My King of Darkness (Maven x OC)

Chapter 30

Maven

             I made my way down to the dungeons, now dressed in the same uniform I wore when I introduced Lydia to this world. To this side of me. Now I wondered how that had affected her.
             As each day without my mother in my head passed, I was beginning to realize...compassion is a bitch.
              But there was something about caring for Lydia that filled me up inside. I hadn't thought of what would happen when I threw myself between her and Cal. It hadn't quite registered at first that I had been stabbed, just that she was safe. It seemed compassion was painful and wonderful and dignified and humiliating all at once.
              But now wasn't the time for compassion. A sword hung at my side. I wouldn't make any mistakes this time. I'd kill my brother right there in his cell with no one to see except the guards flanking me this very moment.
             And Lydia of course.
             I hoped it wouldn't hurt her too much to watch. Maybe she'd even enjoy watching. Somehow, part of me hoped she wouldn't.
              But when I reached the dungeon, things got complicated. "Lydia," I said, exhasperated.
              "Yes?" both Cals responded at the same time.
              "Please don't do this to me," I held my head in my hands.
              "Take your pick," they both said. "Will you risk choosing the wrong one?"
              "Lydia, this is childish. Stop," I said to one.
              "Are you sure I'm Lydia?"
              "I might be Lydia,"
              "You could always of course let us both go free..."
             "Or I could kill the both of you and be done with this," I snapped, but I knew it was an empty threat.
              Lydia knew too.
              I studied them both in turn, long and hard to find a telltale difference, but there was none. My queen was much too talented. Finally, I turned to one of the guards, "Release them both."
               Both Cals insisted that the three of us walk to the edge of the city, before they revealed who was who. Neither Cal nor I had an advantage out here. When we got to our destination, one of the Cals turned to me and kissed me on the mouth. I yanked away, "Bleh!"
                 Lydia morphed back into herself, giggling, "Thanks, Babe!"
                 Cal walked off without a word. "It's been fun!" Lydia called.
                 But her smiled quickly vanished. I seized her collar, ignoring her yelp of surprise and pain, "Don't ever do that again. Understand?"
                 "Of course," Lydia smirked.

                 Lydia and I returned to the palace. "I'm going to go get ready for bed," she said, tentatively, as if gauging my reaction.
                 I smiled, "I'll be there shortly." I continued on to my study.
                 It was no use dwelling on what had happened. I thought I had made it quite clear to my fiancé how I felt about her actions. And knowing Lydia there was no persuading her to change if she decided not to take my warning seriously.
                 When I reached my office, there was already a figure sitting at my desk. "Maven,"
                 "Hello, mother,"
                 "Is your brother dead?"
                 "No," I admitted with some difficulty, "He escaped."
                 "It was that Red girl, wasn't it?"
                 "Well—"
                 "This is where I draw the line, Maven. We've given up too much for that girl. You risked your life for her, and you still say it's all for show," she had stood up and circled my desk until she was standing in front of me. One hand caressed my cheek, "Really, dear."
                 The gentle touch was meant to seem loving, but it felt like thorns in my flesh, and I knew it was meant to distract me from her entering my mind. She was boring into my defenses with all her strength.
                  "But it was," I murmured, "You think I'd give up my life for a Red."
                  All at once that same hand slapped me across the face, "Don't lie to me! I know you would. She's just another Thomas, just another Mare. Why do you spit on everything we built? Everything I tried to achieve for you, Maven?"
                  I stayed facing away from her to hide the look on my face. I tried desperately to rein in my emotions, to lower my body temperature. But they all squirmed around together within me: humiliation, pain, anger. How dare she bring Mare and Thomas into this! How could she call all that she'd done to me "achieving" something for me?!
                   But then there was the cherry on top.
                   When I didn't respond, my mother grabbed me by the jaw and twisted my head to face her. In my anger, her fingers hissed on my skin. I let the heat intensify—all I wanted was for her to stop touching me—but she dug further into my flesh, forcing me to turn it down.
                    "You've been so insolent lately!" my mother hissed, "You listen to me, Maven. Lydia Cross will be dead by the end of this week."
                    "But my plan—" I croaked out.
                   "Can be accelerated. Lydia will be dead by the end of the week or I'll kill her myself and you and I will have some things to sort out."
                    "Sorting out" meant that she would wipe my memories, take back the sanity I'd won from her. She'd probably leave me a brain dead, drooling heap for a few days, before polishing me back up into her cold, unfeeling robot.
                     That was somewhere that I'd sworn I'd never go back.