A/N: Sorry guys, been really busy with school work :/ but...THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! They've helped me so much to continue, for new ideas, and overall helping me fix and shape my writing. KEEP IT COMING ;)

Enjoy!

I do not own the Red Queen series.

His hand wraps around my wrist, across my brand. I wait patiently for his response, and when it comes I want to scream.

"You're complete and utter devotion."

I force myself not to move out of his grip. I needed time to think this through and assess what my actions would lead to.

"Devotion to what, exactly?" I question, trying to buy some time.

"Tsk, tsk," Maven scolds. "Don't play dumb. You are well aware of what I want."

I say nothing, which prompted him to jab at me.

"I didn't know the death of your sister had affected you so much," he points out slyly. I glare at him, the mention of Gisa bringing back memories of her supposed death.

He laughs before continuing.

"Here, I'll elaborate for you. I want you willing. Willing to take my love, and to give it back without hesitation."

I scoff internally. Love? We both have completly different definitions of love, and his is not especially pleasant.

"You will act as my wife, however you will never hold that title. You lost your chance when you chose my horrid brother." He spits out as if it's poison.

My eyes widen as I realize that this is what Jon wrote about in the note. I am supposed to make Maven think that I've broken and excepted that I am his. But, that came after someone tried to save me. Am I supposed to turn down his deal now? Will he propse it later, after someone tries to get me?

Sighing, I close my eyes. To him it looks like I'm thinking about his deal and if I should say yes or no, when in reality I'm debating when to say yes.

I have to say yes. Agreeing to be his will further allow me to gain his trust, the safety of the Guard and my family being a bonus.

Pretending to be flustered, I whisper quietly.

"C-can I have more time? I need to think about this."

I stare into the deceitful depths of blue, urging him to see my confusion and innocence. For a moment, I see a flash of the old Maven. His eyes warmed and his gaze softened, a look that would make any Silver girl melt. It's gone within a second, and I realize I will never fully see the Maven I knew. Its only a small piece of him, and it is hiden deep in his heart.

Back again is the monster, the cold-blooded king. He stands up slowly, watching me the entire time. Pondering my question, he finally answers.

"Three days," he says. We look at each other, trying to figure out what the other person is thinking. I try to convey a sad, pathetic look, but that causes him to look at me suspiciously.

Note to self, become pathetic gradually. He gives me a look over once more before starting toward the door.

He steps out, turning back to say one more thing.

"I'll send Wren in to heal you. We can't have you complaining about wounds when you have something much more important to think about."

My eyebrows raise in shock, causing Maven to smile slightly. As I begin an awkward thank you, he's already gone.

I stretch my back, laying on the floor. Sunlight fliters through the window, shining onto the spot next to me. I run my hand through it, convincing myself that I can feel the difference between the room and sunlight.

Once Wren had healed me two days ago, I had pulled together enough strength to get onto the floor. I had promptly fell asleep, tired from the day's ordeal.

Today is the last day I have to 'think' about Maven's deal. It is also the last day I am giving to the person that is supposed to try and save me. If they do not come, then I will agree to Maven's deal. I don't know how drastic it will change what Jon saw, but I really have no choice.

I'm have to get Maven to trust me, and the only way to do that is to be willing. Or, atleast, act like it.

The door opens and a silver drops a tray with food on the ground. Without looking at me he slides it over with a kick. Like always, he spills the drink. The first time I complained, but I've learnt not to.

He doesn't listen, and he kicked it even harder when he realized it annoyed me.

It slides to me with a clank and I nod at him. He sneers before closing the door.

On the tray is the standard lunch, a serving of meat, fruit, vegetables, and a glass of whatever there is. Today's meat was fish with asparagus and peaches. It's not a good mix and the fish is burnt, but it's food.

I eat it up, espcially after learning that it's the only meal I get a day. Evangeline had convinced Maven to change it from two meals to one, and he complyed. It would hurt me, but it wouldn't kill me. It's better than what she wanted to happen orginally, with a meal once a week.

