Defying Gravity

Chapter 7

Maxon's View:

My chest heaves as I step back into the palace, finally finished with tracking down the three mercenaries sent by the rebel commander, Lucius Baird, the man who murdered my father. Not, that my father wasn't deserving of it... he was a monster.

Thinking back to my childhood, I wonder how I'm not more fucked up than I am. The constant demeaning speeches, the abuse my mother endured, the control of not only his subjects... but the control of our family. I can remember the overwhelming relief I had when I heard of his passing, no guilt in my cold heart. Afterwards, I had sworn to myself that I would be a better King, a better being.

"Max, did you hear me?" The burly voice of Garret brings me out of my thoughts and
I shake my head slightly, looking up at him in confusion.

Garret is one of the only people I fully truly trust in this palace and the only person I allow to call me Max.

"Oh, sorry... what did you say?" I question, leaning against the cold dungeon wall behind me.

Garret and Lennox chuckle darkly across the room, their deep voices echoing in the small, damp room.

"You've been so distracted the past few months, Maxon." Lennox says, snickering as he elbows Garret.

"Must be that girl... who even knew you had a heart for all of that?" Garret smirks, moving across the room and shoving a large, black bag down the disposal shute.

I roll my eyes and walk towards the one remaining rebel who sits in a rickety chair in the middle of the room. The young, red-headed fey is unconscious in front of me; his head slumped over to the side. A trickle of blood runs down the sides of his face and down his shoulders, before it falls to the ground.

"How about we stop worrying about my personal life and continue finishing him off." I snarl, rage building up in me as I think about what this man would have done to Lucy... had I not been with her.

Garret and Lennox nod quickly, leaving the subject alone. They've seen my rage and anger before and they've never shied away from it, not in the way I know others do.

I grab the blood stained hair of the fey in front of me, pulling his face upwards as my nails elongate, puncturing into his scalp.

His eyes flash open immediately at the pain and he stares into my eyes, fear illuminating from his body. My father always reveled in the smell and the taste of fear in his subjects... he was addicted to it and in some ways I can understand why.

The fey in front of me breathes heavily as he looks into my eyes, which I know are now the deepest shade of black. His screams fill the room as I rummage through his thoughts, filling up on any information I can get out about the rebel forces.

Lucy's POV:

I wake up suddenly to the sound of rain on the glass windows. Looking around, its pitch black and likely near midnight.

Maxon.

He was supposed to come let me know when he returned but I must've been asleep when he checked on me. What if he hasn't made it back in yet? Or what if he's hurt or worse...dead and I've been here laughing and sleeping with mom the whole time?

I jolt out of bed, throwing the covers back, still a little disoriented. I rub my hands over my eyes in an effort to wake myself up quickly. I move towards the door, opening it quickly and moving out into the dimly lit hallway. I squint my eyes, adjusting to the increased brightness and begin to shuffle down the hallway.

A few guards tilt their heads at me, questioning if something is wrong. I quickly nod at them and wave them off, hurrying to Maxon's door. My heart is bounding in my chest, anxiety taking over as I think of all the ways that he could be hurt.