Silver Shadow (Maven x Mare)

Chapter 6: MAVEN

I throw away the red burned fabric of a cape that hang on my shoulders, letting the maids pick it up for me. I hit my fist loudly on the nearby table, leaving a burned mark on the wooden surface, cursing for effect.

My mother flinched. "It's not a big deal, really. You know the girl is easy to find," she tries to reassure me, and the Silvers around the throne room. She holds her chin high, letting anyone dare to challenge her.

No one does, of course. Even Ptolemus who is still in great shock after the lightning Mare struck on him. The healers did what they could do, but he was still shivering. Evangeline sits by his side, all in a while trying to help him. We, Silvers, heal fast though, and I know that in a day or two he would be ready to find Mare and kill her on sight for revenge.

"See? Oh it was just to scare her and the prince wasn't it? No Silver blood was wasted anyway," she sang. I know that she was already using her voice to make everyone in the room agree with her, and they nodded absentmindedly, seeing the queen's notions.

Not me, though. Hundreds of Reds died at the commotion. They were the ones who got most of the battle, and without abilities to protect them, they simply were put to waste. Other Silvers were dead too, but since they were not of the High Houses my mother had no trouble convincing them to see her side.

But I cannot let her see that I disagree, so I sighed and nodded too.

"You're right, mother. Besides, knowing Cal, he'd be coming back here after regaining his strength," I answered. I turned to her, seeing a satisfied smirk form on her lips.

I adjourned the other Silvers for them to heal. Mother was hesitant on leaving me, since no matter how cruel she is, she always saves a spot for me, her son. I assured her I was fine and she left.

My mother is ruthless. All throughout my life, she had been plotting against the King, or maybe way before I was even born. I don't doubt that Julian was right about her killing Cal's mother, but I hated him because I didn't want to trust him. I don't know if anyone can ever understand me. My mother wants the throne for her own, and since she has me, she made my mind see her insights. Kill father, kill Cal. It was a mission I was blindly following. After seeing Mare on the arena being exposed as someone different from ours, I knew my mother wanted her out of the way. But she is smart. Instead she convinced father to take her and engage her to me. I knew that she saw that Cal would fall for her, and after reading her thoughts she knew how to make her a pawn in the game, which she made me do for her.

What she didn't see was that I would fall for Mare, and in doing so discovered that I am more than just a burner.

Mare and Cal will take long to fully recover, since no skin healers will be there to make it quick for them. I can't help but heave a sigh of relief as I pace around the throne room alone. This means I have more time to reach her.

I wonder if she believed me. She must have, I saw the thought pondering in her head. Believe it or not, Mare is the only being I cannot read, even though I have tried to so many times. I think this is a limit of my power, for I'm already too lucky. I once asked mother if she found someone whom she cannot torture with her powers, without fully making her sense that I was actually referring to myself. She merely laughed and said, "Oh, but Maven, I can read all minds. I only never touch yours because I know you don't like it. If I ever meet someone whose mind I cannot penetrate, I will find that someone and kill him or her," she replied with serious eyes, looking at me for a secret.

I decided to wall her out of my brain at all times possible.

I walked back to my room, and the sentinels followed, marching. I am not really used to having them around me all the time. When I was just the second prince, father and Cal got all the attention. Now that I am King, it is their duty to protect me.

"You can leave me alone now," I commanded, shutting the doors behind me. I knew, though, that they were just outside, doing their guarding posts.

In the farthest corner of the room, huge shelves hold thousands of books. I used to spend my time reading and being away from the world, while Cal trains to fight. In my collection of books, one book holds a secret lock in which I keep a copy of the list Julian gave Mare.

The names of the newbloods are listed along with their location. Mother already knows about this, but I will have her harness me so I can manipulate the search. I know that Mare's first mission will be finding these people, and using this I would be able to save her everytime anyone gets near her to kill her.

I patiently wait for night to coat the sky. I excused myself from dinner and ate in my room, telling my mother that I was too exhausted for the day. She doesn't suspect anything, in fact she gets that I'm really not into huge crowds. At least, I convinced her that way. I'm getting better at being a whisper.

As the palace falls silent and the Silvers are again contented with the fact that no one can harm them within these diamond walls, I stand awake.

My new servant, Edorn, a Red, comes in just in time. He carries a tray of milk, creeping into the room. With the fastest speed I can manage I grab him, sealing his mouth shut. He doesn't scream, though, just look at me with widening eyes.

"Shh. Shut up, I'm not going to hurt you."

He nods, and I sense his fear immediately. Of course he was afraid of me, a Silver, the King. I closed my eyes, not really wanting to do this but I have no choice. I don't want him dragged into this anymore. He might not be able to lie in front of my mother.

"You will sleep here, pretend to be me asleep. For an hour. After that you are to return to your own chamber and forget about this. Do you understand me?" I whispered quietly, pouring power to my words. I am careful not to leave gaps in his memory, or else one ponder at his thoughts is all mother needs for evidence. I replace the hour he was suppose to sleep in as me with the memory of himself sleeping, and I add in a few dreams too, of him and his little brother, an idea I got after reading him quickly.

He nods, and his breathing becomes relaxed. He walks silently to the bed and climbs in to the soft covers and falls asleep instantly.

As my one hour starts I quickly change my clothes and left my crown on a table beside the bed. I push a block below the shelves, and a secret door underground opens.

"Mare, wait for me."