The food portions are small, and I find myself longing for tomorrow. Back in the Stilts we didn't have filling meals, but we atleast usually had them three times a day; Mom made sure of that.

It's been two days and I've already grown weaker. I get exhausted just by going to take a shower and my hands are constantly shaky.

You'd think that if Maven wanted me to accept his deal he would treat me nicer, but that is obviously not the case.

I stay in the room, never allowed out. There's also been no punishments, which both scares and relieves me. He's either enjoying me being always on guard or too busy to bother with me.

I'm extremely bored all the time. I sleep, eat, sleep, tear up whatever I can, sleep, shower, sleep, and repeat. Sometimes when I get fustrated, or if I think about something too hard, I'll throw things. It's mainly my empty plates and forks, and I'll make sure to scream while throwing it. I try to get the guards outside to do something, anything, but nobody ever comes.

The silence will get too loud, so I'll have to make my own noise to show that I'm not alone. I usually have these breakdowns when I try to figure out if it was Gisa or not, or what it would be like if Shade was still alive.

I don't cry because I can't, I won't let myself. Because I know that when I start, I won't be able to stop.

The sun has gone down and was replaced by the shimmery moon. I sit at the bottom of the window, watching the courtyard blankly. No one has came for me, the time is almost up. Tomorrow I will have to tell Maven yes, tomorrow I will change what Jon saw in the future.

The door sliding open doesn't scare me. It's night, which is when the maid comes in. This one is always quieter, she never sneers or talks; however , she will hum sometimes, a soft, melancholy tune. It wraps itself around my heart softly and I let it fill me. After all the silence of the day, her song gives me sanity.

The woman will always come at night, when I'm supposed to be asleep. I startled her the first night, when I was having a fit. I threw a plate and it hit the spot above her head. She had gasped and I had froze, confused as to why she was here. After the shock had worn off I apologized and sat down, leaning on the bed to give her space. She cleaned quietly, not questioning why I was doing what I was.

After that, she came to realize that I sleep most of the day and lay awake at night. She doesn't bother me and I don't bother her. It's a silent truce, a weak bond.

She begins to sweep up the glass I had thrown today. I had been thinking about what would happen if they didn't come, if Maven found out and killed them. Then, I wondered if it was Cal, and if Cal had been captured and been forced to tell the whereabouts of the Guard.

My family is with them, meaning that Maven would end up getting them too. I broke down after that, screaming and destroying everything I could.

The maid cleans it all up swiftly, humming the entire time. I lay my head down on the window sill and close my eyes. Her melody and the rhythmic sound of cleaning lure me to sleep.

A short scream interupts the silence, quickly muffled with whispers and a hand. I shoot up, head spinning and eyes bleary.

A hooded figure stands begind the maid, holding her limp body. They rest her gently on the ground.

"This is it,' I think. 'They've come to rescue me."

"Hello?" I whisper, waving weakly to the person. They stare at my frail form, taking in my beat up body. The silence stretched between us, but before I could say anything the person runs to me.

The hood falls back, revealing a mess of uneven black hair and bronze, molten gold eyes. I can't stop the tears from flowing as I realize who it is, and they burn bitter when I realize I have to turn down leaving.

Cal embraces me softly, as if I'll fall apart. I groan and cry harder at his gentle treatment.

"I'm not a flower," I snap, wiping the tears away. He lets out a chuckle, resting his face in the crook of my neck. I run my fingers through his hair, the familiar action bringing back memories.

"I didn't know it was this bad," he sighs, gesturing to my bruises and brands. He hooks his finger under my jaw, lifting my face to his.

For a second I see Maven doing this and I panic, shivering and swatting his hand away.

Cal looks at me in confusion.

"It's nothing..just...I don't want to talk about it." I brush his concern away.

He touches the new brands, running his fingers over it lightly. His face is bright with anger, fire simmering beneath his skin.

I shiver again, but it's a different one. Suddenly, I pull him into a kiss we've never had before. It's desperate and firey, yet gentle. His rough, lips move against mine with the same fierceness, so unlike Maven's cold and hungry ones.

Finally, we pull away, sharing breaths and pants.

