Keep in mind that Cal is around twelve/thirteen.
The clicking of heels against a hard floor, footsteps tight and swift.
The hardening of eyes, staring straight ahead, lips pursed in an even, disapproving line.
Hands still at their sides, barely able to stop themselves from twitching in anger.
She had, against all odds, been stopped.
An snarl finally twisted her lips.
That brat Cal. Always pushing, ruining, to get his way. Him and his filthy mother.
Coming to his door, she paused, finally flexing her hands. She must curb her anger, she could not let it all out just yet.
Then she flung the door open with as much grace as she could muster.
Two terrified boys stared back.
One of them let out a small squeak.
They could hear her coming. The sharp clicks of shoes against the floor made them all too aware of that fact.
Click, click, click.
Maven huddled against Cal, wide eyes staring at the door as if it were the cause of his troubles.
Cal pulled him just a bit closer, knowing that it was likely that the cause of his troubles was about to walk in the door.
Click, click, click.
It's always quieter, always hard to speak, when the atmosphere is so tense, when there's barely anything else but your heartbeat, pounding, pounding, pounding.
And as such, Cal couldn't force the words out of his mouth, and they were left stuck in the top of his tongue, almost as if ready to burst out at any moment. (But they wouldn't.)
Click, click, click.
("I know you're scared, and that Elara will probably force her thoughts into your mind again, but right now you're with me. And I won't let her take you now. You're safe, for now.")
Click, click, click.
(Those were the words he wanted to say.)
Click, click, click.
(But he couldn't say then, not if they weren't true. He was powerless against Elara.)
Click, click, click.
(Powerless.)
Click, click, click.
A small whine of fear came from Maven.
"She's coming, she's coming, oh my colors, she's going to kill me." It hurts Cal's heart to see that Maven looked like he actually meant it. Then Maven turned to him. "She's going to kill you."
Unable to think of a suitable response, Cal just offered him a shaky smile.
The clicking grew closer, then stopped altogether. Maven jerked slightly at the change.
He had just started to relax when the door flew open.
Leaving them staring like frightened mice at Elara.
Maven let out a small squeak.
Like very frightened mice.
For a second, Elara just watched them—and if they were mice, she was very much the cat stalking her prey—silent and unmoving as a stone.
Then she stepped forward and Cal moved to defensively cover his brother. Maven shifted back with a barely contained whimper.
"Come along, Maven. We have things to do." Elara waited, haughty expression showing that there was no possible way for them to disobey her, but he didn't move, causing a flicker of darkness to run along her face.
"Come along," she repeated in a firmer, more tested voice, glaring at Maven. "We have things to do."
Maven made a move to head toward her, trembling so much Cal was surprised he could even stand. Just when he had stood up, Cal bolted to his feet, staying in front of Maven.
"We have to finish our game of chess." The words were out before Cal even knew he was going to say anything, but he was sure glad he did.
Behind him, Maven offered him a grateful glance, even if he couldn't see it.
Elara's eyes flitted over to the table, taking in the chessboard, probably along with the shattered chair, and everything else in the general vicinity, before her lips curled up slightly in dry amusement.
"I think you look rather done with it, don't you?"
Cal hazarded a glance at the chessboard, curses running through his head when he saw that the chess pieces were scattered, some lying on the floor, others still on the board.
(When had that happened? Cal wondered. Maybe when—no, I was watching the board when Maven fell over. Perhaps I knocked it over when getting up? Cal stared blankly at the chessboard—it made no sense!)
"Please, move aside, Tiberias," Elara said, the unyielding tone of her voice much too sharp to be a request. Cal shivered at his whole name.
"No," he gritted out. His hands clenched at his side.
And then there was a slippery, horrible thing in his mind. Let me pass, it whispered, voice silver tongued. Cal started to move to the side, but then ground to a halt.
"No," he repeated.
Okay, then. Have it your way. The voice withdrew with startling speed, then rushed back in with all the force of a waterfall. It pushed itself through his memories—all his memories; the ones of his father, telling him that Elara was dangerous, of him and Maven playing; of going ou—
"Stop it!"
Cal's eyes opened, head resting against the cold floor. His vision blurry, he blinked to remove the sheen of translucence, and saw Elara collapsed on the floor, face filled with murderous rage, Maven above her as if—
Shit. He hadn't pushed her, had he?
Elara stood up, dusting her gown off with smooth gestures, before grabbing Maven's arm so tightly Cal winced, sure it was going to bruise.
"We're leaving, Maven. Goodbye," the Queen said shortly, yanking Maven toward the door, and the younger boy stumbled after her so unsteadily it was almost like he was a puppet.
The door slammed.
Then there was silence, sans the incessant clicking, clicking, clicking.
She had taken Maven from him, right after he had made the promise that he would be okay.
("It's okay. It's okay. She's gone; for now.")
Granted, the promise he had made hadn't been a permanent one, but he had told himself he would protect Maven against the one person he was powerless against.
(Powerless.)
Cal stumbled to his feet with a clumsy urgency, tripping over himself to get to the door.
He turned the knob, opening the door and stepping out into the hall.
Just in time for him to lock eyes with Maven's utterly petrified ones, right before he was pulled around the corner.
That was the second chapter! I'll be doing a third part (this'll probably be a three- or four-shot), so if you liked it, be sure to stay tuned.
As before, any mistakes you see at all, I'll be happy to fix.
Thanks for reading!
