Broken But Unburnt

Chapter 44 - Maverick

Chapter 44: Maverick

Palace of the Equinox Throne; Kingdom of Delos

"I had no idea that was his intention," Maverick was speaking rapidly as he caught up to Calliope outside of his father's throne room. She turned to face him, her hair swishing through the air so that he caught the distracting scent of daisies in a spring meadow. He blinked, trying to right himself, to return to the moment.

"I gathered," she replied and turned to leave.

He reached out and caught her by the shoulder.

"Calliope, please," he said. He didn't like the desperation in his own tone but couldn't help it. The thought of her being displeased with him, angry at him even had him coming apart at the seams. "We should talk."

"If that is your wish."

Her tone was firm, steady, as her entire countenance changed. She stood up straighter, folded her hands in front of her, raised her chin as if standing to attention. She looked like a soldier.

"That's not- please, don't," he muttered.

"Don't what?" she asked.

"Don't do that. Treat me like that. You aren't a servant. You aren't just a member of my guard. You know that, don't you?"

For the briefest flash, her facade fell away and her shoulders slumped. For the first time, he could see how tired she looked, the exhaustion plain in her features.

"No, Maverick, I don't," she replied with a sigh. "Honestly, I don't know anything when it comes to you. For the first few days we knew each other, I didn't even know your name. And now you're the next king of Delos and I'm being dragged all throughout the countryside and then forced into duty as your personal guard. Not to mention the fact that you summoned us here and then sequestered us in Aditya's rooms for days without even deigning to tell us what had occurred. Days, Maverick. Days of wondering what was so urgent, what was wrong. And then I'm summoned to the throne room, like a servant, assigned a role, like a subject. You say I'm not those things but, well, here we are."

She gestured at the hall around her and Maverick frowned. He couldn't even argue with her. Every point she had made had been valid, true. He had lied to her when they first met, he had dragged her away from her home and through the country on a quest whose goals weren't even entirely clear to him, and then he had allowed his father to dictate the entire course of her life with a single blow. When had he defended her as he had promised Gabriel he would? And when would she ever stop defending him?

"You're right," he replied, dropping his hand until it grasped hers. She looked down at the contact and he poured his whole heart into his next words. "I haven't been truthful with you. I haven't been clear. I want you to have that clarity. I want to explain. If you'll just give me the chance–"

"Maverick!"

Maverick's jaw tensed at the familiar voice now calling his name from down the corridor. He hadn't spoken to Valencia since her shocking revelation concerning his parentage and he had no desire to do so now, specifically when he had just interrupted such an important conversation.

"Not now, mother," he ground out as she approached, looking Calliope over from head to toe with something akin to awe.

"No," Calliope argued, pulling out of his grip and taking a step back as if awakening from a dream. "It's fine. I should go. I'll need to meet with the other guards, learn about my new duties. Your Majesty."

And then she bowed, actually bowed. It made Maverick's blood boil.

He waited until she had disappeared from view before whirling on his mother.