Red Queen

A week of midnights go by. Finally, one night, Mare suddenly feels an absence of cameras and electricity for the first time since Queenstrial. Walsh pulls Mare out of bed and into the dark conservatory. Farley is there, and Mare is shocked when Maven appears a moment later. Mare can tell that he is terrified of Farley, but he is there to join the Guard.

Maven says that the three years he spent following Cal around on the war front taught him that the war is a foolish waste that unfairly preys on Red blood. His first real friend was a Red seventeen-year-old who he had to watch die. Maven says that Cal is “a good person, and he’ll be a just ruler, but he doesn’t think change is worth the cost.” Mare wonders if she should start to trust Maven precisely because of this secret pain he has hidden.

After Maven swears his loyalty on his colors, an ancient binding oath, Farley welcomes him to the Scarlet Guard. “Thank you,” Mare whispers to him. Farley then pressures Maven into giving her names of assassination targets. He says he would prefer a “less hostile path,” but Farley convinces him that getting the attention of the kingdom will be the fastest way to change.

Maven turns to try to convince Mare to join him as the face of the revolution. She is resistant as Maven backs Farley’s plan to orchestrate a terrorist attack on the Parting Ball, which the king will surely not be able to keep quiet as he has other terrorist attacks. Mare realizes that Shade has been one of Farley’s pawns. However, Maven reminds her what Julian has told her about revolutions needing sparks.

Mare reluctantly agrees to involvement in the terrorist plan, but she tries to bargain with Farley not to let Kilorn get involved. Kilorn then steps out of the shadows, and Mare realizes that she is too late. He asks her to stop trying to save him, but she refuses. He insists that it is his turn to do what he can to save her. Mare remembers all the times she has protected Kilorn, ever since the day his mother left him an orphan. “Do what you want, Kilorn,” she says. She refuses to say goodbye as she turns to go back to bed, dwelling on how he has betrayed her lifelong efforts to help him.

The ball approaches much faster than Mare would like. She continues to struggle with her dancing lessons and pours her energy into Training. Mare wonders one day why everyone suddenly seems far more focused on their warm-ups in Training. Cal tells her she will see in a moment. Then the training floor shifts, like the Queenstrial stadium, to form an arena. There is to be a practice fight. Cal assures Mare that the instructor will stop the contestants before they hurt each other.

Mare is terrified as she watches a nymph and Maven gear up to fight. The instructor asks the class who has the advantage and confirms that the nymph, with more experience and control of water to quench Maven’s fire, has a leg up. As the fight begins, it first looks like Maven will win. However, the tables turn at the last minute, and Maven must yield.

As the next fight begins, Cal advises Maven not to corner a stronger opponent because “it makes them more dangerous.” Cal congratulates Maven on his improvement, which strikes Mare as patronizing. She speaks up for Maven, but then tells Maven privately that Cal is right—he needs to outsmart opponents who are stronger than him. Maven bitterly reflects that Cal is always right when it comes to fighting.

Mare sees Evangeline smiling across the arena and wonders how it does not bother her to see her friends bleeding. She reminds herself that Silvers, with their constant access to healers, do not have to worry over spilled blood the way Reds do. Mare watches Cal mercilessly defeat two opponents. She reflects that, “Cal is more dangerous than all of them put together. I cannot forget that.” Mare’s thoughts are interrupted when Evangeline challenges her to a fight in the arena.