His Red Queen

Chapter Twenty-six

"What happened to Julian?" I ask once we are up in the air. The sentinels have attended to him already; one must be a skin healer because the bruise on his face is gone. He's still knocked out, though it is probably for the best.

He glances warily at the unconscious singer. "He tried to stop me from saving you." It's silent for a long moment. "Don't worry about Ptolemus. He didn't get burned. I just needed to get away."

"What did he want?" I sigh as I shift in my seat, trying to get more comfortable.

Maven shakes his head. "He thought that kidnapping you would bring me to him to talk. Negotiate an alliance." His hand grazes my face gently as he looks for any signs of harm that I may have collected. "Did they hurt you?"

"Not really. Evangeline just taunted me. And this." I raise my hands, displaying my raw wrists. He reaches out hesitantly and I nod. He takes my hands and kisses them both.

"I'm sorry, Mare." He pulls me close to him.

"It's not your fault. I ran away."

"I drove you away." It sounds more like a question.

"I needed to see my brother." The words are cold, sharp. But I do not remind him that he was the one who didn't let me see my family to begin with. And in a way, he's succeeded because I never got the chance to see everyone else.

I clutch the necklace Shade gave me. It's warm against my skin.

"Your birthday is in two days," Maven says.

I draw my knees up to my chest and turn away from him.

"Mare." He puts a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" I cry. "Maven, I was just kidnapped twice!" He looks like he's been struck. That means he's listening. Finally listening. "Your brother had Shade kidnap me because he was jealous."

"What?"

I tell him everything. How I willingly went with Shade, under false pretenses. When I learned that it was Cal's idea to bring me to that stupid island where I thought the rest of my family would be. I tell him all that and how I went home because I wanted to. Then how I was intercepted by Evangeline and Ptolemus' orders, brought to The Rift, and stuck there all night.

He listens the entire time. Never interrupts me—not even once. But though he listens, he wears an expressionless mask, making it so hard to look at him. To not scream at him or turn away again.

After what feels like an eternity, he finally responds. "All that and you didn't even see your whole family." Twisting the knife: his specialty.

"This feud, Maven." The airjet hits a bout of turbulence and I bounce with it before standing up and standing in front of him so he has to look in my eyes. I grab the collar of his shirt and he doesn't even flinch. "When does it end?" He opens his mouth to say something but I shove him back. "With my death?"

"Mare—"

"No! I need to know when you will focus on being king, instead of getting back at your brother."

Maven grits his teeth. "Say his name."

"What?"

"Say his name."

"Cal!" I shout in his face. "Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal." It's like a curse, a prayer. Maven smiles devilishly as tears well in my eyes. "Are you happy?"

"Quite satisfied." He leans back in his seat but I remain standing. "What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for you to stop acting like a child! Do you know what an alliance with The Rift can do? I hate Evangeline as much as you do but they can be useful."

Maven's gaze drifts to my wrists which are red and raw. "They hurt you," he grumbles.

"Who hasn't at this point?" My voice breaks. I put my head in my hands, hiding how much it hurts as my face brushes against my wounds.

Maven does not say anything.

The airjet touches down in front of Whitefire. I get out before Maven or any of the sentinels. I don't even check to see if Julian is okay.

Bone-weary, I immediately go to our rooms. Maven gives me some space, staying in the salon as I shower, then change into a nightgown. I give him a few extra minutes to sit alone and think. Then, I peak into the salon and find him half asleep on the couch.

"I'm going to sleep," I say. Not an invitation to join me but not telling him not to.

"Goodnight." He doesn't move.

"Aren't you going to put some pajamas on?" I ask. "You look uncomfortable."

"I'm good."

I don't want to be angry anymore. We argued and it's over now. But no matter what, he's always going to believe he is right. His need for vengeance is always going to outweigh whatever love he claims to have for me. I should leave him on the couch. Let him get a stiff back or cramps from curling up on that couch... that couch that is probably worth more than my entire house in The Stilts.

"Fine," I say and walk to the door, about to go into the hall.

My hand grips the doorknob for about two seconds before strong arms are around my waist, holding me in place. I hold in my laugh.

"No; don't go," he growls. My back is against his chest. I can feel his heartbeat. His lips brush my ear as he speaks. "Let's call a stalemate. No more fighting."

"Haven't we done this already?" I turn around to face him but he doesn't let go of me. Instead, he pulls me closer, practically nose to nose when I look up at him.

"Yes we have." he runs a finger over my chin, my lips. "I want to try again, though. I want to fix this."

We're both broken. Pieces of glass already shattered. Nothing will ever really put me back together, get rid of the things that I have seen and done and will do. No one will ever be able to piece Maven back together after what his mother has done to him.

"I don't know if either of us can ever be fixed," I whisper.

Maven's lips meet mine, gently at first. But once I give in, he deepens the kiss, one hand holding my face, the other gripping my waist. I feel like I am falling off a cliff, about to hit the ground.

"Who said we were broken?" he whispers against my lips.