The Queen Always Wins

"Who killed Shade Barrow?"

"I did."

"Interesting. Because your sister just confessed to it as well."

"Well she's lying."

"Why would she do that? After what happened at Corros you two didn't seem to be on speaking terms. Why is she covering for you?"

"i don't know, but I know I did it. It wasn't my fault though."

"Really? How so?"

"Her voice. It's-it's still in me; I can hear her. I killed her, but she's still in my head. She makes me think thes-these things and they're horrible."

"Do you mean Elara Merandus's voice?"

"Yes! You have to believe me, I can't stop her I tried!"

"I'm sorry General Samos, but I don't believe you."

"I killed Shade Barrow."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm positive. He wanted Oliverara and he didn't want me. I'm not as special as she is, a-and I couldn't stand that."

"Are you sure you aren't just covering for your sister?"

"Aren't you listening?! I killed Shade because he loved Oliverara more. I would have killed Tolly too if Oliverara hadn't stopped me. I was angry at him and I was just so, so, angry at everyone! I-I'm so sorry!"

"Evangeline, come on, stop crying."

"I took my friend's life! I'm a monster!"

"Evangeline, listen to me. Your sister already confessed to killing Shade because some voice told her to. Are you saying she's lying to protect you?"

"Yes. She has to be. I know I killed Shade. I know I did."

"No Evangeline is lying! She would never kill Shade! She cared for him just like she cared for Bree and Tramy. They saved my life in the army, she would never let anger get the better of her. I killed him because Elara told me to!"

"Queen Elara is dead Oliverara. She can't control you anymore. She was dead before Shade was, so there is no way she could have made you kill him. Either you're covering for Evangeline or you killed Shade of your own volition. Now which is it?"

"I killed him! I killed him, but it doesn't matter if Elara was already dead. She's still in my head!"

"The only person in your head is you."

"No she is! Can't you hear her, she is!"

"Oliverara sit down now."

"No I can't! She's here, she's in my head please get her out!"

"Oliverara get back! Security! Security contain her!"

"What's going on? What are you doing to my sister?"

"She's having an episode Evangeline. Don't worry they have her under control."

"Are those stun guns? Wait, what are you doing?"

"Evangeline, remain where you are."

"Please don't hurt my sister."

Farley came out of the silent stone cell where Evangeline was being held. She looked sad for her. The door was quickly locked behind her and Mare could see Evangeline staring blankly out of the room. The Colonel was standing back as guards with stun guns chained Oliverara's limp body to the wall. It would do no good if she could warp under silent stone, but they weren't taking any chances. Mare still had tears on her face. Hearing those two girls talking about Shade; each saying they did it. Mare still couldn't believe this was happening.

"You okay?" Cal's warmth came up behind Mare and his breath left heat on her neck. She just nodded.

"Who do you think did it?" She whispered.

"I don't know," Cal sighed. "On the one hand, Evangeline was angry when the battle started. And she did have that blow up on the plane. But she was angry at her sister. I can't imagine her directing that anger onto Shade."

"And on the other hand?"

Cal was silent for a few seconds. His hand on Mare's back slowly started to burn but she didn't say anything. The pain felt good, better than the numbness. "Elara turned my brother into a monster," Cal finally hissed. "She twisted him from a happy young boy to a demon intent on killing. I believe she's still in Oliverara's head." Their gazes went to the body of Oliverara in her cell. She was still, but her eyes were open. Their chrome gaze was focused on nothing. She looked dead. "I could see her making Oliverara kill."

"One last act of vengence for her death," Mare said softly. More tears were filling her eyes. "Get back at me for running away, get back at Shade for being the reason I had to live, get back at Oliverara for just existing, and spite the Scarlet Guard even more." Then she looked at the crumbled form of Evangeline. Her head was laying on the table, tears pouring out of her to puddle on the steel surface. "But Evangeline truly beieves she killed Shade." Mare shook her head. "I-I don't know either Cal. I want to believe it was Elara and her mind control, but I know the price anger can bring. I-I-" Mare's words were cut off as her sentence turned to a blubbering cry. "He's dead and I don't even know who to blame!"

