I'm back! Here's the next chapter!
Cal's POV
I turn around slowly. I ignite my hands again, faintly illuminating the shadowy room.
I step closer instinctively, deeper into the chamber. Squinting, I see my brother slumped in the corner, his head leaning against the Silent Stone wall. I hear his breathing; faint, agonized wheezing. But his words are clear as crystal.
"Why are you still here?" he whispers.
I close the space between us in three steps and peer down at my brother. Maven clutches his stomach, which glistens from the silverblood seeping through his fingers. It shimmers mirror-like in the darkness, catching the light from my flames.
"I was looking for you," I breathe, head spinning at the sight of all the blood. Maven's blood. My brother's blood. My blood.
"Well, now you've found me, so you can leave me— alone." The last word catches in his throat, betraying his tears. He's crying.
Lost at what to do, I lower myself to his level. "Mavey—" I whisper gently.
"Leave me alone, Cal," he commands with as much intensity as he can muster, then doubles over with a hacking cough, spewing a spray of glistening silverblood onto the cold stone floor. He cries out in agony, tears mixing with the blood on his lips.
"Mavey!" What should I do? I should just finish him off right here. Put him out of his misery and go find Mare. I need to see if she's okay. She's the priority. But instead, I reach for my broken brother. I slide closer to him on the floor and pull his limp body into my arms, cradling him like an infant.
"Cal, what-?" Maven wheezes. He stiffens, then reluctantly drops his head on my shoulder in exhaustion. He doesn't have the energy to fight anymore. He draws a soft, shuddering breath, his dark hair shadowing his pale, sweaty face.
I close my eyes, my heart aching. My Mavey. Wounded. Hurting. Dying. What am I doing? What would Farley say if she saw me here? Or Kilorn? Or Mare. She wanted to finish him off. And what am I doing? I'm betraying her. And everyone. I'm just the traitorous Silver prince, like everyone always said. No wonder Mare thought she had to do this herself. Look at me.
I open my eyes and look down at my brother's shivering form. He gazes at the red stain on my shirt. Mare's blood. Always between us. "Will- will she be okay?"
"Who— oh. Yes. She'll be fine."
Maven pauses. "Tell her I'm sorry. Please," he murmurs, "I didn't want to hurt her."
I stare at him. "But-"
"I never wanted to hurt her. I- I love her," Maven whispers. "I could never - never say it to her, but… she is my everything. My every waking thought. I didn't want to do it, Cal."
"But-" I begin angrily, thinking about Mare, the manacles, the torture. He couldn't possibly do that to someone he loved. Could he?
With a quivering hand, Maven clutches my sweaty collar, stained with red and silver, forcing me to look at him. "You know I didn't want to do it, Cal," he says hoarsely.
I hesitate. Was it hard for him? He couldn't possibly still love her. Not love, but just an obsession. A sick infatuation. But I look down at my brother's teary eyes, still gazing woefully at her bloodstains on my shirt. I brush his dark hair out of his eyes. "I know," I whisper.
The corner of Maven's lip turns up into a faint smile. "Look at us. This was always how it was going to end."
"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.
"It's over, Cal," he whispers. "You've won, see. Like always. Checkmate."
He says this without contempt. Just rueful regret. He coughs, his body convulsing, a trickle of silverblood dribbling between his lips. I can't just watch him suffering like this. He's my brother. I just want to help. To save him. My Mavey. I need to get him out of here. What am I waiting for? I need to get him to a healer, quickly. Before he bleeds out and dies here, on the Silent Stone floor.
But that's what's supposed to happen, I remind myself. He's supposed to die here. It would end all this, all of this mess. No healer would help him. He needs to die, for the cause. For the war. For the world. For the greater good. I know that. So why are my hands trying desperately to staunch the blood seeping from his stomach.
Maven whimpers as my fingers press into his wound. "Cal, stop-" he chokes, gasping in pain. I draw my hands away quickly, not wanting to hurt him anymore than he is already.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I whisper in his ear. "This is all my fault. Everything. If I- if I hadn't - if we-"
Maven hushes me, his ice-cold hand gripping mine. "It's not you, Cal. It was Mother. And it was me. We fought. You won, fairly. I lost."
I go quiet, all of the words taken from me. But I don't want to win! Not this time.
"I want to help you, Mavey."
Maven shakes his head. "I don't want to be healed. I'm happy here," he whispers. "Let's end it this way. It's too late for me, anyway."
I hesitate, then nod slowly. Maven eyelids flutter shut. "Stay here with me? Please?" he murmurs.
"They couldn't make me leave if they tried," I promise him.
The next and final chapter will be from Maven's POV. I'll have it up soon! Reviews are the best! ;)
