Author's Note
After many, many attempts, this story is ready to be reposted! The time has come!
The clattering of the iron door wakes me up. I scowl into my thin pillow, silently cursing whoever's responsible for the noise.
"I suppose I should apologize for keeping you waiting." Heat floods into the room with Maven, before suddenly being vanquished. Silent Stone. He speaks as if he's failed to appear for a few minutes, instead of the month I sat on edge, waiting for whatever was going to happen to me.
After a week, I started to imagine what he would say when I was finally dragged to his throne room, humiliated and manipulated. I never imagined he would come to my cell, even less so late at night.
I stare at him for a quick second, before deciding I am too sleepy to let him rattle me. What is so important that he must tell me now, of all times? Most likely nothing, and I am far too sleepy to entertain him.
I close my eyes, which should be enough sign that I am in no predicament to play his games, but he doesn't walk out. Instead, I hear the familiar scraping of my chair, stopping only a foot away from my bed.
"No greeting?" He inquires, voice laced with amusement. I suppose he isn't used to seeing me like this, where even death itself couldn't inspire me to move. "I've been thinking."
"About what?" I say, mentally cursing myself at the instinctive response. I sit up, glaring at him as he tries to hide a smirk and fails.
"Nothing that you would be interested in." He shrugs.
Lies. Anything regarding Maven could become useful to me somewhere along the way. As of now, with the Silent Stone and guards keeping me from doing anything stupid, words are my best weapon and intel is my ammunition.
In the silence, I watch his piercing blue eyes scrutinize my every feature. I can only a imagine what my face looks like, since no one bothered to include a mirror in my accommodations, and how fragile I must look with my body so thin.
He looks just as odd, although that's more so due to the setting. The bright light in the corner, casts long shadows across the room- half his face gray, the other ghostly white. He's grown taller, and leaner, and his face sharper than from when I left him. His eyes dance in accordance to the lantern's flickering fire, jumping from its natural bright blue to something dark and sinister- some sort of a stormy gray. His black hair is still neatly combed, but no crown rests upon his head.
I idly wonder if I could triumph over him now. Sure, I have been weakened by the Silent Stone, but so has he. And with his lack of combat experience, and my (some level of) expertise in the subject, despite my unhealthy appearance, I think it's possible. But where would that get me?
There's no way I could kill him with my bare hands, and success or triumph, people will see and people will retaliate. Power-hungry Silvers would rise and fight for the crown as soon as word gets out. That will help nobody- it'll only divide our nation further.
"They want to kill you." He says, and my eyes flicker to his own. They no doubt meant every single Silver in the country.
I don't resist the urge to roll my eyes. "That's nothing new."
"We can't let that happen."
My eyebrow quirks at that. I search his face for any type of sign that this may be some sort of joke. There is no "we". Even after I throw an intense glare his way, he doesn't waver.
"And what twisted scheme would I have to participate in exchange for my life?"
He grins, white teeth bright even in the darkness. "Only something simple. You wouldn't mind making a bargain, would you?"
"I'm in no position to disagree."
"Good answer." Within a moment, his smile is gone, replaced by a solemn expression. "I can get out of this mess. All you have to do is cooperate."
"That doesn't sound much like a bargain." My mind furiously races as I try to think of something he wants to accomplish, something he would need me for. The capture of newbloods? Infiltration of the Scarlet Guard?
"I was getting to that." He scowls. "What I want is Cal."
My eyes widen at that, something at which he frowns. He can't have Cal. He can't.
"Still fond of him, are you?" His eyes twinkle with mirth, his frown replaced with a conniving smile. "In trade of you getting him to me, I'll only kill him, and not the rest of your friends."
"You couldn't possibly get to them." I snarl, keeping my raging emotions at bay as best as I could.
"Really?" He asks, smile widening. "I'll give you time to think about it. For now, let's just chat."
I nearly lunge at him, stopping myself so that it only looks like a flinch. He pays no heed to my anger- he knows that I can't lay a finger on him. Not now.
"I suppose that you've seen lots of Norta with your terrorist organization." He pauses, but I don't answer. "I've gotten a chance to see a lot too, you know, searching for you and all. You always walk into my traps."
He stands up, moving the chair back to its spot quieter than before. I lay back down, thoughts racing through my head. He ended his little "chat" on an odd note, and my mind races back over our conversation, searching for something I missed. I watch him open the door to the cell, stepping out into the hall. He must enjoy having his ability back.
Just before he shuts the door, he looks me straight into my eye, the smile still on his place.
"Living in a cave in the middle of the cold forest isn't really a nice spot to relocate to, is it? You have three days to decide."
My eyes shoot open- he knows about the Notch. Within a moment I'm up and running, sluggish as I might be, towards the door, desperate to make it before I can't get out. If I can get out, I can use lightning. If I can get out, I can stall him, I can threaten him, I can do something. He sees me coming and he slams the door shut, and I stop myself before I collide with its cold metal. I watch him for the few feet I can see him through the bars in the door, screaming for him to come back. I'll give up my life, but not theirs, but of course that was never an option.
Which am I more willing to lose? Cal, or the whole movement?
Author's Note
As you can see, very different from the first chapter of the original. I got King's Cage (yay!) but I'm trying not to incorporate too much stuff from there. You might see some similarities though. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading! Look forward to the next capter!