Cal wrapped his arms around Mare and put her face against his chest. His heat soothed her burning muscles and calmed her wild heart, but the sorrow in her gut pushed on. After a few seconds of sobbing a cough came from behind Cal. They broke their hug to see Kilorn standing awkardly behind them. "Am I interrupting a moment?" He asked.

"Yes." Cal said flatly.

Kilorn ignored him. "We need to head for Tuck. Maven is on a warpath, ranting on live TV about the terrorist Scarlet Guard that murdered his mother. They're loading the jets now."

"What about them?" Mare asked, pointing to the two Samos girls.

"They're coming too. As prisoners," Kilorn said darkly. Mare's sinking feeling increased. She wasn't particularly fond of either of them, but she couldn't find it in her to hate them either. "We have silent stone cells they can sit in until one of them stops covering for the other."

"They aren't lying," Mare spoke. "They both believe they did it."

Kilorn looked at her doubtfully. "Well I'm sorry if I don't find you to be the best judge of character Mare." With that cold remark he was gone. The twisting halls of the underground bunker swallowed him in seconds. Mare hadn't even bothered to memorize turns or stops on the walk to the cells; the shock was too much for her brain to handle.

"We should go too," Cal whispered to her. "Take some time to collect yourself so we don't have a lightning storm in the air." His little joke didn't make her laugh. Mare looked back though the glass of the viewing mirror at Oliverara's dead eyes. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have someone else constantly in your brain. Controlling you. Thinking for you. Oliverara's head raised a little and her stare cut right through Mare. The way her eyes darkened; they didn't seem to be alive. "Mare, let's go," Cal said. "She's not awake."

Mare nodded but she couldn't take her eyes off the poor girl. Her body was twitching and her mouth kept falling open and struggling to close. Like a fish convulsing. Completely random, she told herself. It means nothing. It was probably just Mare's imagination that Oliverara seemed to be mouthing Elara.

Evangeline heard the sounds of footsteps echoing down the hall. Then everything was quiet again. She couldn't see through the window but her instincts told her no one was watching the cells anymore. She just needed to turn the lock on the door and she would be out. Then she could ask Oliverara why she was lying. I know I killed Shade, Evangeline thought. I know what I did. Oliverara knows what I did. Why is she covering for me? After what I said about her...

Evangeline brushed away her tears and focused on the lock. The silent stone in the corner was strong but by the door she could feel its power diminish. She hoped she was far away enough to be able to turn the lock just a bit. All she needed was one turn. Evangeline strained and pressed against the solid metal lock. It twitched but didn't move. She pushed harder, forcing her power to fill the knob that controlled the lock. Forcing it to get heavy and turn. She felt the lock vibrate and twitch, then slowly, slowly, it turned. The door creaked open and Evangeline sank to the floor in pain. Her head rang and buzzed while her limbs trembled. But she'd done it. She'd done it!

Evangeline stumbled to her feet and grabbed the wall. It was smooth and metalic. Like home. Her vision spun but she pushed on, stumbling to the other cell. Her face hit the cold glass and it stopped the whirring in her head, steadying her vision. Evangeline rubbed her shaking hands together but the tremors didn't stop completely. "Oliverara," she sighed as her gaze found her sister. She was slowly moving in her cell.

Evangeline opened the door and stepped in. The room was filled with silent stone. Silent stone blocks, chains, lights, everything. Oliverara didn't seem to care though. Her eyelids fluttered and her head rolled around like it was on a spring not her neck. "Oli?" Evangeline whispered. "Oli wake up." Her sister didn't respond. Evangeline kneeled down and shook Oliverara's shoulder. She still didn't look at Evangeline. "Why Oli? Why are you covering for me? Please, don't do this to yourself." Oliverara still didn't move.

Footsteps echoed from the hall and Evangeline's panic instincts kicked in. She shut and locked the cell then took off in the opposite direction of the sounds. She ran down the twisting hall; her power muffling her steps. She kept running as an alarm went off above her head. She still kept running when she felt guns following her through the curves of the bunker. She stopped running though, when she came upon a ladder leading up to a metal grate. Evangeline pulled herself up and punched open the grate. The sunlight blinded her eyes and her hands fumbled for something to grab. She dug her fingers into dirt and dragged her body onto soft grass. She shut the grate and saw it was fastened to a large bush. A perfect hideaway. She sat for a second and took a deep breath of the crisp air. It was pure, no smoke or ash. They were far far away from the prison. The woods rose around her like a blanket and a stream loudly gurggled nearby. Evangeline had no clue where she was.

