King's Cage [Completed]

Chapter Sixty

Kilorn

We waited all day in suspense, even though we all knew what that noise was; the explosion, the smoke and the fire and the ash. All we had left to do was wait for Shade and Cal to come back and confirm it. Confirm that the Scarlet Guard was gone. Dead. Blown up.

We just didn't expect them to come back with any survivors, least of all my cousin and Shade's baby.

I had hung around Cameron all day, the only one I could actually stand to be around. She won't deal with anyone's crap, and I couldn't either after losing all those soldiers. I don't have to worry about her lying to me or doing something stupid.

The complete opposite of Mare, even if she believes she's doing good.

But all day, as we sat around or wandered, Cameron was a bit different. She was still very much her usual tough self, but she seemed a little depressed. When I tried to talk to her about it, she completely flew off the wire. We were collecting firewood, isolated in the woods, and she screamed at me.

"You have no right, Kilorn Warren.. to talk to me about feelings!" I had thrown my hands up in defense but she didn't back down. "We have been doing everything for you and Cal and Mare. We've been playing Maven's stupid immature game, but this rebellion doesn't revolve around you guys! There are other people involved! And you guys keep getting people killed!" She pointed to the smoke in the distance and I remember that I flinched. "People get hurt and brothers get left behind."

She turned away from me and by the shaking of her shoulders I knew she had started crying. I also knew that she wasn't mad at me, she was upset that her brother was still under Maven's hand. She was tired of us acting off of Maven's latest whim or Cal's feeling or, I guess, my involvement.

So I gently put my hand on her shoulder and watched as she calmed herself down, ignoring her tears.

"You're right." I agreed with her. "But right now, to stop all of Maven's nonsense, we have to stop him. And to be honest, Mare is the best way to do that and Cal and I aren't going to leave her alone. When he's dead, then we can save all those kids, including your brother."

Cameron had taken a deep breath and nodded. "Okay." She whispered. "But please tell me you're not in love with her too."

I rolled my eyes and felt heat on my cheeks. "Not anymore." I mumbled, agitated.

She bumped my leg with firewood, "Good." She said, and ran off.

♥

I was watching a soldier teach a few of us how to avoid wasting bullets when they arrived. It was just starting to get dark and the fire was already started due to the cold. Cal broke through the trees as he rushed ahead of the group he brought.

"Everything was destroyed. It was a bomb." He announced to everyone. "But we found some survivors, including the Colonel-" Some soldiers cheered at the mention of his name and I saw Cam roll her eyes. "- and we ran into some new friends." He finishes.

Then Shade and the Colonel and the rest of the group, which included only a handful of people, joined us. My eyes immediately are drawn to a girl who is holding the smallest baby I have ever seen, and Shade right beside her.

Cal approaches me. "Kilorn," He says solemnly. "Three things." He says and I wait. "One, Farley died. She was with these people, but she died before we could get to her. Two," He stops and looks back at Shade and I am overcome with sympathy. "she died giving birth to that little one over there. She may not make it, I guess she's too small."

"Oh God." I murmer. "Shade."

Cal nods. "I think it's better this way, though. I mean, he has Hadley, which is what Farley named the baby."

I agree. "Yeah, just... wow."

We stand silently for a moment, looking at them. "What's the third?" I ask Cal.

"Oh. So you see the girl holding the baby? That's Kyra. She's Silver. We came across her and two red soldiers at the bomb site. They came looking for the Scarlet Guard. You'll never guess...."

As Cal tells me the story, my eyes go wide at Jon's secrets. When he gets to the part about Soren I exclaim, "Hey! I remember him! I haven't seen him in forever. Since before I met Mare." Cal smiles, which is rare.

"Go find him, he's probably around Kyra. They seem to be together." He tells me, and I go.

Things don't seem as bad as we all first thought them to be.

Tiberias Everett Calore or better known as
"Cal"

We make it back to the others by nightfall. The truth teller, Kyra, takes care of Hadley, with Shade and the Colonel never too far from her. The child barley moves and every time she cries, I can see the despair in Shade's eyes. They sit together by the fire, hoping to keep the baby girl warm. I sit across from them, making sure the fire stays hot.

Cameron sits next to me. She came up to me almost as soon as I came back, after talking with Kilorn, and wanted to plan Mare's rescue and how to end my brother's bloody reign.

She keeps telling me we should split up our already small team and gather as many Red civilians to join us and then march in on Archeon. It's too risky, but she keeps pushing it.

"For the last time, Cameron, no!" I snap, making the fire burst with new flames. "What would happen if some Red refused to help us and exposed our plan? And we can't just march in on the Palace, we aren't strong enough for that. All it would take is one person!"

Cameron, though, doesn't hold anything back in her response. I didn't expect her too. She's calm about it though, an eerie feeling.

"One person? One lousy Red can bring this whole revolution down?" She rolls her eyes and scoffs, attitude radiating off of her. "Please, princey, spare me. The moment your precious little lightning girl was taken you forgot all about the cause. What about my brother? The child legion? I'm just trying to keep him safe, so I'm putting up with you and trying to help." She shoves a finger in my chest and I'm to angry to speak; to guilty.

"This isn't about us anymore, it's no longer about equality." Her voice is vicious. Her tongue; a viper. "It's about two royal pain in the asses fighting over the girl they drove insane." Cameron gets up and starts walking away, calling over her shoulder, "Don't worry, Cal. Get some sleep, we'll plan in the morning."

I sigh, staring into the bright flames.

It's not true. This is all for the cause. Everything we do has been for the Guard. To win is to take down Maven. To take down Maven is to play his game. Mare knows the rules, she knows the right moves. We need her. She knows exactly how to make him tick.

I light my hands, adding more heat to the already high flames.

She's been with him long enough. We no longer have spies in the palace, we have no idea what is going on beyond the walls. It's time to end this, once and for all, it's time to start something new.

No longer will shadows and blood and lies be seated upon the throne.

Hey! Here's a long one for you! I just got in the right mood, I guess. I added a lot of Cameron action because I realized some people may want more of her. I hope I captured her the right way. Next we'll be seeing more of Mare, Maven and Jon.

Let me know what you think!! ♥