My King of Darkness (Maven x OC)

Chapter 18

Maven

                "So, you're going to free the Reds yourself?" Farley cocked her head and smirked at me, clearly thinking this had to be a joke, "Why?"
               I shrugged, "I have my reasons."
               "Which are?" Cal pressed, "You know as well as I do the chaos that would ensue if we just set them loose."
               "That's why I'm not going to just set them loose. I'm being smart about this unlike you people,"
               "The other Silvers would turn on you in a second," Cal said, though it didn't sound like a warning.
                "By the time they know what hit them it'll be too late," I murmured, purposefully as if speaking to myself.
               "You're talking about rising up against our own people?!" Cal cried, catching on.
              I gave him a wide, toothy, crazed grin, "That's exactly what I'm talking about: daughter against mother, wife against husband, brother against brother. Anyone who opposes me strong enough to be a threat will be dead. The only ones left standing with any power will be my allies."
              "And who are these allies?" Farley asked.
              "Now, now, I'm not about to put all my cards on the table," I wagged my finger at her.
              Cal turned away and headed for the door, "He's not going to just give them up. I'm going back to training."
              I craned my neck, "Who're you training?"
              "Your girlfriend!" he cried spitefully.
                                   
              I watched Lydia hit the ground hard for a third time. "This is ridiculous," I mused.
              Next to me, Mare sighed, "She doesn't have an offensive ability like us. She needs to know how to fight."
              "In case she gets caught being your spy? At least it's a better plan than suicide pills," I snorted.
               Cal seemed to be satisfied with the hand-to-hand training after Lydia ate it a few more times. Next, he collected a pair of swords, handing her one. He held his out, inviting her to try him. Lydia just stared at the blade like it was a foreign object, "I don't want to hurt you..."
               Cal chuckled and even Mare and I cracked grins. "Don't worry. You're not going to hurt me."
                Shrugging, Lydia swung the sword at him with all her might. Cal blocked the blow easily. Lydia swung and swung.
                As we watched, I became more and more aware of Mare's closeness. My heart started pounding. I didn't still have these awful feelings for her. I couldn't! I was her prisoner and she hated me!
                 No, this was something else. Regret?
                 Ugh, I hope not! The horror!
                 "Listen," I said, more harshly than I meant, "I'm not going to pretend I regret what I did to you, but I know it was awful and I wish things could have been different."
                 "They could have," Mare said, bitterly, "But you made your choice."
                 "I did. But I did care for you, really."
                 She turned to fully face me, scoffing, "How am I supposed to believe you?"
                 "Believe me or not, I don't care. But what I felt for you was real. And what I feel for Lydia is too. But it's like I said, she's different than you."
                  "So you're going to hurt her eventually too?"
                  "No, I can't lose someone I love for the third time,"
                  Mare didn't answer. She just stared at me as I turned my attention back to the arena.
                  "I give up!" Lydia cried, letting her sword hang at her side.
                  "You're not allowed to give up until you can no longer stand!"
                  One of our fathers lines.
                  "I'm not one of your damn soldiers, Cal! I don't even want to learn to fight!"
                  "Then how do you expect to defend yourself? Watch me,"
               Where Lydia swung madly at her opponent, Cal danced with his, expertly aiming each blow. It looked as if he put no effort, no strength behind each movement, but Lydia barely blocked him.
                Then she saw her opening.
                 As Cal brought his arm back to deliver what would be the final blow, Lydia dropped her sword to her side and morphed—
                 Into our father.
                 I could barely hear her from where I stood but she murmured, "Son..."
                 Cal froze, mid-swing for a second, giving Lydia time to dive forward, ramming the hilt of her sword into his stomach. As Cal doubled over, Lydia got under him, placing her hip inside his and flipping him over her shoulder, landing him on his back. Before he could jump up, Lydia had placed a foot on his chest and brought the tip of her sword to his throat.
                She gave a shrill, mocking laugh, "You may have grown up in the palace, sweetie, but I grew up in the city,"
               I laughed too, "That's my girl. Like I said, nothing like you."
               Lydia released Cal. He stood up, slowly, looking wounded in pride and spirit. "You fight like a coward," he grimaced, "Any warrior with any honor gives a fair fight."
               Lydia shrugged, totally uninsulted, "Honor doesn't keep you alive. What matters is winning, not how you do it."
               Mare pursed her lips, side-eyeing me, "Listen, I still hate you, but that girl is perfect for you. Hang onto her."