Shaking, she rose to her feet. The world was visibly trembling as she stumbled into the woods. The birds chirped too loud, the river's water was flowing too fast, and the ground seemed to be rushing beneath Evangeline's feet. Still she pressed on, pushing her legs faster and faster until she was running through the forest. Her body lurched and bounced, not feeling attatched to her legs. Still she kept going. Faster and faster.

Evangeline Samos was free.

Mare sat on the plane with silent tears running down her face and neck. Cal had left to attend to something in the bunker and Mare was left alone on the plane. She had no idea how large the bunker was, but it had taken them 10 minutes to walk from the cells to the cave where two planes were being held. Mare would typically feel great pride in how intricate the Scarlet Guard was, but right now was not a typical time. The other soldiers on the plane weren't looking at her, but she could hear their whispers.

"That's the lightning girl."

"Her brother was murdered by one of those metal girls."

"Yeah, the princess and the soldier."

"Isn't she like one of them? A Red weirdo?"

Mare couldn't stand it. She wrapped her hands over her ears to block out their words. She sat like that for a couple more minutes before Cal's warm hands covered hers. "Mare, I have some bad news," he whispered as he pulled her hands away from her head.

"Now what?"

Cal took a deep breath and Mare glimpsed a group of soldiers leading the chained Oliverara across the cave. Her gaze returned to Cal who was also watching Oliverara. "We lost Evangeline," he sighed. "She escaped into the woods through an emergency hatch. The Guard can't find her."

Mare shook her head. "No. No she can't have gotten away! She killed my brother!"

Cal grabbed Mare's shoulders and held her down in the seat. "No Mare, she might have killed Shade. Might. We don't have proof which one of them killed him, remember? I'm sorry we can't do anything more."

"I know what we can do," Mare hissed. She pushed Cal off of her as Oliverara was brought up onto the plane. She sat in one of the seats and the chains scraped the floor. Mare grabbed Oliverara by her uniform's collar and slammed her hard against the wall. "Did you kill my brother!? Or was it Evangeline? Tell me!" Oliverara just stared at her. "Answer me Samos! Did you kill my brother?!"

"Mare." Cal sat his hand on Mare's shoulder. "She's not going to tell you."

Mare stared at Oliverara a few seconds longer before letting go of her. Then she punched Oliverara dead in the jaw. Cal grabbed Mare around the waist and hoisted her kicking and screaming away from Oliverara. She coughed and spit out Red blood on the floor of the plane. It dripped down her chin and a purple blue bruise was bubbling under the surface.

"So it's true," Mare breathed. "You really are Red." She sat down with more tears running down her face. "Why would you kill Shade? He was like us! He knew you in the army! He was your friend!"

Oliverara just stared at the blood on the floor. She wiped it off her chin and it smeared along her fingers. "I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know."

Mare and Cal sat in silence as the rest of the guard got on the plane and it started out of the cave and into the air. They'd return to Tuck and wait for instructions. Mare watched Oliverara the whole time. The way her fingers twitched. The way her body moved. The way the blood glistened on her skin. Mare's body was filled with spite, sadness, and confusion. She wanted to believe Oliverara, but some part of her just didn't.

The plane bumped along through the air. It shook and trembled but the wind was heavy so it was of no concern. Then the metal of the plane started to scream. The wings curled, the walls broke open, and the plane started crashing to the ground. Cal threw his arms around Mare as the plane tore open and guard members started falling to the ground. "It's her!" Mare screamed. "She's trying to escape!" She pointed to Oliverara who was watching the metal disintegrate as her chains glowed. Her hand stretched up, her fingers out for her next move.

So Mare shot a bolt of lightning through her.

Oliverara screamed in agony and dropped out of the plane. Mare and Cal were airborn as they careened to the ground. When they struck dirt the metal shell of the plane wrapped itself around them like a cage. Mare gasped from the shock of the impact and scrambled out of Cal's arms. All around her metallic cages were confining the Scarlet Guard members. Including the now unconscious Oliverara.

