Evmor: The Calling

Chapter 20

I'm back with another chapter! Thank you for reading the previous chapter and waiting patiently for this one. I hope you know I really do appreciate it ;)

Chapter 20

My blood boiled at the voice of the killer. I curled my hands tightly against the ground to stop them from trembling; or maybe it was to stop myself from lunging at him.

Every painful memory flashed through me: leaving my family, stopping myself from contacting them every time, abandoning Rocco as he was murdered at the hands of the king. It seemed King Maurus was responsible for all the pain and grief in my life. And I hated him for it.

A pair of sleek dress shoes made its way silently down the steps, stopping directly in front of me. It was so well polished that I could almost see my reflection in the black surface. Despite my curiosity I kept my eyes planted firmly on the ground.

“Only eighteen years of age and you have been through so much,” King Maurus said.

“All thanks to you,” I shot back. He barked out a surprised laugh.

“Do you hate me so much that you would not even look at me?” he asked, his voice light and casual. I refused to answer.

I immediately bit back a cry that escaped me as the heel of his shoes crushed my hands to the floor. “I expect an answer,” he hissed. And I refused to give in to his request. After a frustrated huff he turned around to climb back up the dais steps. Suddenly a pair of gloved hands yanked my hair back, forcing me to look up.

“That’s more like it,” King Maurus sighed contentedly, and I finally got a clear look at the man that made my blood boil.

He was much like I remembered him; his face was cleanly shaven and his dark hair cropped short; I could tell he preferred practicality. He was dressed in an impeccable grey suit, the buttons of his jacket reminding me of dead soulless eyes. It was left open to reveal a black dress shirt and I caught a glimpse of a silver chain around his neck that matched the color of his eyes—eyes that were staring intently down at me.

“I hate you,” I blurted out, unable to stop myself, “I never thought I could ever hate anyone as much as you but it’s true. I despise you and your crazy thirst for power,” I spat out the bitter word.

“Crazy you say?” he countered, his eyebrows raised in question, “My desire to unify the three kingdoms, to bring complete order to this world; you find that crazy?”

“I find your methods crazy. You psychopath,” I hissed.

A resounding crack echoed across the room and I furiously blinked back tears threatening to spill over. I had to squeeze my eyes shut for a while to wait for the stars to disappear. My cheek burned and I was sure the ring I felt on his finger had left a mark.

“Your words are too bold,” the king snarled.

Refusing to back down I tilted my chin up to stare at him right in the eyes. Those silver eyes that reminded me of the man standing silently by the throne. Fresh tears threatened to build at the thought of Erebus just standing there and watching all this. Not that I should have expected anything else.

“Father, you are too rough,” chided a smooth and almost saccharine voice. It was also horribly familiar and I dreaded to turn my head in that direction.

“Stay out of this, Claude,” the king retorted as another man stepped into my line of vision.

He was equally tall as King Maurus and just as strong built. His physique and the smooth way he strode across the floor reminded me eerily of Erebus. He had the same dark hair as the king and the same bright silver eyes. But his features reminded me of someone else altogether.