Newblooded

Chapter 19: Mare

I paced, back and forth, back and forth. "You're going to wear down the floor Mare," Kilhorn says patting the bed beside him. I fling myself next to him. He starts rubbing circles on my back, the tensed knots relaxing gradually, "I know it's just..." I turn to look at Kilhorn, "He's up to something." I mumble thinking of all the ways that Cal could take Raven from me. It only makes me more upset.

"Mare!" I hear Farley call. Then I see her blonde hair, Clara on her hip. I pop up from the bed immediately, "What is it, Farley?" I bark automatically, fearing the worst. "Come they need you in the war room" my face falls. Do they just need me in the war room? For the commotion that Farley made, her tone? I should feel relaxed at those thoughts, but somehow, Farley's expression gave me no comfort.

I grab Raven who had been silently sitting in the corner playing with a few blocks I had acquired for her at the market. I heave her into my hip, giving both Clara and Raven a small smile.

***

I burst into the war room, only high-class officials who knew my secret present. In that one moment, all my hope slipped away. Whatever this was, it had to do with Raven. Probably Cal too. "Mare! Glad you could join us!" Commander voices to me. I smile, "Sorry Commander." I bark back at him. He motions for me to approach him. I reply by placing Raven in Kilhorn's arms and approaching the commander. Even with my joking manner, the man still gave me the creeps. This wasn't Farley's father anymore, he had been sent somewhere else after the war. This was someone new, someone, who hadn't exactly earned by complete and wholesome trust yet. However, he had gotten me and Raven out of enough rough spots to at least have a little faith in him. "Commander, what is the meaning of this?" I ask wearily as he flings a piece of paper towards me, "See for yourself." He plops himself in a small chair. the crackle of the flames tickling my legs with warmth, reminding me all too well of Raven's father. I look down at the paper clenched in my grip. There I was, me. I was front and center on a poster, a poster for Queenstrial of all things. "Mare I thought you told the man no!" he barks at me. I don't move a muscle, I'm sure that if I did this place would get deep-fried.

How dare he?

"I told him NO!" I roar, still clenching my fists tight to my body. Farley steps in, "Commander..." she warns nodding at my hands. Electricity disappears and reappears, dancing and flickering on my skin. Commander takes a deep breath. "What do you suppose we do General?" he asks, staring daggers at Farley. She just smiles, "We let her compete." she says almost menacingly, letting it sink in. Most people in the room had gone silent to listen to our conversation. However, the few murmurs that remained were silenced immediately. The lightning sputtered out as I know glared daggers at Farley. "I'm not competing in the Queenstrial." I say running to grab Raven from Kilhorn's arms, "We all know I would be crowned queen long before I entered the ring." Others nodded in agreement, Commander and General Farley simply exchange glances. I walk out leaving the room far behind. I hold back tears, I won't let them fall in front of my daughter. I run outside feeling the breeze around me whipping my hair in every direction. "Momma, it's cold!" Raven whines and I start to acknowledge the bitter cold. It was at times that this I wished for Cal's embrace. "Raven, why don't you go play?" I tell her, setting her to the ground. She smiles, running off into the wind. I know that Farley and Kilhorn will give me some time before coming to talk to me. Sometimes I desperately need it. I walked to the lightning hill. No one was there, most of the Electrons had left. I could feel the storm raging inside me. I can somehow sense the soft beats of the clouds. There was some sort of storm swirling just beyond the sky. The electricity sparked like a pre-lit fire, a fire I was ready to let burn.

Then I let it loose.

***

Lightning struck me, the purple bolt blinding me for only a split second. The bolt branched off creating a second bolt, smaller than the first, but just as deadly. It arched, spiraling into a large oak leaving the tree in a jumble of leaves and sparks. I smile, destruction was something I was proud of. My hair billowed behind me, a full-blown storm now taking over. The wind brushed my face giving me the chills. Thunder boomed a purple lightning bolt streaking the sky. The dark clouds break, dousing me in cold pelting rain. I finally start to calm down, my powers are definitely improving in strength and control. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be able to control a storm, much less have all this happen and not strike the building down. Trust me, I wouldn't have believed it. Yet, that year felt so long ago. I had other things to worry about. Alone in the cold rain, I sat on the hill. I cried, I cried about Dad, I cried about Shade, I cried about Cal, I cried about Raven. I cried about everything that I didn't let myself cry about before. And as I cried lightning struck.

***

Eventually I hear footsteps behind me. My knees tucked, head in between them. I must look so pathetic. "Well Mare at least you didn't blow the base over." Kilhorn jokes throwing a fallen tree limb down into the forest below. I can feel his eyes on the back of my head. He slumps down next to me. Letting his eyes wander from my face, to the woods, then back to me. He smiles, "Pretty nice storm you made there." I can't help but smile. He wraps his arm around me, pulling me into a crushing hug. I put my head in the crook of his neck, feeling the lightning ebb away. He pulls away from our embrace, wiping my tears with his thumb. "There's the Mare I know." he smiles. I can't help but chuckle. Raven bounds up, throwing herself into my lap. She giggles, playing with the grass that has now been charred by my lightning. I stroke her head, allowing little bolt to jostle her hair. Kilhorn watches me, "What are you going to do?" I can hear the worry in his voice. I look up, "I have to face him." I'm trembling, but I have more important things to worry about. "Mare you know that he will choose you..." he trails off. I get up, hauling Raven to my hip. "Yes. But every person who saw that flyer will be expecting me to be there. We...she's survived because we were off the radar, ignored by the feeds." I express to him. He simply looks down. I move towards him, using my thumb to make him look at me, "But, it's the only choice I have...the only one we have." I say looking at Raven. He sighs, "Why do I feel like you're sacrificing your happiness for us...again." he mumbles. Flashbacks from the crash plague my memories. The screeching of the metal, twisting to confine us. Those cold blue eyes, piercing through everything. My hand falls to my side, my eyes fluttering against the howling wind that I hadn't noticed until now, "I'm sorry Mare I-...." "It's fine." I cut him off. "Now if you don't mind. I would like to spend as much time with my daughter as possible." I finish strongly. My sentence flutters on the wind. It was such a powerful sentence, but why do I feel so small. I've condemned myself to a fate far worse than death.

I turn away from him, and he doesn't stop me. 

***

I told you I would post soon! A little longer than the last chapter, but not by much. Again, thanks for all the support!!

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-Isabelle