No one even has the chance to mull over Elane's proposal because Volo Samos storms into the room. Behind him is a small legion of Newbloods—Maven's alleged army.

He did not tell me where he had them living. But if Maven was hiding earlier, he certainly was not in the training room with them.

Everyone's defenses heighten. Evangeline suddenly has a long rapier in her hand, Elane goes invisible, Ptolemus pulls a gun from his metal holster. Iris begins pulling moisture from the air, creating an odd blob of water. Cal's flamemakers spark orange.

Beside me, Maven erupts into flames. I summon my own lightning, steeling myself for this battle. Not everyone is going to make it out of here alive, I realize. I gulp down my fear and stand beside my husband, facing people that have betrayed not only me, but him.

"What are you doing here, Volo?" Maven growls.

Volo shrugs. I notice an iron crown on his silver hair. "What anyone with a group of dispensable Reds would do." None of the people behind him so much as flinch. It's as if they are not only under his command, but controlled by him. But that's impossible; Volo is a magnetron, not a whisper or singer. My palms begin sweating.

"What do you want?" Maven drawls, "You couldn't just send me a letter? That would be a bit more convenient, if I say so myself."

At her father's sure steps towards us, Evangeline steps back. I have never seen her so afraid as I do now. Ptolemus does not back down, though. Before Maven or I can do anything, the Prince of the Rift gets in his father's face.

"This is done, Father," Ptolemus spits. 

The Newbloods charge us. Volo does not move, nor does he pull out a weapon. He just stands there, staring at everyone, his face suddenly blank. Ptolemus shoves him, a panicked expression on his white face. "Father." He shakes him. 

The Newbloods surround him, forcing the rest of us away. 

Behind me, Cal curses. "What the fuck," he gasps. 

Maven's flames grow, and he sends a ball of them towards the crowd. It bounces off of thin air. A forcefield. Someone must have that as an ability. Instead of killing us, they attack Volo. Abilities of all forms and sheer anger from the people fuels them. Silver blood splatters across the forcefield. Some red, too.

My stomach churns. In the din, I can hear Evangeline scream.

None of this makes sense. 

The storm outside is growing more intense. I notice green and blue lightning dancing along my purple. 

Utter horror and shock crosses my husband's face as he watches as Volo is brutally killed. We all stare for a long moment as the forcefield disappears and the people stumble out. Seconds later, they all collapse to the floor. 

I turn away from Volo's body, bile rising in my throat. Maven puts a steady hand on my back, keeping me from breaking down right here. I've never liked Volo, in fact, I have hated him since I first saw him at Queenstrial. But his battered body, the blood... I never wanted to see him die. 

Evangeline cries. Ptolemus doesn't. He tries to comfort his sister but I can see the hatred on his face. And a sort of relief, as cruel as it is. 

"We need to bury him," Maven finally says. 

"What about the hundred people currently passed out on your floor?" Iris screeches. 

Elara enters, a blue flowing dress on, her blonde hair perfect, makeup done as if for a grand ball. She bends down next to one of the unconscious Newbloods. "Well done, my pets," she coos as if to a baby. 

"What did you do to them?" My voice cuts through the room sharply. 

Elara laughs. Her laugh is so much like Maven's. The man I fell in love with, whom I married and gave everything to even when my mind told me it would only end in chaos. "Oh, Mare," she says. She comes up to Maven and me and pats us both on the cheek. He fliches but I stay stone-still, staring her down. "Maven and Mare, such a sight for sore eyes. Too busy in a lover's quarrel to even notice an entire legion missing." She pouts, looking down at us. 

Maven pushes me behind him. "Wake them up," he growls.

"No, I don't think so." Her words send shivers down my spine. 

Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank, I tell myself, repeating the words over and over again in my head. But  instead of Elara's voice dancing through my head, drilling into my memories and ideas, the former queen turns to Elane. 

"What was this idea of yours, Princess Elane?" Elane stumbles back, practically into Ptolemus' arms. He pulls her back. The girl's face is pale, eyes full of tears. 

