His Red Queen

Chapter Forty-one - Evangeline

I have no idea what is taking the Little Lightning Girl so long. I know for a fact that my sword hardly cut her and that she should have been in there for maybe two minutes. At first I thought that buying us some extra time would be good but now...against my better judgment, I am worried about Mare and her well-being.

Farley cocks her gun, takes down a few Silvers as she darts to the transport I'm behind. The rendezvous we chose. When she is closer, I dig deep into my ability and feel for all the bullets laying across the clearing, any knives or other metals. I call them to me, creating a makeshift barrier between this transport and the now-dying-down battle.

Farley is panting. "We gotta get going." She throws open the door to the transport and climbs in. "He's not going to abdicate. But we can still try."

I get in the seat next to her. "Aren't you tired of this?" I ask as she begins driving around the battle.

"Of what?"

"This blind hope. Of working for a cause that is hardly going anywhere." I cringe at my own words. Not at the cruelty in them but that fact that I am not so incredibly different from her.

Farley smirks, her scars tugging at her skin. "It's not blind hope when you can see a better future when the storm is done."

We ride in silence for a while until we are finally at the end of the woods, where Lakelands vehicles are waiting for us. My palms go slick from nervousness.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" I ask as I get out of the transport.

Farley shrugs. "I hope so." She saunters over to the largest transport and knocks on the driver's side door. "Colonel Farley," she announces herself.

The door swings open and Princess Iris of the Lakelands steps out. Then Cal. They are both dressed in their wedding attire, the beautiful young woman in a deep blue dress made up of layers of silk, Cal in a fine black suit adorned with military metals.

He flashes a grin while his wife remains expressionless, sizing me up. "Long time no see, Evangeline. Or should I say Princess Evangeline?"

I laugh and shake his hand. "I am not completely disappointed to be working with you, Calore." I dip my chin ever so slightly at Iris, one princess greeting another. "Good to meet you, Princess."

Farley clears her throat. "Yes, it is very nice to be in the presence of more royals but currently, I am trying to keep a boy king from killing us all so please excuse me while I take my leave." She adds the last bit mockingly as she sketches a bow and saunters off.

Cal chuckles. "She never tires, does she?"

I crack my knuckles, an old habit of mine. "No. Have you gotten any information on Shade Barrow? He was supposed to scout and aid you but Maven's people got to him too soon." I frown. "Mare has been a wreck and I know she'll go back to Maven if he uses Shade as leverage."

Iris inspects her nails, clearly listening but making an effort to pretend otherwise.

Cal runs a calloused hand through his black hair. It's grown out a bit now but is so different from his brother's. "I haven't heard anything. But what we need to focus on right now is getting Maven—and Mare," he adds dully, looking down at the dirt, "off the throne."

I expect Iris to seem jealous by the way Cal mentions Mare but instead she offers a thin lipped smile. Understanding is what they have. He loves Mare and cannot have her, while having to remain married to a woman he does not love. My heart clenches as my traitorous mind drifts to Elane. I don't have time to think about my sweet shadow. I made sure that she is safe. With my brother. I grit my teeth.

"We need to get to Whitefire," I grit out.

Cal balks. "No!"

Iris hesitates but puts a slender hand on her husband's arm. He glances at her almost gratefully before stepping away from her and stepping up to me. His eyes darken. "I am not going back there," he growls.

I cross my arms. "This is the only way." I try to sound civil but the way he scoffs at me makes me want to strangle him right here. "Have you contacted Anabel Lerolan?"

Cal pales. "Yes, I have."

"And?"

Iris smiles ever so slightly. "What Tiberias means is that he has talked to her about this situation and she is ready to help us. Like you, she wishes to infiltrate before the king and queen get back but if we keep babbling here, we're going to waste too much time and we won't have that element of surprise that we so long for." She glances sidelong at Cal. "Isn't that right?"

He nods slowly. "Let's get going then, ladies. Mare can only keep my brother distracted for so long before he remembers his evil agenda."