King's Cage [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-Three

On the way back with Maven I sit as far away from him as possible. This is hard when he keeps scooting closer to me and I eventually hit the side of the snapdragon. I roll my eyes and stare out the window.

"Mare?" Maven says quietly.

"What?" I say, trying not to snap.

"I'm sorry that I kept Shade from you so long." He says, sounding fairly remorseful.

I turn to look at him. "What you should really be sorry about is Gisa. You killed her. She won't be making an appearance today, will she?" I ask him sarcastically.

Maven hangs his head. "No, she wont." He glares at his hands.

"And what about Bree?"

Again, he looks somber. Not evil. Not malicious. Just... disappointed. He shakes his head again.

I look back out the window. "Thought so."

♥

"You guys left the prison so suddenly, after you k-k-killed my mother. You just left Shade there, dying. Slowly." Maven tells me as we walk around a hospital. "I knew that he would be useful someday, so I took him while he was still alive. He's been held here since..." 

I look around the spotless, clean, sterile place and shudder. Being here to long would drive me insane.

"My brother does like to let people think he's dead." I say dryly, remembering the time he was at war.

Maven stops in front of a door and stares at me. "Mare, I hope that bringing you here proves to you that I can change. That I love you. I saved your brother... What more do you want?"

I ignore his question and professions. "Is he in here?" I ask slowly.

Maven nods. Then he opens the door and let's me step through.

The room is white. Blindingly white. It's smells of lemon disinfectant and I can imagine the housekeepers coming in here and spraying everything down every day. He lies there, asleep, in the hospital bed. He's wearing one of those stupid gowns and I know he would be mortified if he knew I had seen him this way; hooked up to machines and clammy.

He's so pale.

"Is he going to be okay?" I ask Maven.

"He should be."

I stare at him. My brother. I can't believe he has been alive all this time. And he doesn't know he's going to be a father. He doesn't know about Farley. Or Gisa. Or me.

Oh Shade.