards a closed metal door. As we reached it, I could feel the dull pull of Silent Stone from inside. I pulled the handle, but of course, it was locked. "Move!" Cal ordered and grabbed the handle. The metal glowed red as it melted.

Lydia

                        Elara gazed down at herself, disbelievingly. A silver stain was blossoming across her intricate, lace bodice. "Y—Y—You shot me," she stammered, weakly, voice laced with pain, "You actually shot me! How could—"
                       She was cut off by Maven unloading the rest of the round into her. Elara's body jerked about and silver blood sprayed the Silent Stone walls, along with Maven and I. The only other sound that could be heard was Maven laughing hysterically. When the magazine was empty he continued to pull the trigger—click, click, click—and laughing dissolved into sobbing.
                    I pushed myself up to a standing position, my arms and legs trembling. I cautiously approached my fiancé. When I was within arms reach, I pried the empty gun from his fingers and let it drop to the floor, before wrapping my arms around Maven. My touch seemed to shake him from his trance and he melted into me, sobbing into my shoulder.
                     "Shh, it's okay. You did it, you did it. It's over now."