Shadow's Throne

Chapter Thirty-Six

Mare

After spending the day packing up what little things we brought with us, Maven and I give our few bags to servants who take them to be loaded into our transport. We head outside, meeting everyone out on the palace steps.

I look at everyone standing here, Farley, Davidson, Cal, Ptolemus, and Anabel, and can't help but remember everything I've been through with all of these people. What we had to do to come this far. All the good memories. All the bad.

Maven gives my hand a quick squeeze before heading off to say goodbye to his brother and his grandmother. I head over to Farley and Davidson who both pull me into a hug.

"Thank you, both of you, for all of your help. For all of your hard work. For everything you did to get us to this point," I tell them.

"No, Mare, thank you for being the one who set all of this into motion. The one who brought us to this point," Davidson tells me, giving my hand a squeeze.

"Now go be a good queen to your people. I know you'll do what's right. But just please don't screw it up," Farley tells me with a smile.

I laugh a little at Farley's comment before pulling the two back into another hug. I don't know what I'm going to do without them. Espically Farley. She's basically family at this point and she was always the one I went to when I needed help. Everything will be so different knowing that she's not gonna be there to have my back.

"Promise you guys will visit soon?" I ask, giving them small smiles.

"Of course, Mare," Davidson says, smiling back.

Farley nods in agreement before motioning at me to go finish my goodbyes.

I wave one last goodbye to the two before heading over to Cal.

Maven has already finsihed the goodbyes for his family and given a formal goodbye to Ptolemus. He heads over to Davidson and Farley and I watch them exchange a few words and shake hands before he heads over to his transport. He gives me a smile, waiting for me to say my last goodbye. My hardest one.

Anabel, Ptolemus, Farley, and Davidson have all gone inside and it's just me and Cal standing on the steps.

I walk over to him and we exchange a short hug.

"I'm going to miss having the little lightning girl around," he tells me with a grin, and I laugh at him.

"And I'm gonna miss always having the flame of the North tagging along," I reply, causing him to softly smile.

"Be good to Maven. He really does love you," Cal says, seriousness returning to his voice.

"I really do love him too," I reply softly.

"You'll be a great queen, Mare. Go make everyone proud," he whispers, smiling again.

I give him a slight smile in response and he pulls me in for another hug. Our last.

"I hope you find your queen soon, Cal," I tell him after we've pulled apart.

"Me too," Cal whispers in response.

We stand in silence for a little bit before Cal grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

"Goodbye Mare," he whispers.

"Goodbye Cal," I whisper in return, not believeing I'm really saying goodbye to him.

We went through so much together. He's the reason I was brought into this mess. He's the reason I was discovered and this huge chain of events was put into motion. He's the reason I'm standing here right now, on my way to become a queen.

"Thank you for everything you did. Thank you for all the memories. I'll never forget you," I say quietly, looking into those gorgeous eyes one last time.

I turn around and head down the palace steps, his ever-present warmth slowly fading away.

I'm never going to feel it again.

I make my way over to Maven and he smiles at me, extending his hand. I give him a small smile, not really putting too much effort into it, and take his hand. He helps me into the transport and we climb inside and take our seats. The driver shuts the door for us before heading to the driver's seat and driving away.

As we slowly climb down the palace driveway, I turn and look out the back window at the palace behind us and the King still standing on its steps. He watches us fade from his view, never making a move to go inside with the others. He stays until I can no longer see him, but I don't stop looking. I only turn back around when the palace finally fades away into nothing.

As I turn back around, Maven's hand still in my own, I turn to him, laying my head on his chest.

I never want to say goodbye again. I've already said so many. I've lost so many that I've known and held close. I won't allow anyone else to be taken from me.

I bury my head into Maven's shirt that smells so much like him. I close my eyes and I let the tears fall. I cry for the first time in a long time for everyone I've lost. For everyone I've had to say goodbye to. But I mostly cry because of the goodbyes I just had to say. Those were the hardest of them all.

Now some people might end the book here but I'm gonna be nice and give you a few more chapters. Which brings me to the point that there are only a few chapters left of this book!!! Exciting right? Anyway, sorry about the shorter chapter but I feel like I said everything that needed to be said. Be sure to vote and comment please and stay tuned for the last few chapters coming soon!!