New Dawn

Maven

I watch as Elane's picture is engulfed in the flame of my explosion. The flames seem an extension of her hair, the firelight illuminating her smiling face in an eerie glow.

I never meant to hit Elane. My target was always Evangeline. Well, first my target was Julian, but once he resigned, it was only a matter of replacing him with someone who needed to be removed. I had hoped for Farley or my idiot brother, but Evangeline was the next best thing.

But I missed. Though she is nowhere near I hear my mother chastising me in my head. Foolish boy! How can you fail with the most brilliant weapon in the world at your fingertips! 

You are the rightful king.

Her whispers have gotten worse. With no one to distract me, with no one to fill the ever pressing silence around me, she is eating me alive.

I used to wish I could dream, but now I avoid sleep. Suddenly my mind is plagued with vision of her, her whispering in my mind, willing me to walk into the dark and push away whatever fear I had. Screaming at me for putting a toe out of line and 'ruining her plans'. Her mangled, severed head in Mare Barrows hands.

I watch as my bomb goes off, the shrapnel of silent stone wounding Red and Silver assembly members alike. To my chagrin I cannot see Mare or Tiberias through the smoke. I simply pray the latter has been hit fatally and the former is somewhere within my reach.

I set out into the smoke, pyres of flames blazing in each hand.

I blast benches and curtains as I pass, igniting anything that was safe from the bomb. I do not fire at anyone in particular, rather letting the flames around them consume them.

I feel the heat around me, so hot even I begin to sweat. But I am not deterred. Mare is near and I will find her. I continue my search.

I do not find Mare Barrow, instead, finding myself face to face with Evangeline Samos, and that Scarlett Guard bitch. I see behind them what appears to be Cal dragging people out of the burning building. Oh Cal, ever the knight in shining armor. I square up to face them.

You are the rightful king.

"Get out of my way, Evangeline." I say, a taunting tone creeping into my voice as I raise the gun to her chest, "I'm sure Laney won't be expecting you so soon". My lips curl into a sneer.

A kick square in the back sends me reeling, the gun slipping from my hand. I drop to my knees in shock but also to scramble to pick it back up. I expect Mare to be behind me, but instead I find Ptolemus Samos, lording over me, a dozen meter long needles aimed  at my back and neck. I let out a low chuckle.

You are the rightful king. I sneer at Ptolemus, teaching slowly for my gun. Right as my hands reach it I feel needle's poking into my chest, just enough to draw blood. Dozens of silver dots begin to speckle blood onto my black shirt. I turn to face Evangeline. You are the rightful king.

"Killing me won't bring her back" I sneer "she's gone, because of you. You're the reason she's dead. Because you couldn't—"

I needle through my neck cuts my sentence short. I look up, eyes wide. YOU ARE THE RIGHTFUL KING! I expect to see Evangeline leering down at me, but her eyes are full of tears, all of her needles unmoving. Ptolemus. He turns my head around to face him. I lose all feeling in my arms and legs.

"For hurting my sister, and my wife." His words sear into me.

You are the rightful king.

I had hoped her whispers would end with her death, but they did not. Perhaps they will end with mine.

You are the rightful king.

I watch Ptolemus as he flicks his wrist. I do not feel the needle enter my heart.

You are the rightful king.

Perhaps not.