The Mariposa

Chapter 10

"May, what's wrong?"

"Maeve, get your target. What's going on?"

Their words blurred into the background as my world spun. They wanted me... to kill the royal prince...

The prince that just wanted to help people.

The prince that I was just kissing.

I took several more steps back, my head shaking as my breaths were getting faster. Who was I working for?

"May, what happened? Why are you acting like this?" the man in front of me questioned, reaching out for me.

"Maeve, talk to me."

"May."

"Maeve."

"May."

"Maeve."

"May."

"My name's not May!" I suddenly yelled, the pressure closing in on me.

Elyas froze, his eyes widened. Inside, people near the door whirled around to see what the commotion was.

"What are you doing?!" Azriel shouted in my ear.

My eyes widened as I realized what I had done. I ripped the earpiece off, smashing it with my heel. Elyas watched me in complete bewilderment, his eyes trailing to the earpiece. The concern vanished from his features, replaced with the look he gave me earlier.

"May-"

Instinct had me pressing the button on my watch, turning it into my wrist gun and aiming it at his head. He looked up at me, slowly raising his hands.

"Kill me now and everyone in that ballroom behind me will be a witness. Why don't you just tell me what's going on here?"

I stared at him, calculating my next move. What options do I even have at this point? I had just blown my cover.

Willingly.

With my boss listening.

They would likely be looking for me any minute. Everyone inside was watching now. Things were about to get really hairy.

And here Elyas was, calmly standing in front of me, a thinly veiled expression of anger and fear on his face as he attempted to reason with me.

"...I'm with the Mariposa. And I just really screwed up and both of our lives are in danger."

He furrowed his brows, his eyes, glancing at the gun still trained on him. "I'm aware I am in danger, but you are? Who are the Mariposa and how did you screw up?"

I hesitated then sighed. "I really don't have those answers right now, we need to get out of here,"

Elyas glanced over his shoulder, then back at me. "I can't just leave."

"You have to. At least... I do. And I highly advise that you come with me."

He tilted his head. "Why?"

I rolled my eyes. "The Mariposa want you dead, Elyas, and they're already heading here. If you stay, you're liable to get killed."

He scoffed. "I can handle myself."

I arched one brow. "You can't use me as a shield this time."

Elyas paused at that, confused at first. After a moment, recognition dawned on him. "You're the... girl from Veralis?"

I nodded slowly. "That was the Mariposa..."

He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing. "I'll come with you."