Chapter 21
I look up at Farley and Shade, and their expressions tell me everything I need to know. Its true.
"How?" I say, unable to breathe. "How did they get to them? Oh god" the realisation hits. "Mum, dad?" Farley interrupts before I can panic.
"They're ok Mare. The soldiers who took Gisa and Clara knocked them around a little, but they are ok" Farley looks drained. I can see her trying to hold it together, but it is slowly threatening to tear her apart. Shade too. He looks exhausted.
"You know what this means right?" They don't look at me. We all know what I have to do. I have to listen to the letter. One thing we know about Maven, is that he does not make empty threats. His threats always end up coming to fruition. I shiver thinking about how scared they must be. First Friday. That's this coming Friday. 5 days. It's too late. I need to go today. I don't want them there with him. "We need to move. We need to get to him. Do the swap. Now" Shade stands and walks over to me, he places his hand on my cheek.
"Its ok Mare" he soothes me, and I still cant believe he is here. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to". Its quite the opposite. I need to do this. Even though I promised I would never be his prisoner, for Clara and Gisa, I would send my head to him in a box. I would die. I don't care. They know that too. They are innocent. It has to be me.
The door starts to bang, hard, and someone is on the other side. We hear voices, and I know its Kilorn and Cameron. They must have been wondering, and the hour has passed since Cal was supposed to come to me. Farley moves to open the door. The realisation hits Kilorn first. Then Cal and then Cameron. The soldiers behind them, well they have no idea what is happening. To them, Shade is just another red. Little do they know he just came back from the dead.
"Shade? What? How" Kilorn runs into the hanger, and gives Shade a massive hug. Cameron runs to Farley and does the same.
"Long story" Shade says and hugs him back.
"I am so glad you are safe" Cameron says as Farley pats her on the back. A small smile returning, but it doesn't quite catch her eyes.
"What's wrong" Cal is the first to say. He is standing back, watching everything. Watching me. He sees it instantly in all our expressions. He knows something is wrong. I look at him, a sad expression on my face.
He instantly walks up to me, grabs my hand and asks again. "Mare. What's wrong" he squeezes my hand hard.
Here goes.
...
Farley POV
"Son of a bitch!" Cal yells. He punches the wall, the anger radiating off him. I can see the fire start to manifest in his hand. The news is not what he wants to hear. "No. There has to be another way". Mare looks at him, a sad smile marking her face. No matter what anyone says, I haven't seen love quite like Cal and Mare. They fight one minute, make up the next. They protect each other at all costs, and no matter what, no matter how hard they try, they always end up back in each others arms. I can't tell Mare that, because she thinks it can never be, but I know. That is true love. Theresa stands no chance. We can all see it the minute Mare came back to Cal.
Cal's face is a mask of horror. I can see him replaying the last time Mare was with Maven and I know this is going to be hard on him. But he knows, just like we all do, that there is no other way. Maven will kill my child, and Gisa. Shade and I talked about it too. Shade. I am still processing that. I don't know how to feel. Its everything I wanted, but at the worst time. I cant even be happy that he is alive, because all I think about is the fact that Maven has Clara. That's all that matters to us both though. Our daughter. And Gisa. We can reunite properly when they are back.
The thought chills me, because Mare won't be with us. As much as we hate to admit it, we have to give her over. We will get her back, but we have to give her to him first. It's the only way.