“May, what’s wrong?”

“Maeve, get your target. What’s going on?”

Their words blurred into the background as my world spun. They wanted me… to kill the royal prince…

The prince that just wanted to help people.

The prince that I was just kissing.

I took several more steps back, my head shaking as my breaths were getting faster. Who was I working for?

“May, what happened? Why are you acting like this?” the man in front of me questioned, reaching out for me.

“Maeve, talk to me.”

“May.”

“Maeve.”

“May.”

“Maeve.”

“May.”

“My name’s not May!” I suddenly yelled, the pressure closing in on me.

Elyas froze, his eyes widened. Inside, people near the door whirled around to see what the commotion was.

“What are you doing?!” Azriel shouted in my ear.

My eyes widened as I realized what I had done. I ripped the earpiece off, smashing it with my heel. Elyas watched me in complete bewilderment, his eyes trailing to the earpiece. The concern vanished from his features, replaced with the wary look he gave me earlier.

“May-“

Instinct had me pressing the button on my watch, turning it into my wrist gun and aiming it at his head. He looked up at me, slowly raising his hands.

“Kill me now and everyone in that ballroom behind me will be a witness. Why don’t you just tell me what’s going on here?”

I stared at him, calculating my next move. What options do I even have at this point? I had just blown my cover.

Willingly.

With my boss listening.

They would likely be looking for me any minute. Everyone inside was watching now. Things were about to get really hairy.

And here Elyas was, calmly standing in front of me, a thinly veiled expression of anger and fear on his face as he attempted to reason with me.

“…I’m with the Mariposa. And I just really screwed up and both of our lives are in danger.”

He furrowed his brows, his eyes, glancing at the gun still trained on him. “I’m aware I am in danger, but you are? Who are the Mariposa and how did you screw up?”

I hesitated then sighed. “I really don’t have those answers right now, we need to get out of here,”

Elyas glanced over his shoulder, then back at me. “I can’t just leave.”

“You have to. At least… I do. And I highly advise that you come with me.”

He tilted his head. “Why?”

I rolled my eyes. “The Mariposa want you dead, Elyas, and they’re already heading here. If you stay, you’re liable to get killed.”

He scoffed. “I can handle myself.”

I arched one brow. “You can’t use me as a shield this time.”

Elyas paused at that, confused at first. After a moment, recognition dawned on him. “You’re the… girl from Veralis?”

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

I nodded slowly. “That was the Mariposa…”

He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing. “I’ll come with you.”

I rose my brows, surprised. Slowly, I lowered my wrist gun. “Really?”

He only nodded.

I clicked my necklace, allowing my wings to appear, completely visible behind me. He took my hand, but hesitated upon looking at my wings.

“Those were on you the whole time? I don’t have mine.”

I shrugged. “Better hang on then.”

He gulped, then pulled me closer. He grabbed my waist, holding me tight. I took off into the sky, my wings easily carrying both our weights. I flew through the clouds, using them as a mask as I tried to figure out where to hide.

As I flew, I saw glimpses of others within the clouds. My throat tightened as I realized it was Mariposa.

“Hang on, we’re diving!” I shouted to Elyas.

“What?!” he shouted back.

Ignoring him, I withdrew my wings, allowing us to freefall. Elyas shouted as we fell, obscenities flying from his mouth at a rapid succession. I swiftly brought my hand over his mouth, shutting him up. Diving at an alarming rate, we passed through the highest tier, the middle tier, only stopping when we reached the lowest tier.

“You brought the royal prince HERE?” Elyas said as I flew.

I scoffed. “Not good enough for you?”

“The opposite, they want me dead down here.”

I smiled grimly. “They want you dead up there now, too.”

That quieted his arguments, allowing me to fly us back alleys where the homeless completely bare of wings glared at us as we flew. We stuck out like sore thumbs, in our formal expensive attire. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached our destination. At the end of the back alley was a small nook with only a single tent inhabiting it.

That tent was mine.

I landed, Elyas along with me. I withdrew my wings, allowing them to disappear once again.

“Where are we? We can’t just hide at this stranger’s tent.”

I shook my head, leading him inside. “It’s not a stranger’s. This is MY secret garden.”

“Oh. It’s… nice,” he said slowly, looking around.

I sat down, cross legged. “You’re not a very good liar,” I replied as he sat in front of me, uncomfortably close after what had occurred.

“So… what was your name?” he asked quietly. “If it isn’t May, what is it? And who are the Mariposa?”

I drew my knife, looking around. We were alone now. In a place where no one would care if he died. He watched me cautiously as I scooted closer, holding the knife against his neck.

“I could kill you here,” I said, staring at his skin.

His response didn’t come for a long moment, but when it did, it was in the same tone as when I threatened him earlier. “You don’t want to do that. You would’ve just dropped me as you were flying. THEY want you to kill me.”

I looked up into his eyes, pressing my knife closer. “They’re my family.”

He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with skepticism. “Family that you’re hiding from in fear they’ll kill you?”

I glared at him a long moment before finally backing off.

“I’m going to ask once more… Hopefully this time I won’t get my life threatened for it. What is your name? You know mine. I think it only fair I know yours.”

I crossed my arms, my eyes on my lap. “My name is Maeve.”

A silent pause.

“That’s the same name,” came his voice.

“MAEVE. With a ‘v’. Like move, but ‘ae’. Maeve,” I elaborated.

“Maeve,” he tested.

I nodded.

“Who are the Mariposa?”

“They are a secret group of assassins… I think they work for the royals.”

“I’m a royal. I’ve never heard of them.”

I clenched my fists. “I think they work for the queen.”

“My mother wants me dead? Not likely. What makes you believe they work for the royals? Is that what the Mariposa told you?”

I shook my head. “They told me and all their assassins that we work against the monarchy.”

He grunted. “What changed then?”

“I talked to one of my targets… we aren’t supposed to do that. We’re given only the very limited necessary information about them. She told me she and her comrades were against the monarchy. That it’s why they hunted Mariposa. She told me we work for the queen.”

“Why would they want ME dead, then?” Elyas asked, his confident tone finally wavering.

“My guess?” I looked up at him, remembering the way he talked about what was happening at the factory. “My guess is you have some beliefs that the royals oppose. Strongly. You’re a threat now.”

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

I smiled sadly, remembering when I asked the same question when faced with an ugly truth. “Why would I lie to you? It’s not like it matters how the royals feel about you or vice versa. You’re stranded here with me. You couldn’t turn me in if you wanted to.”

He looked away, a wall going up around him. Footsteps sounded outside, getting louder as they came closer. I looked at our attire and sighed.

“We’ve made ourselves targets by wearing this. We need to change if we’re going to hide here.”

He nodded, looking at me once more. I have one more question though.”

“Okay, but make it quick,” I said as the footsteps got closer.

“Did you kill my best friend, Malachi?”

I looked him in the eyes. They were steely, looking at me like I was the enemy, ignoring the fact I hadn’t even answered.

I shrugged. “What if I did? What are you going to do? Kill me?”

His fists clenched and fury burned in his eyes. “Answer the damn question, Maeve. Truthfully this time.”

I softened, but only slightly. “I killed a woman that day… But it was likely a Mariposa that killed your friend. That’s the truth.”