KINGDOM OF THE STONE -- a Wattpad featured novel

Chapter Six

That evening at supper, Karux passed by Jaemin and Tareuk talking animatedly with their parents, showing every bruise they could find on their bodies.  Karux sat at the table farthest from them and noticed Theris, Garick and the older boys all seemed subdued.  Garick stole frequent glances at the younger boys and practically ignored Sjaiwa chattering next to him. 

Charissa sat next to Karux, talking across the table with Nyrana, distracting him from worries of impending trouble and Macander’s strange transformation during their training session.  Macander just stared at his trencher, picking at his food.  Halfway through the meal Charissa casually reached under the table and took Karux’s good hand.  Startled, he turned to her and she smiled back.  He didn’t mind that this prevented him from eating.  She must like me after all, he thought, his spirit lifting.  He even found himself appreciating some silly thing Nyrana said and they all shared a good laugh. 

Then his father caught his eye as he spoke to Jaemin’s parents and Karux’s heart leaped into his throat.  He could tell by his father’s hard expression that he was furious.  In fact Karux couldn’t remember when he had last seen him so mad.

The sun had set by the time the gathering began to break up, though the fading summer light would linger in the sky for hours.  Karux wanted to stay and enjoy these last few peaceful moments with Charissa, but he knew his father might come by at any time to confront him and he didn’t want that to happen in front of his friends.  With a reluctance bordering on despair, he made his excuses and rose to leave.  Charissa looked disappointed and he couldn’t help but wonder if she weren’t hoping he would stay behind so they could have some time alone together.  It only made it harder for him to walk back to the house to face his father’s wrath.

Inside, he stirred up the embers in the fire pit to find a live coal.  He lit a small clay lamp and topped it off from a jug of keleos oil.  He didn’t have long to wait before his father came in.

Arrain busied himself putting things away, ignoring Karux who sat staring at the lamp.  It was a minute or so until he finally turned on Karux.  “I heard from Jaemin’s father that you and your friends were beating up on the younger boys today.”  Suppressed anger turned his voice harsh.  “It seems young Tareuk may even have some cracked ribs.”

Oh great, Karux thought, all I need is for him to be frightened by a bunch of lies and half-truths.  “We weren’t beating anyone up.  We were playing a game.”

“A game?  What kind of a game results in broken ribs?”

“Hunters and wolves.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“We were taking turns playing wolves who were stalking hunters.”

“Jaemin’s father said you swung some sort of weight on a rope at Jaemin and knocked him down.”

“We had a pretend wolf swinging on a rope and took turns poking it with spears.  Jaemin and his friends insisted on having a turn and, well, he just got too close.”  Well it was mostly true, and his father didn’t seem to be in the mood for a fuller explanation.

His father scowled as if trying to decide what to do with him.  “I’m very disappointed that you didn’t exercise better judgment in this,” he finally said.

“I didn’t actually participate in all this.  I just watched.”

“Even so, you should have looked after the younger boys or gotten an adult if you needed help.”

Karux shrugged.  He tried very hard not to roll his eyes.

“So who started this?”

“Started what?”