"Come on, the rest of us are waiting for you. Cameron is holding off the Arvens, but it won't stay that way for long. Let's get you out of here." Cal tries to pull me up but I gently remove his hand.

"I can't," I choke, holding back the tears swimming in my eyes. "It'll fail, Cal. You need to leave."

"What? What are you talking about Mare," He looks as confused as ever.

"Trust me, please Cal you need to leave. I'll come back I promise, just please, please leave. I don't want you to get hurt." I plead.

"How do you know this!" He hisses, but his eyes hold no anger.

"Jon!" I'm practically shouting now. "He told me! Please Cal, just-"

He yells right back, cutting me off.

"You really trust him? Look where it got you Mare! That bastard sold you out to Maven! He caused Shade's death!"

"I know!" I push him away. "I know! B-but he was right about everything, and..." I trail off.

"And?"

I groan, burying my face into my hands. I didn't even have a reason to trust him other than my gut feeling, and I doubt Cal will take that as an answer, being the soldier he is.

Without another word, he picks me up.

"What are you doing," I gasp, swatting weakly at his arms.

"Taking you whether you want to or not," He replies without looking.

He kicks open the door loudly.

"Shh," I hiss. "If you're going to take me atleast be quiet."

Cal laughs and I can feel it vibrate in his chest.

"Some newbloods are holding the other Silvers back, I promise it'll be fine." He says, striding out into the empty hallway.

His footsteps echo as I plead for him to put me down, to leave before he gets hurt.

"Cal," I claw at his arms. "Let me go! I swear to god I-"

Before I can finish an alarm sounds. It reverberates off the walls loudly, the noise shrill and piercing. Cal begins to sprint down the hallway, turning right sharply.

"Shit," he curses under his breath as two guards turn the corner.

Cal hurls a handfull of fire at them, knocking them back and rendering them unconscious.

Seeing he was focused on something else, I try to wiggle my way out of his grip.

Just as I'm about to fall he hoists me back up, glaring.

"Do you want to see the real Gisa or not?" He growls.

I freeze, staring up at him with shocked, wide eyes.

"She's alive?" My voice wavers slightly and his expression softens.

"I'll explain it later, once we make it to camp. Just three more minutes or so until-"

"Until what?"

Maven's cold tone slices through the air and I clutch Cal's arms tightly. I know I have to do this, but oh how I wish I could stay in his arms.

We whirl around to meet Maven and the other silvers. They stand by him tall, poised to strike at any moment.

The Strongarm next to the king holds a bloody, but alive Cameron. Her arm is twisted weird, and she cradles it tenderly. She curses every so often when she's handled too rougly, but other than that she just glares at the people surronding her.

Maven motions for the guards and they twist her arms behind her back. She screams, tears running down her dirty face. I struggle in Cal's arms, trying to reach her.

"Maven," I cry out. "Stop!"

"You're in no position to tell me what to do." He laughs and the guards throw her at his feet.

Despite her condition, Cameron still manages to glower at him, even spitting at his shoes.

'That's my girl,' I think as he looks down at her in disgust.

Maven swings back his foot and kicks her in the jaw and I hear a crack. It's soon followed by her wail of pain and then stifled sobs.

"Mare taught you more than fighting, hmm?" He spits.

I feel tears burning at the back of my eyes but I push them back, instead giving Maven the most hatred filled gaze I could manage.

He scoffs at the expression, motioning for Cal to put me down.

Cal makes no move to do so, so Maven lets fire form in his hand.

"Does Cameron want a brand too?" He questions, meeting my eyes. He knows that it will get me to come, and he is right.

"No!" I shriek, managing to push Cal away. He shouts out a protest but I quickly move toward Cameron.

But instead of going to help her, I do the unthinkable and fall at Maven's feet beside her.

I hang my head low and force tears out, although it's not hard to cry. I hope he buys it, especially after recieving my hate filled looks.

"In exchange for their lives, I will give you the one thing I still have. I promise myself to you, from now to the end."

Cal shouts at me to stop. Maven looks down at me, his expression unreadable.

"Maven," I choke. "I agree to your deal."