Lover's Curse (Red Queen Awards Winner)

Chapter Three - This is War

Think of me in the depths of your despair                                                             Make a home down there as mine sure won't be shared                                                                       - Rolling in the Deep by Adele

Mare

I call him in the evening.

He appears within minutes, silent as a cat.  Annoyed as one, too.  "I hope you're happy.  Had to spend most of the day cleaning up after that stunt you pulled last night."

"Didn't realize you were that busy."  I trace the dent his shattered glass made in the table.  "Does the country shut down every time you take a nap?"

"What do you want?"

"Freedom, lightning, Cal, my family, equality, hope, justice, a body that isn't on the precipice of death . . ."  I count on my fingers.  "Could you fetch me a pen?"

"Fetch it yourself."

"Someone's grumpy.  Are you up for another game, or are your nights busy too?"

"I'll have to check."  Maven smirks.  "My nights might be quite busy.  I'm a married man, you know."

"If you're trying to make me jealous, it isn't working."

"Chess again?"   He settles across from me, fishing his queen from the box.  "Victory is sweet, but it does become tedious."

I raise an eyebrow.  "Maven Calore.  Is that cowardice I smell?"

"Your nose isn't working.  Are you ill?"

"I'm sick of your dawdling."  I set up the board.  "Prepare to be demolished."

We spar for an hour, trading insults and chess pieces like childhood best friends.  Kilorn's face floats in my brain, and a lump rises in my throat.  Does he miss me?  Has the monster supplanted the girl from the Stilts?

I'll never know.

"Haven't seen Samson lately.  Must be too busy to appear in the courtyard."  Fear creeps into my voice.  "Was there a lost battle I didn't learn about?"

Maven claims my rook.  "He didn't return after the wedding."

"Testing out a replacement, huh?  Or was he the last Merandus?"

"How morbid."  Maven moves his bishop from the reach of my knight, overlooking the pawn a square below.  "Delay does not mean death.  He might've tracked down Evangeline, and is coming so we might put her on trial.  Or her brother."  His lips curve.  "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

I would.  Shade's death still smarts like an acid burn, and anger is wont to dance with pain.  Let Ptolemus feel how he felt.

I never want to feel again.

"If we capture him, I'll let you decide his fate."  Maven leans forward, hungry.  "Consider it a token of my affection."

"How optimistic.  You assume I'll live that long."

That shuts him up.

My pawn closes the trap, eliminating his bishop.  "What's it like?"

"Hmm?"

"Fucking Iris."

Maven chokes.  "We--we don't use that term."

"What do you call it, then?  Procreation?  Intercourse?"  I stare into his eyes, unfazed.  "You Silvers love sucking joy from life."

He avoids my gaze.  "Marital duties."

"That's worse."  I snort.  "I've never heard two words more miserable."

"It's not supposed to be fun.  Marriage is the unification of families.  And families require children."  Maven darts his queen down the board.  "However unpleasant the process."

"You're such a romantic."

"I'm a king.  I've no need for romance."

My pawn dashes his queen to bits.  "Damn. Iris's been having a rough time."

He stiffens.  "We haven't started."

"Why not?"  I dangle his queen.  "She's beautiful.  Strong.  Confidant.  I bet she knows how to have fun.  If I were you, I'd go for it."

"Checkmate."  He doesn't look at me.

I snatch his wayward rook.  "That's illegal."

"I have business to attend to."

"Cheat and leave.  What a gentleman."

"You're no lady."  He prepares to exit, but my hand snags his.  "Blonos couldn't work miracles."

"Neither can you."

"Why are you asking?"  Maven leans closer.  "Does it bother you?   Do images of us together haunt your dreams?"  His palm sweats, but I don't let go.  "Are you worried my affection for you will fade? Because that will never happen."  A ragged breath.   "No matter how much I want it to."

"Maybe you'll attach to her and I can die in peace."

He draws back.  "Fair enough."  I try to ignore the hurt creeping into his voice.  "I understand the sentiment, no matter how unlikely."  He leaves.

Another wedge between him and Iris.

I may have poked where I shouldn't have, but he won't guilt me.  He won't make me regret this.  Maven can look as forlorn as he pleases, but I'm not falling for it.  I won't let another tear fall.

This is not love.

This is war.

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