Recently, writing this fanfiction has become very enjoyable to write, based on the current situation Mare is in. (MAVEN!!) If you read my post today, I'll be updating this fanfiction every Monday and Friday from now on, guaranteed. However, depending on how busy my week is, I might update more often. Like right now, I've been writing a lot more than usual because my collarbone has been preventing me from spending time outside like I usually do. Anyway, this chapter is just under 2400 words, and contains more drama, romance, and Mare getting stressed out than usual! As always, for those of you who enjoy this fanfiction, it means the world to me for you to star it and comment. You guys make my writing heart so happy!

Enjoy! "Through it all, I stare at the boy on the throne. He maintains his mask. Jaw clenched, lips pressed into a thin, unforgiving line. Still fingers, straight back. But his gaze wavers. Something in his eyes has gone far away. And at his collar, the slightest gray flush rises, painting his neck and the tips of his ears. He's terrified. For a second, it makes me happy. Then I remember―monsters are most dangerous when they're afraid." 

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Mare

Maven gives the weakest of smiles as if he doesn't believe anyone could help him. "I'd like that, Mare. I'd like to be the man you fell in love with.

"I'd like you to be the man I fell in love with too," I choke out, as a tear slips down my eye. "As long as we're being honest here, I admit," I begin slowly, then stopping momentarily to gaze back out at the low sun, which has encircled the world with a deep orange tint. "I've never lost my love for you, no matter how crippled it was. I was in love with a fiction, but I just couldn't let go. I saved your notes, I should have burned them, but I didn't. I held on to that last bit of hope I had for so long, much longer than I should have," I reveal, finally looking him in the eye, because all of it was true.

His eyes light up, from their usual darkness, as if my words had been all he had ever wanted to hear. "I love you, Mare. Through everything, I've never lost that."

Taking a deep breath, "I love you too, Maven," I whisper, more tear droplets running down my eyes, because of the lies I've told.

"Don't cry," he whispers, getting up from his chair, and kneels before me. Maven tentatively brings his hand up to my face, brushing away my tears gently with his warm fingertips. And just before he pulls away, I clamp my own hand over his, gripping firmly.

Pushing my chair back, I stand up, pulling Maven from his kneeling position along with me.

And then I kiss him.

For an instant, he freezes before melting into the kiss, cupping my face. I run my hands up and down his sides, discreetly feeling Maven's jacket pockets for a small card. As the kiss deepens, I finally locate the card, hidden in a pants pocket. Slowly pushing my hand into the pocket, I pinch the key card between my fingers and drag it out.

Maven shoves his fingers through my fingers, his hands beginning to feel disturbingly warm. While doing so, I raise one of my calves high enough to drop the card into my boot.

When my mission is completed, I place my arms around his neck and lower my leg back to the ground.

"Oww!" I scream, putting both hands on the top of my head. "I think you burned my scalp," I explain, rubbing my hair in false pain.

"I'm sorry," Maven tells me, unsure of what to do. "Maybe I should wear gloves next time," he says, attempting to lighten the mood.

"It's okay, really. My head's pretty achy now, though. I think I should withdraw back to my chambers," I say, concluding with a look of disappointment on my face.

"If you think that's best, you probably should," Maven utters, with a similar look of disappointment on his face.

As if he cares about my well being. Kidnapping my friends and stealing the electrokinesis. The boy has no idea what it means to care about another human being. He left his own brother for dead, and let the Lakelander War continue in his reign. He is nothing but a monster.

Walking out the doors to return to my chambers, memories surge through my mind of Maven's worst moments.

He did nothing when his mother killed Cal's father.

He killed a newborn.

He stole six months of my life.

He killed his wife.

He attempted to steal his brother's life.

But yet when I turn back to face the boy I once loved, all I verbalize, is that I had a good time.

*****

Quickly walking back up to my bedroom, I keep a hand cupped over my head to maintain the illusion of a burn. On my way down a hallway, I glance up at a grand clock, made from polished oak, and note the current time is nine- thirty. One hour to go.

But what catches my eye, is a flag above the clock, with the emblem of Norta printed across it. Even higher on the wall, more red paint has been splattered across the silver wall, creating a message.

THE BURNING CROWN WILL BURN

And for a few seconds, everything was silent. Then there was a crack of a match, and the flag erupted into flames.

The silvers roaming around, who had all been in pursuit of gossip they could share from my and the King's date began to scream as if the fire was a threat to them. Using the loudness to my advantage, I yelled Harrick's name as loud as I dared. I made a motion with my head as if to say "follow me." I began to walk back to my room.

When I open the door, I leave it open a little longer than necessary, clinging to the hope that he has followed me.

One of the two palace sentinels outside soon slams the heavy door shut, leaving me alone.

But I'm not alone, I realize as Harrick materializes out of thin air near the far corner of my room.

A look of relief washes over my face as I see him, returning the color to my face.

"I knew it was you. First the spray paint in broad daylight, and now the burning of the flag. You're the only person who could've pulled something like that off," I divulge, pulling him into a hug. "How is everyone? I haven't heard anything from anyone since the ball."

"After the ball, as far as I know, everyone escaped. But I never heard word from Ella or Cal."

"Of course you didn't, Maven captured both of them the night of the masquerade ball. I haven't the faintest idea where Cal is being held, but I discovered where Ella is just today. And speaking of which, I could use your help."

Harrick's eyes light up at the thought of Ella being returned to the Scarlet Guard. "I'll do anything. Ella doesn't deserve to rot in this hell they call a palace for another day."

"She won't, I promise. Just meet us at the garden on the backside of 'hell,'" I explain to him, using his own metaphor. Ten- forty, tonight. And be ready to run, because I have no idea if we'll manage to sneak away or not.

