Shadow's Throne

Chapter Twenty-Three

Maven's Pov

I board my jet, by myself, my queen most likely dead by now. My sentinels follow me, but I don't notice or really care for that matter. I slip into my seat and barely notice when we take off.

All I can think about is her.

That beautiful gown she had on. Her gorgeous brown hair with the purple ends that suit her so well. Her mesmerizing brown eyes, filled with hope for me.

But more importantly, what she said.

Don't worry Maven. I promise we'll help you.

After everything I've done to her, to my brother, to my kingdom, to this world, she still wants to help me. She's still there for me.

She still cares.

I feel the plane start to descend and I straighten up in my seat, adjusting my shirt, cape, and hair. I take the crown off my head and admire the flames beautifully carved into the iron surface.

My father's crown.

It will all pay off in the end.

I cringe at my mother's voice in my head. She's always there, reminding me what I did everything for.

I take a deep breath before placing the crown back on my head and heading to get off the now landed jet. I quickly walk the short distance to the castle and make my way inside.

I pass very few servants and members of the court on my way to my rooms. Almost all of the houses abandoned me and joined Cal's court once he decided to put that crown on his head.

And by doing so, hurting Mare.

How stupid is Cal to leave Mare for some stupid piece of metal that sits on his head? I'd have given everything just to have her here with me.

I head into my rooms and walk past my desk that's covered in the usual piles of papers that I never get around to reading. I throw the crown on the top of the pile and lay my cape on the back of the chair. I head into my bathroom and splash the cool water on my face. I look up into the mirror and gaze into the tired, sad eyes of a broken boy.

My mother did this to me. She's the reason for the terrible nightmares that prevent me from sleeping. She's the reason I constantly have to surround myself with silent stone to keep from turning the entire palace into ash. She's the reason I can't love my brother anymore. Or anything for that matter. My love for Mare is just some stupid weakness she created for me.

I don't even remember if I really did love her before my mother completely took over my mind.

Tears come to my eyes as they so often do these days, and I let them fall. I let all of the hurt, the sorrow, the pain, everything my mother put me through, rush out of me.

I collapse into a sobbing ball on the floor, my flames threatening to burst free.

I sit there for hours, not caring that I've missed dinner or that there's been numerous knocks on my doors.

I can't face anyone like this. I can't let them see what a broken boy they have as a king. I can't let them see what she did to me.

That's what stops my tears from flowing. What causes me to stand up and face myself in my mirror. I splash some more water on my face and do my best to hide the redness around my eyes. I head back out into my bedroom where my dinner is waiting for me on my bed. I sit down next to it and pick up the note that's sitting on the tray.

My advisors, or what's left of them, are wondering about Iris and what happened with my brother and they want a meeting.

I crumple up the note and it turns to ashes by the time I throw it onto the ground. They don't need to know what happened to Iris or what happened in that meeting. It's not going to matter soon anyway because Mare's coming to save me from all of this.

She's coming to save me from the monster I've become.

Iris's Pov

After a long flight in the storage hold of one of Montfort's jets, I'm dragged down the ramp by Lerolan sentinels and pushed up the front steps of my home.

Or what used to be my home.

Cal and Mare follow behind me, down the many flights of stairs into the dungeons. I stay quiet the entire time, knowing that there's nothing I can say or do to save me from what's going to come.

I'm thrown into a cell and the sentinels tie me to a post. Mare and Cal wait just outside the bars, watching.

When the sentinels back away, I try to use my water to break free, but the cell is built with silent stone, and all it does is add to my pain.

I grit my teeth at the roaring pain in my head and notice Mare look away. She's been through torture like this before, but at least I'll be able to escape through death.

Cal wanders towards me, watching me. Mare just watches from outside, not wanting to endure the silence any longer. She can blame Maven for that.

Cal stares at me for a few moments and I stare right back. He soon turns away and exits, motioning at Mare as he goes. I watch the sparks start to dance on her fingers and I try to stand up straighter, the ropes tearing into my wrists.

"Save this world, Mare," I say as confidently as I can before sparks come rushing at me.

I scream as the electricity tears through me, ripping me apart.

I strain against the ropes as my knees buckle and I fall forward as far as the ropes allow.

I look up at Mare, and between the tears in my eyes, I can barely make out her mouth as she mouths I'm sorry before everything in my world goes black for good.

So I ended up having time to very quickly edit this chapter for you guys so you ended up getting an update after all! Yay! And for those of you who aren't following me, I made an announcement that I'm going to be very busy in the upcoming weeks so I may not get the chance to update. I highly recommend following me so you'll know, and I'll follow you back so it's a win-win!

Anyway, I'd just like to thank all of you guys who have voted for this book and added it to your reading lists. I love checking my Wattpad notifications and reading things like that. It really means the world to me! So thank you guys sooooo soooooo much for all of your love and support! :)