Maeve

After two weeks, I finally got called back to Azriel’s office. I wanted to feel excited to finally have some more missions, but I’d never felt more conflicted.

All my life I had believed we were doing good things, and that foundation was beginning to shake radically. Nevertheless, I went to Azriel’s office, my head held high.

“Hello, Azriel,” I said as I came in.

“Hello Maeve. Has the probation served you well?”

I forced a smile. “Sure.”

He outright laughed. “Liar.”

I shrugged, sitting down. “Got more missions for me?”

He nodded, sliding an envelope over to me. “It’s a group of four. You’ll find them in the middle tier. They’re competition for the Mariposa.”

I rose my brows, nodding. “Must be pretty impressive competition for you to bother.”

He smiled slightly. “You just got off probation and you’re going without any backup. I haven’t exactly put all my pawns on one board.”

I chuckled at that, grabbing the envelope and starting out the door.

“Don’t screw this up, Maeve.”

And somehow I knew he wasn’t talking about the mission.

***

Azriel

I raked my hand through my hair as she left. All of my better instincts told me I couldn’t trust her. She was never supposed to see Veralis. If my boss heard about that… knew that I let it go, we’d both be done for.

There was no way she hadn’t seen anything like she claimed. What was happening there was hard to miss. If things went downhill from here, I knew I’d only have myself to blame.

But for the life of me… I could not kill her.

***

Maeve

I watched my radar on my watch until I arrived at the group’s HQ… which was a ridiculously nice word for it.

It was just a shack. I landed on the roof that looked like any moment it would cave in. A couple kicks of my steel boots, and I was able to drop in. The group immediately became alert. Two guys, two girls, none of them over the age of 30.

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I slit the throat of one of them, shot another. The remaining two grabbed their weapons, but were too slow. I shot one of them before they could even draw their gun, then shot the hand of the last person, making them lose their gun as they looked at me. Using my foot, I scooted the gun towards myself and picked it up.

The last remainder was one of the women. Tears cascaded out of her fearful eyes. She held her injured hand tight as I slowly came towards her, her gun and my wrist gun trained on her.

“I’m going to ask you some questions and you’re going to answer. Answer and I’ll spare your life.”

The fear was suddenly edged out by fury as she shook her head. “I will die with my comrades.”

I nodded. “Fine, I respect that.” I drew my knife from my leg strap, holding it up for her to see. “Then let’s allow you to choose how you die today. Painfully, slowly, and intimately… or quickly and painlessly. Like that of your comrades.”

She furrowed her brows. “What do you want to know so bad?”

I tilted my head. “What do you do? Your group?”

She swallowed. “You’re killing us, and you don’t even know why?”

I stepped closer, anchoring the knife against her neck. “I’m asking the questions here.”

To her credit, all she did was roll her eyes. “We seek to kill Mariposa.”

I grit my teeth. “Why? You work for the monarchy?”

She scoffed. “No. You do.”

Shocked, I stepped back out of instinct. “What do you mean?!”

Her eyes were wide in disbelief, her mouth agape. “You really don’t know, do you? The Mariposa kill anyone who opposes the monarchy. They’re a secret agency that works directly for the queen. Apparently so secretive, they lie to their own members.”

My impulses fought the notion, making me aim the gun at her head. “You’re lying!”

She laughed. “Either way, I’m about to die. What reason would I have to lie to you? What would I possibly gain?”

I clenched my eyes shut, screaming, squeezing the trigger. I had to make her shut up. I couldn’t listen to what she was saying.

I couldn’t face the truth.

***

Elyas

My steps aligned with my mother’s as we headed to the meeting hall, surrounded by guards.

“We will be discussing matters concerning the kingdom, Elyas,” she said.

I nodded. “Any mention of Malachi?”

She sent me a glare that could kill. “None. As unfortunate as his death is, it doesn’t hold importance to the kingdom at large.”

I grit my teeth, fighting back a snappy response.

“You will temper your words, Elyas, or you won’t be allowed to any meetings.”

I scoffed. “The future king has no say in how the kingdom is to be run?”

“You are still only learning the ways of ruling, my son.”

Once again, I nodded. Her message was clear. Sit down, look pretty, and shut up. An hour into the meeting and all I’d listened to was matters of little moral significance. Economy, tourism, ways to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’d like to propose something,” I announced.

All eyes turned on me, my mother’s holding fierce warning.

“Of course, Your Highness. What is it?” the advisor asked with a smile.

My mother quickly shook her head. “Nonsense, that is not the way in which you propose something at all.”

“Surely we can make an exception for His Highness, though, no?” someone else said.

I smiled at my mother, who only glared back.

“Fine. What is your proposal?”

I stared her straight in the eyes, unwavering in my resolve. “I want to close down the operations at Veralis.”

Naturally that didn’t go over well. I argued with everyone for an hour before they simply escorted me out. That night, I received a letter in my room.

I’d watch your back if I were you. You’re making powerful enemies and it will be your demise.