My King of Darkness (Maven x OC)

Chapter 43

Maven

               I was passing out more praise to my allies when the doors to the throne room banged open. "Well, this is a party! I don't remember getting an invitation,"
               There stood Farley, Mare, and Cal.
               The Silvers closest to the door lunged for them but my voice boomed over their heads,  "Let them through!"
                Obediently, my friends stood down, parting to let the trio make their way to the throne. "The Silver Lining?" Farley was saying as they walked, "Real original, Calore."
                I crossed my arms, "I think it has a nice ring to it."
                "So this was your plan, Maven?" Mare asked, pausing to stare into the lifeless eyes of Evangeline Samos. I saw a look of regret pass in front of her eyes.
                 "Yes, everyone who wanted to rule over the Reds are dead now. Everyone before you is sympathetic to our cause," I said, willing her to understand.
                  "Our cause?" Farley echoed.
                  "I killed my own mother, I just had more than half of the members of the High Houses, my own people, slaughtered and you still don't trust me?"
                   Cal was the first to ascend the steps to where Lydia and I stood. "Mare and I trust you, brother," he said, earning a withering gaze from Farley, "We just want to talk."
                   Mare followed, "If you are truly on our side, we need to be a part of this."
                   "You can be," Lydia said, hopefully, "You see now what we've been trying to do."
                   Cal shook his head in disbelief, "I hate to say it, but building an alliance, turning the High Houses against each other, it's smart."
                   I couldn't contain the grin that spread on my face. A look of understanding passed between my brother and I. A look that was broken by Farley stepping in between us, "Yes, fucking brilliant. Now we'll take it from here."
                   My face fell, "Wh—What?"
                   Mare gave me a sympathetic smile, "You did great, Maven, but for this to work Norta needs to be a democracy, with both Silvers and Reds represented."
                   "I have Lydia," I said, but as I said it I felt the futility of the words and how my voice wavered.
                   "Lydia is welcome to be a representative, but we need more. A city newblood hardly understands all Reds," Mare said, but given the look that passed between the two girls, the jab was meant to be a playful jest.
                     "I won't be a part of this without Maven," Lydia answered, threading her arm around mine.
                     "And I'm not going to just relinquish my crown, so you can crawl back into the sewers," I sneered at Farley, before casting apologetic glances at Cal and Mare. Somehow, I wanted them to know my bitterness was not aimed towards them.
                     Not anymore.
                     "Have a nice day," Lydia cooed, sarcastic sweetness dripping from her tongue. As a pair, we turned back towards our allies and proceeded to ignore the three intruders.
                     But Farley wouldn't be ignored. "See unlike our spineless friends here, Calore, I'm not asking!"
                      Out the corner of my eye, I saw her put two fingers in her mouth, and a whistle sliced through the air. The doors were thrown open again, along with the side entrances to our right and left and in swarmed the entire Scarlet Guard!
                      "Stand down! Stand down!" I ordered the Silvers who had again made to attack. They did as I commanded, but after a second of sizing up their placated and outnumbered opponents, the Scarlet Guard attacked with full force. After a moment of watching my allies stay dutifully on defensive, I roared about the din, "TAKE THEM OUT!"