𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐍 ᴀ ᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴛʜᴜʀ ʀᴇᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ✔

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕: 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫

Chapter 17.

Evil is evil, lesser, greater, middling, and makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary, the definitions blurred, if she was to choose evil and another, she would rather not choose at all.

The evil that Axel sought, was burrowed within her mind. Deep within the darkest part of her. This wasn't a decision that she can argue against. Its importance remained at the top of the list.
Whether she was nervous or not she knew that this task may be her demise.

The group followed Anna into her home and the kitchen.  Axel would have guessed her home was filled with positions, herbs, or even Animals. But only one proved to be correct. A falcon had its nest on top of the beams that held up the ceiling.

 A small screech was made. It attracted Anna's attention to the falcon. The room was neatly organized. Many shelves occupied the walls. A kitchen stood in the back, with very dim lit candles.

"Hey, it's alright, Max. These are just guests." Anna assured the large bird that was in distress.

"Max..." Marcus snickered. Axel jabbed him in the ribs to put his laughter to a halt.

"Max is very territorial over her eggs. So please have some common courtesy, and don't go near the one side of the kitchen."

"Hey, where's Maxwell?" Magnus questioned curiously. He took note of his current absence, nor has the company seen his presence this morning, after when Anna mentioned the falcon's name.

Axel stared at the bird in awe, it was larger than many falcons that she's witnessed in the markets. It reminded her too much of her home in Camelot. It's not that she wasn't grateful for where she was now, she wished she would have never stepped out her door and gone on this journey.

Maybe Gavin wouldn't have put himself at risk, maybe none of this would have happened.

"Leave him be, he's grieving. I've already tried to see if he was up this morning, but all I recognized were soft sobs of sadness." Anna admitted. Her fingers skimmed along the spines of books on the shelf. She curled her finger on the top of the spine and pulled out a small, black, leather book. Seeing a white pentagram shown on the front of the book made Axel raise an eyebrow.

"Good riddance..." Marcus whispered with a spiteful voice.

Axel's lips pinched into a tight line before whispering, "Shut up," to Marcus.

It seemed as if the rest of the group didn't recognize the small feud that escalated between Marcus and Axel. Aggravation began to crawl up Axel's skin. Her mind couldn't comprehend why Marcus despised Maxwell so much.

"Axel, I need you to lie down flat on your back on the table," Anna instructed, no one movie an inch. With a slow stride, she approached the table. Her palms pressed up against the table as she jumped up and lay down.

Anna placed the book down on the smallest amount of space that was left on the table. Her fingers brushed gently against Excalibur's handle. Axel watched as she took Excalibur from its sheath. The sword was much heavier than she anticipated.

"Marcus." Anna waved him over. Marcus rounded the opposite side of the table and took Excalibur from Anna's grip.

"Before I finish the spell, make sure to give her the sword," Anna instructed Marcus.