Shattered Heart (Red Queen)

Chapter Six

•Shade POV•
"Calm down, Cal!" I yell at him.
He is throwing things and yelling about Maven. He's been like this since the broadcast. I'm afraid he's going to burn down Tuck if he doesn't cool down.
"I can't! He's hurting her and I can't do anything about it! Don't you understand?!" he exclaims frantically.
"Of course I understand!" I yell back. "She's my sister!"
He suddenly sits down and the air around us turns cold. He puts his head in his hands and remains silent.
"Do you love her?" I ask quietly, afraid to anger him again.
"I don't know," he says with his face still covered.
"You must, because you care too much about her not to," I reply.
"How did you know you loved Farley?" he asks.
"One: you're changing the subject. Two: I knew when I couldn't stand to be away from her. When it physically hurt me to be without her, I knew. She's all I think about. I love her and our child more than words could describe," I explain and my mind wanders to Farley.
He sighs and says, "I guess I do love her. I think I've always known, I was just afraid to admit it. I was afraid she would pick Maven."
"That's the problem. Mare didn't pick him and he's angry. He wants revenge and that's his way of doing it," I realize.
"She'll never love him. She can't," Cal says.
      "And what if she does love him?" I question.
      He shakes his head and says quietly, "Then I'll let her go."

•Cal POV•
     When the day that I see Mare again comes, I'll be ready. If she says that she loves Maven then I'll leave her. I won't force her into a life she doesn't want. I love her too much to do that to her.
     Maven doesn't understand. He doesn't realize that she will not love him. You cannot force love, but Maven doesn't know that. The world doesn't bend at his command and Mare doesn't either. She proved that on the broadcast.
     "Do you think she's alright?" I ask Shade.
     He sits down and replies, "Honestly, I don't know. Mare's tough and she can survive this. Besides, how bad can it really be?"
     "I don't know," I admit. "Maven isn't the brother I used to know. I'm not sure what he's capable of, and that scares me."
      Shade looks surprised to hear me admit that. He puts a hand on my arm in a brotherly way and says, "Let's not think about her right now. There's a war to be won and we have better things to do."
     "I agree," I say.
     I would prefer to stay in my room all day, but Shade appears to have other plans. Besides, I haven't been out of this room much and I could use some exercise.
     My fire is begging to be set free and destroy things. I need to release the anger I am holding in. The anger against my brother, losing Mare, losing my father, losing Norta.... The list trails on and fire licks up my arm.
     "Woah, there princey," Cam says and walks up beside me.
      "What do you want, Cam?" I ask, irritated.
     "Something bothering you?" she asks and gives me a questioning look.
     "Yes, you," I snap.
     She steps back and I apologize, "I didn't mean to say that. I'm just a little stressed right now."
     "I understand," she says. "You lost everything. Mare, Norta, Maven, King Tiberius-"
     "Thanks, Cam," I sigh.
     "Sorry, I didn't-"
     I cut her off again, "Don't worry about it. Do you need something from me?"
     "Thought you might want some company," she says innocently.
      I smile and say, "Yeah, that would be nice."
     I've been lonely lately and besides Shade, Cam is the only other person to reach out. Everyone else is scared of me. I'm one of the only Silvers here and I'm an outcast. I'm dangerous and feared.
     "I'm still having trouble controlling my power," she tells me after a moment of silence.
     "You'll learn control. It takes a while to be in full control of your power. It took me years to learn how to not burn down the palace," I say.
     "But what if I accidentally lose control and hurt someone. Or worse, kill them?" she asks.
     "Don't think that way. You'll be fine. I'll teach you how to use your power," I reassure her.
     "Did you teach her too?" she asks.
     I give her a look and ask, "Who? Mare?"
     She nods her head in response and I say, "No, I didn't. But I did teach her how to dance."
     I smile at the thought and remember that night. It was the first time I ever kissed her and it was like a dream. Everything that has happened these past few months has felt like a dream. One long, horrible dream.