Fatality ━━ Matt vs Chris Sturniolo²

𝖛𝖎𝖎𝖎. But Not All

[ tw: mentions of past child abuse ]

𝖛𝖎𝖎𝖎. But Not All

Maeve

MAEVE MAKES IT EASY for the Salems to remove her from the dais. Egg and Trio take her arms, leaving Kitten and Clover behind. Her body goes numb as they escort her out of sight. What have I done? she wonders. What will this do?

Somewhere, the others watched. She knows that. Matt, Weston, Cyrus, her family. They saw that. The shame almost makes her want to be sick all over her wretched, beautiful gown. She feels worse than when she read King Orion's Measures, dooming so many to conscription in payment for the Scarlet Guard's actions. But then, everyone knew the Measures were not Maeve's doing. She was only the messenger. Not like now.

The Salems push her forward. Not back where she came ━ back to her room ━ but behind the throne, through a doorway, to rooms she's never seen.

The first is clearly another council chamber, with a long table topped in marble, surrounded by more than a dozen plush chairs. One seat is stonework, a cold construction of grey. For Chris. The room is brightly lit, flooded by the setting sun on one side. The windows face west, away from the river, looking over the palace walls and the gently sloping hills covered in snowy forest.

Last year, Weston and Maeve cut river ice for spare coins, risking frostbite in favor of honest work. That lasted about a week, until she realized coppers for breaking up ice that would only refreeze was a poor use of their time. How strange, to know that was only a year ago, and a lifetime away.

"Your pardon," a low voice says, sounding from the only seat in shadow. Maeve turns to it and watches Kol unfold himself from his chair, a book in hand.

The seer. She'd thought he was an ally, a newblood with an ability as strange as her own. He's more powerful than an eye, able to see farther into the future than any Silver can. Now he stands before her as an enemy, having betrayed her and the others to Chris. His stare feels like hot needles prickling her skin.

He's the reason she led her friends to Corros Prison, and the reason her brother is dead. The sight of him chases the icy numbness away, replacing all that emptiness with livid, electric heat. Rage. She wants nothing more than to beat him across the face with whatever she can. Instead, she settles for glaring at him.

"Good to see Chris doesn't keep all his pets on a leash."

Kol just blinks at her. "Good to see you are not so blind as you once were," he replies as she passes him.