His Red Queen

Chapter Eleven

We touch down in front of Whitefire barely after dawn. The sky is a deep shade of crimson—no, scarlet. Maven leaves the airjet first, scouring the area. I follow him silently, moving my fingers around, getting them ready to create the most intense lightning storm that I can possibly muster.

So far, there is no damage but the doors which have been broken down. The sound of arguing pierces the air and I quicken my walk to the palace, passing Maven as I do so.

"Get behind me," he demands and I listen. Fine, then, I want to say. Protect me, King Maven.

The sentinels behind me  grow closer and so do some guards, all of House Arven, of course. I clench my fists as they come into my peripheral vision. Maven's arm twitches and he steps slightly to the left where an Arven is.

No one notices their king or queen as we enter, watching everything going on. Members of the Scarlet Guard are running about, looting and shooting at any Silvers that try to get in the way. The few Silvers here use their abilities, combating them.

A nymph drowns a Red servant slowly before Kilorn runs behind him and hits him in the head with a vase. It breaks on impact and Kilorn curses as a shard cuts his hand. The now unconscious guard slumps down next to his victim, silver blood dripping down his head and neck.

Evangeline has Farley pinned against the wall, a long, metal spike aimed at her heart. Farley snarls and aims her gun at Evangeline's head.

"Don't do it, metal girl," Farley grumbles. "We're not here for you." A bead of sweat drips down her forehead. It's probably taking everything in her not to move.

Evangeline scoffs. "You know, I can make that little blaster of yours kill you instead." Instantly, the gun melts out of Farley's hand. But the bullets remain solid, falling to the ground with a clanking, horrible noise. Evangeline raises them in the air in a perfectly straight line, and sends one flying at Farley's shoulder with such force that Farley screams as it hits hard enough to shatter bone. She falls to the ground and I can't stifle my own scream.

Maven pulls me back as I lunge in her direction. I send a lighting strike through the ceiling, cutting all power in the palace. The lights flicker slowly before I turn them back on.

"Where's Cal?" I shout.

Evangeline charges at me and I narrowly miss the knife she wields. We both fall to the ground, too close to where the nymph and red are lying. "Doesn't matter. You're not going to see him."

"What?" is all I manage to say before she punches me in the face so hard I see stars.

When I open my eyes, Maven rips Evangeline off of me, tossing her to the ground. "Stay away from her!" he booms before pulling me up to stand next to him.

My eyes water and the metallic tang of blood fills my mouth. I spit on the ground in front of Evangeline's feet.

"Now, where is the traitor?" Maven yells.

Farley laughs coldly.

"What?" I ask.

"We're not giving him up just like that. He's our prisoner, not yours." Farley shrugs. "Make a trade, Maven."

My heart stops for a second as Maven looks between her and me. He puts an arm around me protectively and takes a few steps back. Narrowing his eyes at Farley, he growls, "No."

"You idiot!" Evangeline snaps, turning to Maven.

Before Maven can respond, Elara walks in, pushing Cal in front of her. She has him by his collar. My heart thumps when I see him. Equal parts shame and sadness fill me when I look at him. Bronze eyes avoid mine. It takes every ounce of will power left in me not to go to him.

I clamp a hand over my mouth so no one can hear the sob escape my mouth.

"Maven, you know what to do," Elara purrs.

"No!" I scream but I might as well be under water, drowning at the hands of a nymph because Maven doesn't hear me.

We all watch in shock as he strides to Elara and his brother.

Cal does nothing but stare down at Maven, a melancholy expression on his face. "Mavey." Cal's voice breaks.

Maven's flame maker bracelet sparks and a blue tongue of fire dances in the palm of his hand. He raises his hand in front of Cal slowly as the fire builds.

Unable to take it anymore, I scream. "No!" Maven's head shifts slightly but Elara nods at him and he refocuses on Cal, the task at hand more important than his wife's screaming.

Elara turns to me. "Dear little lightning girl, he's not going to listen to you. You should have realized that a long time ago."

A ball of electricity crackles in my hands. Raising them high in the air, the lightning grows, so bright purple that I can't even look at it. Cal's jaw drops as he watches me. I shake my head at him.

"I'll do it, Elara." My steps are slow, my gait slightly off from trying not to step in any shattered glass or shrapnel from Evangeline's weapons. "I swear by my colors. I swear on the very crown of Norta. I'll do it right now!" I practically screech the last part and have to catch my breath.

"Go ahead, see what—" I release the ball of electricity, sending it straight towards her. She stumbles back before it hits her, letting go of Cal who falls to his knees. Maven looks around, bewildered.

From the corner, Farley grunts. "Do it, Mare."

I glance at Kilorn who is wiping his face with the back of his sleeve. I just now notice the gash across his forehead. He wouldn't have been dragged into this if it wasn't for me. Turning away from him, I go to Maven and help him to his feet.

"Get up." My words are empty and emotionless. I grab his hand and pull him up to face me. "You don't want to hurt Cal. You know that."

His eyes are empty save for the blood lust in them.

Elara scoffs. "Guards, get rid of these red rats."

The guards rush into the mess and seize Farley, Kilorn, and the very few other reds accompanying them. One of them walks towards me and is met with Maven's flaming hand. I look away as the guard screams and writhes in pain.

"She is your queen!" He snaps. He stomps over to Cal. "You're coming with us."

"Then, give Mare over to the Scarlet Guard," Cal says. "I'll go with you if you release the rest of them." Maven smacks Cal across the face before he can get another word out.

"Maven, stop!" I shove him away from his brother. "I'll do it."

"You're not leaving me," he snaps. Turning to Farley, he adds, "And I don't make deals with terrorists."

Maven nods at the guards who take Farley, Kilorn, and the others away.

Kilorn offers me one last look; it's so much like the way Cal looked at me when I betrayed him. I look away, unable to bear another second of his sad eyes and beat up face.

Maven turns my head towards him, his hand warm on my chin. "You remember our deal, right?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

It's all a blur as the guards lead us away. Evangeline follows, binding Cal's hands with shackles made from Farley's bullets. Maven's grip on my hand is tight and his eyes do not leave me until we are in the airjet.

Cal says nothing as we fly back to the summer palace. He simply looks down at his hands, defeat clear in his entire body.

Maven doesn't move; he simply glances between Evangeline, Cal, and me.

He furrows his brow at Evangeline. "Wait. Why are you here?"

She smirks. "I'm going to help you out, my king." A tiny metal spider crawls up her arm and perches on her shoulder.

Maven looks amused. "Oh, yeah? How?"

Evangeline glares at me. "Oh, you'll see."