Six hours into my journey, and I can feel that something isn't right.

I turn my head and look around, there's a village. A regular, everyday village. But still, I can feel something gnawing away at my chest. My heart beats louder and louder. Harsher and harsher. There's something wrong. There's no way to explain it, but I can just feel that there's something that's not right.

There's something very, very wrong. Soon enough, I'm taking in deep, harsh breaths of air, like I'm having a seizure or something. My hands clutch the red velvet chairs as I shut my eyes tightly. The world spins and spins, faster than ever, when suddenly, it stops. Leaving me still as tears prick my eyes.

Why do I feel this pain biting away my very soul?

"Take me home." I whisper, my voice low, harsh and threatening. The driver turns to stare at me. I narrow my eyes at him.

"TAKE ME HOME AT ONCE!" I scream and thrash as he jolts upright in his seat and turns the car around to go the other way. He doesn't dare question my order. He knows what'll happen if he crosses the beloved princess.

So, for six hours, I sat there, my heart wanting to break free of my ribcage as I worried what in the world was happening to me.

*Don't worry, I actually have an explanation for this... I think*

The second we reach my home, I run inside.

"Mother!" I shout, my voice echoing throughout the hall. Its early morning, they should be just awake. Just awake so that I can run into their arms to ensure that I'm not going crazy. But only silence responds to me.

"Father!" I scream, my voice more panicky. I search their bedrooms, nothing. I look into the throne room, only dust arrives.

"MAVEN!" I say, desperate for anyone to hear me. "CAL!"

I check their bedrooms. I search the kichen. I look into the training facility. Nothing. Nobody is here.

"Mare." I whisper, as if she could hear me. As a last ditch attempt, I close my eyes and search for minds.

Nobody. Have I ever felt this alone before?

But then, a thought pinpricks my mind. My mouth fills with glee, until I realize that this is not my family, but a simple servent.

I wish I could've watched the King Killer get murdered. Would've been the first time I saw the bowl of bones...

My heartbeat stops as I freeze. The world stills around me. My heart wrenches within my eyes as tears pinprick my eyes. The Bowl of Bones?

I don't think, I just run towards there. My feet slam the rocks as I cry freely.

King Killer? Does that mean my father is... Dead? I shake my head, no, no, no. My Father can't be dead. He can't be.

My family must be watching this murderer get killed. I must join them, I must mourn with them. I wipe my cheeks with my sleeve as I keep running.

It takes much too long, but I finally reach it. The stadium stands tall as two guards block the way.

"LET ME IN AT ONCE!" I scream at their faces as they jolt upright and move out of the way. My feet slam the ground as sweat pours down my forehead, but I barely notice it. I barely notice anything but for the crowds raging sounds and screams.

A bright light echoes throughout the stairwell when I finally reach it, the sight of what I see makes my knees weak.

Cal is being pinned to the ground by... Ptolemus? I see his silver blood line his shirt as Ptolemus sends another iron dagger to him, which flickers away with heat. But the sight of my brother... Broken, on the verge of death.

Never, ever, ever tell Maven this, but Cal was always my favourite brother. Always. He was there for me when no one else was. He taught me how to weld the flame I hold today. He's my brother and I love him with all of my heart.

"STOP THIS!" I scream, and I swear, every single head is turned my way. My breathing is harsh, my face is red, and my hair must be a mess, but I don't care. I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. My brother is dying and they expect me to watch?

What is this mutiny?

"I SAID STOP THIS!" I shout, again for all of the world to hear. The sound echoes its way to Cal and Ptolemus, and for a moment, they do. THey drag eachother off. Cal even looks at me. Everyone stops fighting as I stand there, seething mad. My very bones quiver at the sight of my brother, damaged, but alive. I squeeze my eyes shut when I hear another voice.

"Eliza?" He says. I jolt my head to the side where Maven stands. A crown, my father's crown, is over his head and he's standing there. Watching his own brother die in front of him. How can he even cope with himself.

"Maven?" I whisper. He looks so much more different. His pale skin is whiter. His eyes seem more sunken into their sockets. But he's still Maven. My Maven. Maven my brother. At least... I hope he still is.

"Eliza, I thought you were-" He starts when I lash out at him. For every threatening step I come near him, he takes two steps back. A few Senitals stand in the way, thinking I could actually do some damage to this prince. No, by the way his crown stands on his head, he's a King.

"Maven, stop this right now." I whisper, my voice low and harmful. I see my mother standing near him, but I pay no attention. I'm seeing red right now. Maven stares at me, as my lip trembles. "Maven, please." My voice breaks as I remember the time I said that Maven hated me. Perhaps he really does.

"No, Eliza." He responds as I take a quick, sharp breath.

"Where is father?" I finally say, even though I truly know the answer. A missing piece of the puzzle.

"Dead." He responds as I squeeze my eyes shut. "Eliza, Cal killed him for the crown. He killed him right in fro-"

"BULLSHÍT!" I scream, cursing for all the world to hear. "THAT IS COMPLETE BULLSHÍT!" Maven stares at me, with these wide, innocent eyes, but they carry a message.

You really do have faith in Cal.

"But its true, Eliza." He whispers. "Mare seduced Cal into murdering his own father. Our father. Mare was part of the Scarlet Guard all along and-"

"You fûcking shîtty liar!" I scream. "Cal would never betray his kingdom. Or his father. Not for a girl, not for you, not even for me!" I'm trying, I'm trying my very best not to fall down and believe every word he says. Because if I do believe in him, then I would forever lose Cal. And I can't lose Cal.

"Okay then, Eliza." He says. "If you don't believe me, believe the proof. The evidence."

And there, on the huge TV screen, do I see Cal, our Father's sword in his hand. In one quick, fluid motion, he cut his very skull off his body.

This feeling of pure hatred bubbles up in my chest. My eyes blaze in flames. I can feel fire rising from my fingertips as deep, harsh breaths of air fill my lungs. Dead, dead, dead. My Father is dead, dead, dead.

"Now do you believe me?" Maven asks me, and I turn. I don't want to look at him. I refuse.

But then, I see Cal.

The second I see his face, the regular fume of love surrounds me. But the video clip replays in my head. Murderer. He murdered our father. He killed him in cold blood. My chest heaved as tears spilled down my face, landing on the floor. My body shook as I wrapped my flaming hot arms around my chest, even though I wasn't at all cold.

I don't want to look at him.

But then, I shut my eyes. This fume of love pours out on me, I'm clinging onto this small, thin thread of hope that maybe the video was photoshopped. Maybe Cal didn't kill his father.

But what's the alternative? THat my own Mother and Maven made Cal kill him? Which one do I want to believe.

The truth. I realize. I want to believe the truth.

When I open my eyes again, and I look into Cal's, I realize something.

We both have the same eyes, golden and red. I've never noticed that before. I stare at Cal and his pleading face. But he knows better. I take in a sharp inhale.

This can't be the man who helped train me. This can't be the brother I love.

I refuse to watch Cal die. I refuse.

So I turn my head back at Maven, hatred pouring out, and for the first time ever, I dig into his head looking for more than just thoughts.

But what I don't understand, is which one I want to happen.

That Cal truly did betray our kingdom all for one girl...

Or that my brother and mother betrayed me.

*E*