Harrick nods solemnly, his eyes deep in thought. "I'll get you guys out, promise," at this, he drops his invisibility back over himself and leaves via the window.

When I am alone again, I lean against the solid wood door, and I think. I sigh, as I look back at all the times aiding someone's escape has gone horribly wrong. At Corros, my brother's life was ended. When we attempted to intervene with the war, I was taken hostage for six months and driven to the point of near insanity. In my experience, rescues almost always go badly and end in someone I love getting hurt.

I'm shaken from my cerebration as I hear the heavy marching of booted footsteps drifted towards and away from my chambers synchronously. The changing of the guard. "Perfect timing," I murmur to myself, smirking. This way, a new set of guards wouldn't come for several hours and by then, it would be too late to do anything about the escape.

Waiting a couple of moments, until the clunking of footsteps is nonexistent, I gradually open the door, not even daring to breathe, in fear they may notice if I make the slightest of sounds. While I keep the door propped half-open with my hip, I snake my hands to the sides of their heads and then push with all my strength to force their heads together. Catching the Sentries off guard, they have no time to use their powers against me, and as their heads clash against one another's, rendering unconscious.

I hastily drag the two men into my bathroom, worried others will come down the corridor soon. Working quickly, I strip the men of their weapons, instantly comprehending they're magnetrons, based on the amount of metal they have with them.

Going into my closet, I grab an old dress of mine and begin cutting thick strips of fabric out of it. When I have several strips, I shove a couple in the men's mouths, preventing them from yelling for help and use the rest to secure their arms and feet together.

And at last, I pick up one of the smaller knives the men wore, and whisper, "I'm sorry. But I can't have either of you strong enough to break free. I need you weak."

And then I stab each of the men in their thighs, upper arms, and hands.

As I throw on a black trench coat that goes down to my knees, I think about how all of this could end. Maybe Maven will execute me, after learning how I played with his emotions, I think as I jam a chair backing up against the bathroom doorknob. Or maybe he'll lock me up like last time, and leave me to rot.

But as I exit the room, I take a deep breath and realize I couldn't be selfish this time.

*****

I manage to sneak through the hallways with little notice, ducking behind the same plant I had used last time. Glancing up at the clock, it was nearly ten-thirty, but I thought it was best to watch the door for a couple of minutes, to be certain everyone was gone.

I stared at the door window, waiting to see the slightest change in motion. For all one knows, there could be a doctor working late tonight, who was behind on his daily torturing. Or maybe Ella's been completely wrong this whole time, and the scientists don't go home until eleven. I began to rub the pad of my thumb vigorously against a fake dark green leaf from the plant.

I glance back at the clock, deciding it's been long enough. But just as I am about to make my move, I hear a much too familiar voice.

"The Lightning Girl is gone," Maven states to a high-ranking guard. "I just visited her chambers, and what do I find? Two unconscious guards, who are gagged and stabbed in multiple places. I need you to find her. Capture her unharmed, and bring her to me," he finishes, in a panicked tone, that would make anyone scared of what would become of them if they didn't find the little lightning girl.

The Sentinel gives a salute and then rushes away down the long hallway to develop a task force. Meanwhile, Maven paces back and forth the width of the hallway, not twenty feet away from me. He perpetually rubs his lips, as if his hand has been glued to them. "What have I done," he murmurs to himself, although I can hear him. "That little bitch," he says a bit louder, then chuckling as if this situation was funny. He continues to chuckle, as he storms down the hallway until I can no longer watch him, but only listen to his haunting laughs.

*****

As soon as the hallway clears, I quickly get up from my hidden spot and swipe my key card through the scanner. Taking a quick look at the left and right branches of the hallway, I conclude everyone's gone, and slip into Ella's room.

"Ella? Are you here?" I ask to the encompassed darkness.

"Yes," she croaks. I'm just so, so exhausted, that's all."

"I know, it'll all be over soon. But I need you to be strong for me," I whisper.

"Okay," Ella murmurs back.

I rush out of her room, running my hands up and down the hallway walls, in desperate search of a light switch. I run my fingers over button after button, most of which I assume do horrid things, and at last, I feel a switch. Forcefully, I pull up on the switch, which lifts the darkness I was drowning in.

Rushing down the hallway to the right, I search for a supply room that could be holding the cure for Ella and I. On both sides of the hallway I see red after red on the cold and hard metal tables, eyeing me with hopefulness. I do my best to ignore them and continue searching, but guilt begins to plague me as if a bulky piece of metal had been tied to my back. Sighing, I realized what I had to do, and continued searching for the cure, until I came to the end of the hall. On my right side, there was a double doored entrance, that had bold, black printed letters in all capital letters branded across it. The words read RESTRICTED| HIGH CLEARANCE NEEDED.

I smiled, as I read the words and swiped the card through the scanner once more. The bulky gray doors glided open, creating a space that was no more than ten feet by ten feet. I scanned the labels of the syringes, the better amount classified in number format most likely for security reasons. In the far corner, my eyes landed on a bin of pre-readied needles, labeled 2.5. Grabbing the bucket, I turn to leave, but not before I notice another vaccine. Unlike the other's printed codes, the clear liquid is labeled ADRENALINE.

Thinking of Ella, and how she barely could speak to me, I realize this may be the key to jumpstarting her energy. In her weakened state she would never be able to run fast enough to escape, and then all of this would be for nothing. Taking the second crate, I clutch a container in each of my arms, making my way for the doors. When I exit, many of the victims stare at me wide eyed.

I face them, with my eyebrows knit together, I glance at each of the patients, noting their stricken expressions.

"I'm going to save all of you. I promise."