I Choose You

Three

Mare

10 minutes.

That's more than enough for Shade and Kilorn, but Cal? This may be the last 10 minutes I will spend with him. Staying with Maven for who knows how long is a risky business. I might die at any given moment, but I have some security knowing that Cal, Kilorn, and Shade will be alright.

"Who do you wish to speak with first?" asked Maven.

"Kilorn,"

I'll get the easy goodbye over with. Easy is an understatement, nothing about this is easy. Everyone leaves, it's just me and Kilorn for 10 minutes. Hopefully not the last 10.

"Hey," he gets it out before I slap him across the face.

"I deserve that,"

"Yeah right you do, after almost dying, that's the least I can do,"

He smiles, I smile, if my slap leaves a mark, it'll remind him to not publicly humiliate and endanger himself again.

"Why'd you come here and do that?" I rest on one hip. Giving him a stare he knows all too well.

"Because Mare," he pauses, finding his words, I stand up straight, the tension in the air is real, "I love you, Mare."

"Kilorn, we've been over this,"

"I know Mare, I know,"

I look at him, trying not to cry again, I know that I may never see him again. Maven will keep me here, he will do whatever it takes to leave me here.

"Love as a- a friend or?" I know I've asked him this, I know we've had this conversation before, but I need it again. He hesitates, finding his words.

"More than one," he fights his tears with his words, I can feel the tears come out onto my cheeks. Kilorn's hand swipes up to my cheek, he cups my face, wiping my tear away with his thumb. I breathe heavily, not knowing what to do at this moment, a moment of 10.

"Mare," his breath is heavy, almost as heavy as mine. I want to respond but the words won't come. His hand stays on my cheek, his warmth is different than Cal's or Maven's. It's just- different. But the warmth is just as addicting as everyone else's. It's too much to take right now, Kilorn feels the same way Maven and Cal do, but not as deep, I can tell. Maven loves me to the point where I am his prisoner. Cal loves me the same way I do him. But Kilorn, loves me in a way I don't understand. He's known for years I don't feel the same way, but he persists, I don't know what to think.

"Kilorn, I-" he cuts me off when his lips meet mine, I didn't expect this. This is different than every kiss I've had with Cal, Cal's are warm, but this one is like a goodbye, a goodbye I can't take. I close my eyes, I can't take this pain. I know Kilorn will always be with me, I know that. He knows I love Cal, then why would he do this? I don't need to say that I am now under Maven's control, he already knows when we embrace this way.

When his lips go, I open my eyes, Kilorn's green eyes are full of sadness. Our breathing patterns are matched, but his are heavier than mine, as if he had to dive into the water for a long period of time, then he came up from the deep, gasping for breath. I guess our kiss was the ocean. He wrapped his hands around my waist. "I'm gonna miss you, Mare."

I continue to hold in my tears. His touch is so heavy, he leans into me softly, but it weighs me down like an anchor. "I'm gonna miss you too, Kilorn,"

I can hear Maven's footsteps, those 10 minutes were the fastest 10 minutes of my life. Kilorn lets go of me. He locks eyes with Maven and nods.

"Mare, I'll get you out of here I promise," He says quietly and quickly, before being dragged out of the courtyard, and out of my sight.