Hi, all!

I recently posted a new story on the Hunger Games, and if you want, you can go and check it out! It's called 'The Tale of the Mockingjay'.

A few days ago, I got 461 views on my first story! And I reached 4K views in total! I feel AWESOME! It is so great to see people enjoying this story and reading it! I thank you all so much for your support! Sorry that I couldn't post a new chapter earlier, I was grounded for one day. *Shrug* I was hoping to find a good beta-reader, but judging by some of their writing, I don't really think that some of them would be that good for me. If you think otherwise, you can recommend some people in the reviews or PM me.

Thanks again!

Chapter 12

The next morning I woke again in Maven's bed. I rolled over to see him, but he wasn't there. I buried my face in the pillow as Cal's words came back to me.

Gisa. She's dead.

I cried and cried, unable to stop. How did it happen? No, I didn't want to know. I was angry, angry at her for dying and leaving me, angry at them for letting her die. I blamed myself for being so foolish and thinking that nothing bad could happen while I was gone.

I continued blubbering on the pillow and didn't flinch when Maven walked in, cursing someone. He sat on the bed and started talking about something. He turned and looked at me.

"I mean, what is-" His expression softened. "Mare, what happened?" He climbed on top of the bed and crossed his legs. "Is it about your sister?" He whispered. I wiped my nose and face.

"No, it's fine. Where were you?"

"Please, talk to me, tell me about it..." He said sympathetically.

"No, I don't want to," I said, though I felt like exploding.

"If I tell you, you tell me, okay?" He said. At first, I didn't react but then he narrowed his eyes dangerously so I nodded.

"So I was checking up on the guards and listening to their reports and one of them were with Evangeline. Apparently, she had been in the cells of the newbloods we have. Not in a caring way." Something flashed in his eyes. "She had been asking which one was the closest to me, which I visited most. I knew immediately what she was doing and we had a small row."

"Maven..."

"By small, I mean that I almost ended up burning her face off and she almost diced me."

"Maven! I thought you were better than that!"

"But she started it!" He said, grinning.

"This isn't a joke! People are noticing that we're always together and you have a tendency to punch Evangeline, your fiancé."

"It was a fireball-!"

"And I'm always in your bedroom."

"I'm sorry! But you're both always arguing too!"

"That is a whole different situation-"

"Is it? We both have a grudge against her which we feed with the same food. It started because of the same thing! You think it's different and you have perfectly good reasons but in reality, you're just. Like. Me." Maven answered. I stared at him. He sighed and pulled me onto his lap, cuddling me.

"I'm really sorry. It's just... We're both stressed and I'm going on about something unimportant while you suffer quietly." He kissed me. "Now. Your turn." I took a deep breath.

"I was always jealous of her because of her beauty and how she earned my mother's respect and I never did. How people admired her work. How she didn't have to steal to earn money for our family. But when she died, I realised that I never-" I couldn't stand it anymore. I pressed my face into the muscles of his chest and sobbed uncontrollably. He held me close, nodding and repeating the words, "I know, I know. I understand."

"No, you don't! Don't lie!" I shouted.

"But, Mare, I really do... When I betrayed Cal, it felt as though I'd killed him. And remember how my father died? The way they looked at me haunts me..."

"It's all my fault..." I sniffed.

"There is the difference between our sorrow. For you, it's isn't your fault. But for me, it's all my fault." He whispered. I looked up at him. He was crying too, but not like the way I did. It was silent, mute making it somehow even more emotional. I realised that I never considered how he felt, what he was always thinking. He watched his own father die. He was so much stronger than me, never breaking before others until now.

"Maven, I didn't know... I'm so sorry..." I said. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No, I should be sorry, we're talking about you, not me." Rubbing his face, he looked at me and smiled emotionless.

"If you ever want to talk, I'll be here." I patted his arm. He looked at me, staring for a few seconds. Then, out of the blue, he grabbed my face and pressed his lips against mine. I kissed him back. Trying to forget everything else about yesterday, I pulled him down on the bed with me. He stopped.

"You aren't tired now, are you?" He asked suspiciously.

"Nowhere near that," I replied, laughing.

"Good." He pressed down again, more gently this time. I wrapped my hands around his waist, and he slipped his hands up shirt, sliding them across my stomach, up to my breasts.

I slipped out of my shirt, ready to kiss him again.

"Woah, stop!" He cried. I sat up, confused. "You're getting skinnier and losing weight rapidly. Why aren't you eating?"

"Well... I can't. It's hard. I just throw it back up." I said, embarrassed while I put my shirt back on. Maven nodded knowingly to my surprise. Standing up, he offered me his hand. I gave him a puzzled look.

"Come, we're going to the kitchens again."

I had to put the dreaded collar back on.

I was sweating as soon as we entered. I fanned myself, wiping the back of my hand across my brow. Maven just laughed and strolled around calmly, his mask back on.

"The heat doesn't affect you?" Heads turned to stare at me. "I mean, your Highness, don't you feel hot?"

"No, and keep quiet." He said, his voice icy. I obeyed his order and hung my head, walking behind him.

"Get me some food. Now." He barked. I almost jumped at the shout. He walked around, giving orders to the poor workers and I glided behind him. Exhausted, I put one hand on the wall and tried to catch my breath.

"What are you doing? Get up!" Maven shouted to me, shoving a few platters at a nearby maid. I panted and reluctantly stood up and followed him out of the room.

Back in his room, he led me to the balcony, leaving his mask behind. I stood, not moving. The maid had left back to the kitchens, the platters in our arms.

"Mare, come on," He urged me. I shook my head silently.

"Is it because of last night?" He asked gently. I paused, thinking he had heard my last conversation with Cal last night, but then nodded.

The word last echoed in my mind.

Maven exhaled and paused. He the pulled back a curtain and opened a door near the balcony, showing me a small desk with two chairs. The walls were covered in golden wallpaper, patterned with silver and red jewels, bound together with black rope. I gasped softly as I stepped inside.

"I know it's simple, and not much, but..." He said sheepishly, leaning on a wall and rubbing the back of his head. I walked to the jewels, so carefully designed, and touched one, tracing the black line.

"It's amazing," I breathed. He exhaled, then smiled and walked to stand beside me, putting one arm around me. A question struck me.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Hmm?"

"Why this design, why the colour jewels, why bound together?"

"Well, it shows equality between Silvers and Reds." He answered. "I wish for it to be that way..."

"Who sold this to you? How did your parents allow this?" I continued.

"At first, no one dared to promote this idea, so I got started on it myself. I was terrible but eventually got better. I used delicate paintbrushes to make the details perfect. No one but you knows about this place." He grabbed my hands. "The desk and chairs represent simplicity, how I wish my life was."

"When did you have this room made?"

"When..." He avoided my gaze for a moment, then returned it. "When I first met you..."

Maven leant in, kissing me slowly. I pulled away, my mind still on Cal's goodbye. I cleared my throat, sitting down.

"So, are you hungry?" I said. He stared at me, then sat down beside me.

"Uh... Sure. Here, eat slower, it helps. Drink water too." He said quietly. We chewed in silence. When we finished, he offered to return the remains to the kitchens for me. I thanked him, sitting on the bed. I lay down and Maven coughed.

"Mare, I think it's better if you sleep in your bed tonight. For the both of us. Like you said, it causes suspicion." He opened the door. I stood up, walking away. I looked at him before leaving and he stared at the ground.

I took a drop before laying down on the cold mattress. Tears pricked my eyes as I remembered the way I had been pushed away by two people I loved. The more I lied, the more people got hurt.

As I was drifted off, I vowed to stop the lies, to Maven, to Cal, to everyone.