His Red Queen

Chapter Five

The entire day is full of wedding preparations. Elara helps at a distance, eyeing me. Maven is busy with other things, so I do not see him for a while. I start to miss him after two hours of Evangeline and Elane trying to help me figure out what to wear. They have both been oddly quiet and non-threatening all day. Maven wants us all to play nice but I didn't expect the two of them to start treating me decently. But, they haven't tried to kill me all day and I assume that must be a good sign.

Finally, Maven and I are getting married tomorrow. It's all been a blur since I accepted his offer.  The Dastardly Scarlet guard got Cal away after he betrayed us all. Maven says that we should have seen it coming. But the memory of him killing King Tiberias is fuzzy. Still, I am angry at Cal and more grateful to Maven than I ever have been. I can't believe I ever doubted my love for him.

"How's everything with Maven?" Evangeline smirks cat-like, her eyes coated with a shiny silver color. Next to her, Elane chuckles.

I smile. "It's all good. Thank you for helping me get this all ready." I am usually wary of Evangeline but something tells me that she's alright.

She nods, glancing at Elara who nods in return. Weird.

Once we finish picking out flower arrangements, I try to slip away from everyone.

Once again, Elara is eyeing me, a thin-lipped smile on her face. "Where are you going?" I thought that Maven wanted her to stay away from me but she convinced me to let her help. She said that he told her to help and that I wasn't going to deny her that.

I blink. "To see what Maven's doing."

"Go, dear. I'll take care of this." There is an unfamiliar kindness in her tone but I listen to her. My suspicion melts away once I enter the hall.

I find Maven in his study. He barely looks up from the maps spread across the desk. I walk around the desk to stand next to him and I see that he is looking at the Lakelands. He looks up for a moment and then smiles when he sees me. He fingers the silent stone bracelets on my wrists.

"How is everything going?" he asks.

I shrug. "It's good. Everything's coming together." I look at him brightly, finally feeling happy. "Elara's been very nice. So has Evangeline."

Maven furrows his brow. "Mare, are you okay?" When I nod, looking off towards the window, he takes my face in his hands, turning my head to look at him.

"I'm just really happy," I say, earning a smile from him. "Your brother tried to drive us apart and kill us but look at us now."

Suddenly, his lips are on mine and I kiss him back. His arms slide around my waist and I feel his heart beating against mine. "I've always loved you, Mare," he says when he pulls away.

"I love you too." For a moment, everything feels perfect. Maven loves me and wants to protect me. I love him.

A knock on the door disrupts our moment and I turn around to see Julian standing in the doorway. "My king." He bows his head, eyes sad and downcast. "May I please speak with Mare?"

"I thought you were leaving, Julian." Maven crosses his arms, staring him down. "I thought you were in favor of the traitor."

Julian shakes his head slowly and calmly like the teacher that he is. "I serve the true king of Norta." There's an odd tone in his voice but it amuses Maven all the same.

Maven nods. "Very well."

I follow Julian out into the hall and to his study where we used to try to work on harnessing my ability.  I take a seat across from him, staring out the window at the clouds.

"Mare, why did you pick him?" Julian's voice is grave, tired, as if he has rehearsed the words until he could barely utter them.

"What do you mean?"

Julian eyes the closed door nervously. "Maven wanted you dead. He's the one who betrayed you!"

I cross my arms. "Cal wanted me dead. Don't you remember? Maven saved me. He... loves me." I become defensive quickly.

Julian furrows his brows, his mouth open ever so slightly as he stares at me in disbelief. He should remember. Hasn't he been here the whole time?

"Don't you remember?" Julian looks as if he has been struck.

"Remember what? That Cal has been working with the Scarlet Guard? That he killed his father?" A tear rolls down my cheek. "That he said he loved me but almost got me killed?" I stand up quickly. "Cal is a murderer!"

Julian is a singer. If he really wanted to, he could command me to face him and sit down. Yet, he is reluctant to use his ability much. Last time he used it, we used Lucas and now Lucas...

"Lucas is dead," I say, finally remembering. I had forgotten until now and the memory sits heavy on me, fresh in my mind as if it is the first time I am seeing it. I watched as they killed him. Because Julian and I forced him to help us.

"He is." Julian walks towards me slowly and puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's not Cal's fault," he says, his voice breaking. "Don't you remember?" When I shake my head, he continues. "Cal loved you. Not Maven."

"No!" I snap.

He looks at me, confused. Then, his face turns to stone at the realization of something that he does not tell me. "The two of you danced together, practicing for the ball. All he wanted was you. He would have chosen you over anyone else."

"A lie."

Julian sighs, "Mare, remember it. Don't let shock or whatever anyone else told you ruin your good memories."

Memories. I don't even remember Cal loving me. Turning to Julian, I try not to cry or scream from frustration. "I don't even know what to believe."

"Believe me. Mare, please."

Elara walks in and smiles at us both, her eyes darkening at the sight of Julian. "What's going on here? Mare, I thought you were with Maven."

"I was. Julian and I just had to talk. I'm sorry." I curtsy and follow her out of the room.

When we turn the corner, she turns around to face me. I can hear her in my head though her lips do not move. Everything Julian said is a lie. Cal never loved you. Maven does.

Suddenly, I can see Cal walking away from me when we were in the Bowl of Bones. Maven watches and takes my hand, forgiving me for whatever it was that Cal dragged me into. A memory of Maven telling me he loves me warms me and I smile.

"Who betrayed you?" Elara asks.

I shrug "Cal."

"Cal and..." Elara motions for me to continue.

The Scarlet Guard. The Scarlet Guard. Cal and the Scarlet Guard. It repeats in my brain, a constant hum, more constant and intriguing than the electricity in the cameras that I can barely even feel because of the silent stone bracelets.

My eyes narrow at Elara. "Cal and the Scarlet Guard betrayed me."