"Please," she begs, sounding small and scared. In fact, I have never seen anyone in this room that terrified. Evangeline remains to the side, not daring to look at Elara. If I hadn't witnessed their love, I would think that Evangeline wouldn't do anything to stop Elara. 

"Very interesting," Elara states, drawing closer to the now-shaking girl, practically unable to stand on her own. 

Evangeline keeps her eyes focused in the distance. When she glances at me, then Elane and Ptolemus ever so slightly, I can tell Elara does not have a hold on her. But what could she possibly use Evangeline for anymore? 

"Maven," I whisper, "what do we do?" 

He snakes an arm around me. "I don't want to kill her."

I swallow my spit, throat suddenly dry. If she so much as comes towards me one more time, I will do it. Maven knows that much. And I am sure Elara would expect it. It would be a fair fight. "Can I?" I can't believe the words even leave my mouth. 

He squeezes my hand tightly, practically burning me. "No." 

I squirm in his grasp. "What if she tries to kill you?"

"Then. Let. Me. Die." He yanks me closer against him, putting me in a headlock. His heart beats rapidly against my back. 

"Then she'll kill me," I say. 

He loosens his grip. Barely.

Cal and Iris charge Elara. Completely out of the blue. From the corner of my eye, I see it: fire and water working together. I never thought it possible. Steam fills the room, hot and dense. It does not rid the space of the metallic stench of blood or Volo's corpse cooling in the middle of a bunch of unconscious people. 

Utter chaos breaks out. Fire and water and steam and lightning fills the room. Soon, Maven and I are running. It's all a blur as I dodge a metal star meant to pierce Elara. Elane is screaming, on the ground now. Though Elara is fighting our attacks, making our movements slow, she keeps her hold on Elane's mind. 

Sweating from the effort it takes to use my lightning while Elara is telling me not to in my head, I land a blow. Purple lightning sizzles up her arm, then shoulder, and neck and face. She screams and it buys us enough time to move of our own free will. He hair is singed, her face burnt. I barely hold back the vomit in my throat. 

I did not kill her. I don't want to kill her. I can't do it to Maven. 

But Maven is the one who charges her. I try to go with him but Cal pulls me back by the collar of my shirt. I slam into his chest, meeting two hundred pounds of muscle. I zap him and he lets go of me. I swear by my colors, if another person grabs and holds me back from anything or anyone...

Maven knocks his mother to the ground, inches away from Volo's body. His silver blood gets all over them, thick like paint. 

Iris retches and vomits all over the dais, on the legs of the silent stone thrones.

Elane and Ptolemus get away from the fight. She's still weeping and he rubs her back as he creates a long spike. It surges towards Evangeline, who makes it longer, sharper, more precise. 

I can tell Elara is in Maven's head because he stands up, legs straight, arms limp to his sides like a rag doll. around him, flames erupt. He becomes a living flame. And he lunges at me. I barley have time to get away; my sleeve is set on fire and my arm burns. Smoke fills my lungs and I cough.

But he's not done. 

He reaches for me, hell bent on burning me alive. 

"Maven, this isn't you!" I scream. He does not snap out of it. Instead, he sends a fireball at my head.

My lightning quickly expels it from the air. But then another one comes. I barely have time to look at Elara before she freezes me in place. Just like she did to her husband before she killed him. I will not beg for my life. I still have that much dignity left. 

A new fireball flies towards me. Before I close my eyes, preparing for death, Iris sends a water bubble at it. The same thing happens a few more times before Ptolemus tosses Cal a sword and he stomps towards his stepmother. She quickly freezes him in place, aiming the sword at his throat. Silver blood trickles down onto his shirt. 

When Maven sends a new fire ball at me, Iris extinguishes it. This happens only a few times until Elara laughs and Iris crumples to the floor, unconscious. 

Her laughter only lasts a few seconds. It ends with a choking sound. Her eyes are wide in shock. 

Evangeline sends the metal spike clean through Elara's heart.