The real leader of the plane hijacking was gently lowered down to the front of the cages. Around him landed Samos magnetrons and Laris windweavers with victorious gleams in their eyes. Mare's blood ran cold at his blue gaze and unfeeling smile. "Maven," she whispered.

"Hello Mare," he said. There was no love in his voice. No ounce of mercy. "Hello brother." He spoke to Cal with a hint of malice. "I see you have once again disgraced our family. First you kill our father. Then you escape from an arena of justice and join terrorists. Now you parade my mother's body on TV with your Red tryst." His gaze fell on Mare at those words.

"Maven, it's not Cal you want," Mare spoke slowly. "I know you want me. Let Cal and the rest of them go, and you get me."

"Mare don't," Cal hissed. Maven waved his hand to shush him.

"As appetising as an offer that is, I'm sure the nation would like more to see the killer of their king persecuted. Instead of just the Red who instigated it." Maven's smile was malicious and cold. He would take both her and Cal for fun.

"What about the queen's killer?" Mare asked. Her heart jumped into her throat at the offer. She wasn't really going to give him Oliverara just to save everyone else's skin, would she? What if she did kill Shade? Maven can get his revenge, and so can you. Mare was sick at the thought, but she was not going to let her friends die because she felt mercy towards Oliverara.

Maven approached the cage with a look of anger on his normally calm face. "Who killed my mother?" He growled.

"Oliverara did. She put a knife through her heart. You can have her and prosecute her for killing the queen. And you can have me. Both of us, in return for you sparing the lives of Cal and the guard."

Maven paused and considered the offer. Mare knew she had won him though. The way his gaze went to the unconscious Oliverara. The way it traveled over Mare's body. Both of his captives back in his grasp again. He smiled. "You have a deal Mare Barrow."

The march through Archeon hurt worse than any torture. Oliverara stumbled unsteadily between her two guards. Both were Arvens; the only ones able to stop Oliverara's power. Mare couldn't help but think if she hadn't electrocuted Oliverara, perhaps she could have fought back. She could have saved them. But it was too late now. Mare and her were Maven's prisoners. His smile glistened like the sun as Oliverara was pushed to her knees, and Mare willingly sank before him. She felt the sting of the cheers as he declared the two Red traitors, one of whom was his mother's killer, were going to be brought to justice.

Now Mare was sitting in her own Silent Stone cell with an Arven at the door. She had her own chains and collar, buzzing with silencing power. Her bones ached, her mind spun, and she had been vomiting for an hour. The cell next to her had been opened, so she knew that was where Oliverara was. A small hole in the cobblestone wall let Mare see into the cell. Oliverara was sitting against the wall like she'd done back in the bunker. Silent and unmoving. She had her own two Arven guards to silence her.

The great Oliverara Samos was defeated.

Mare knew it was wrong, but she felt like she had to say something. She had to know that she'd done the right thing. "Oliverara?" She called. The body moved in acknowledgement. "Please, tell me the truth. Did you kill my brother?"

Oliverara coughed a couple times and turned to the hole. She looked at Mare with the blankest stare she had ever seen. "I don't know. I truly dont know. Sh-she keeps saying I did, but I just can't believe her."

"You mean Elara's voice?"

Oliverara nodded. "I swear," she choked up, "she's still in my head. I swear I'm not lying." She started crying into her hands.

Mare didn't know what to say. Her head pounded and spun. There was no way she'd condemned an innocent girl to Maven's clutches. Oliverara had to have killed Shade.

"The queen always wins," Oliverara sobbed. "That's what she said to me. The queen always wins. I guess she was right."

Tears squeezed their way out of Mare's eyes. No, Oliverara had to be guilty. Right? "That's not true," Mare whispered. "Elara isn't going to win." Oliverara said nothing in response. She didn't believe that and neither did Mare. Here she was, sitting in a cell in Whitefire with a maybe innocent victim of Silver tyranny, meanwhile Maven got the public approval he needed for his campaign against the Scarlet Guard, and the Guard in question was sent running across Norta without their best fighters.

Congratulations Elara. Mare's thoughts went out to wherever the queen's wicked spirit had settled. I guess you have won.