His Red Queen

Chapter Ten

Maven goes up in flames. They dance along his arms and legs, lighting him up like a beacon. I yank my hand away from his shoulder with a yelp as a flame circles around my finger. The Red servant watches Maven, horrified as he stumbles back against the wall. He stares at Maven, knowing what is going to happen.

Maven gets in the servant's face, staring down at him menacingly. The flames are blue now and my eyes water from the heat in my face.

"Calm down!" I scream but he ignores me. "Maven!" The servant coughs as his shirt starts to burn, smoke getting in his eyes and lungs. "Maven, stop!"

Never kill the messenger. It's a waste of lives and useless. This is not his fault. And this is my chance to get back to Cal. To see him. My pride won't let me apologize but the least I can do is stop Maven from killing him on the spot. 

I need to calm him down before he kills the poor boy or, even me. 

I reach out to Maven, this time using all my strength to pull him back. The fire instantly burns my hand but I bite my lip to avoid screaming. Shocked, his fire goes out as he hits the floor, nearly falling on top of me. I can feel my bracelets, usually tight around my wrists, grow looser, expanding from the heat. I pull them loose as much as I can despite the searing pain shooting through my right palm.

Narrowing my eyes at the servant, I shout, "Go!"

"Damn it!" Maven cries, then looks at me and reaches for my now burnt hand. His expression grows soft and I want to smack it off of his face. "Mare, I'm sorry."

I get up. "Stop apologizing and learn to control your ability." Going down the hall, he doesn't follow me.

I turn the corner and look up to see there are no cameras in this hall. Not that it matters with what I am about to do.

Pulling the bracelets off of my wrists, one at a time feels better than anything a skin healer has ever done for me. Even after I was healed after being shot that night after Julian, Lucas, and I snuck to the cell where someone from the Scarlet Guard was. That feels like a million years ago. With any luck, I will see the Scarlet Guard again.

And this time, I will not screw it up.

Energy surges through my entire body as every bit of electricity in the castle surges through me. Adrenaline numbs the pain in my hand but not the anger inside me. It's built up like a fire and every word from Maven adds a log, crackling, waiting to combust.

The lights flicker one by one and I hear footsteps and cursing behind me.

Maven.

I chuckle darkly and run, kicking my shoes off as I do so. This palace is unfamiliar and I have no idea where the exit is. I should have been smarter, memorizing every curve and twist and turn when we got here.

Finally recognizing the staircase, I dart down it, taking two stairs at a time. Maven was foolish to not allow anyone to come here with us but a few servants. No guards approach me or try to stop me. And if they did, well, I am their queen and I could order them to go away.

The hall is empty, a bit dusty, even. I don't have time to look at it or contemplate how long this place has been empty. 

I find the big wooden doors and stop in my tracks. There's no way I can get to Whitefire on my own. Especially barefoot and in this stupid wedding dress. The least I can do is get away from here. I pull the door open and the cool, ocean breeze whips against my face.

Just as I step outside, a pair of arms wrap around me, pulling me back.

I elbow him in the gut and we fall to the floor. Rolling away from Maven, I summon lighting to my fingertips, letting it expand in front of me.

"How...?" His voice wavers before the realization hits him like a punch from a strongarm. My lightning grows so close to him that he jumps. "Mare, don't."

He's so close. He's done so much damage. Taken so much from me. I can do it right now. I can end his reign before he becomes more dangerous. 

I can be free of him. 

His eyes darken as he stares me down. We stay like this for a long moment. Lighting crackling in my hands, fire in both of his. He looks at me like both his lover and greatest foe.

"I'm not the enemy." His voice is gruff. "He's the enemy. You know that."

What he says makes sense. Cal made me fall for him while he was engaged to Evangeline and I, to Maven. He knew what he was doing. Everyday, my stupid heart yearns for him. Wants him. Regrets leaving him to die in the Bowl of Bones. If I play my cards right, I can fix my past mistakes. 

I let my lightning die out. "Then what do you want me to do?"

"You're going to stay here while I go and get the criminals into custody."

"No."

"Yes." He gets up and crosses his arms. "You're not loyal to me. I know that the second you see your little red friends and my brother, you'll run from me."

"I won't. I'm yours. On your side forever." I hate the way I sound weak. How I don't even believe myself as the words leave my own mouth.

"You can come. But the second I suspect you're about to commit treason, I'll have Samson drag you back here and those silent stone bracelets go back on."

"Deal."

And, just like that, I seal my fate.