Chapter Twenty-Two

                                    

                                          
I look back and forth between the two brothers. The two enemies. One, I desperately wanted to love. The other, I already do. I turn my whole body towards the one I wish to be with forever to tell him why I can't.  
                          
 "Cal." I say, my voice unsteady. "I'll come back." I stare at him, waiting for any sign to show me that he's heard me. 
                          
His face falls for a second but is replaced with a stone cold mask. He scoffs, running a hand through his hair and over his face. "I knew you'd do it. No matter how hard I try... You'll always go back to him."
                          
 "Cal." I beg. 
                          
He faces me again and grabs me around the waist. Swinging me into a deep dip, he kisses me. Breathing in all the air in the world, I kiss him back. Tears stream down his face but evaporate before I can process them. He whispers to me.
                          
 "You'll always choose him, Mare." 
                          
 "No." I stutter out. "You d-dont get to say that. I am coming back and I will marry you and Shade will be with us. Shade, Cal. How am I supposed to walk away now? I can't leave this opportunity, no matter how unrealistic it seems."  
                          
 Cal leans his forehead on mine. "I know." He half growls, half whispers. 
                          
 I slowly, slowly, pull out of his hands and walk toward the one I hate, the one who is sick. Incurable. 
                          
His outstretched hand hangs there and I grab on to it. I will play this part to my deathbed to get to Shade. 
                          
 "Mare. So glad to see you." Maven says, full of enthusiasm that is dripping with lies. 
                          
I pull him close in an embrace and harshly whisper in his ear. "If you are lying you will not live to see another day, do you understand me, king?" 
                          
 He laughs. "Of course. Anything for you. Anything." 
                          
 I look back at Cal. "Let him go. Don't touch him." 
                          
 I see Maven follow my gaze and he jokingly bows to me and repeats himself. 
                          
"Anything." 


                          
 Hey! So tonight I can either post several shorter chapters like this one, or I can do one long one in a few hours.... What do you want? 
                          
And what did you think?? 😀😊😁