Shadows Of Betrayal

Chapter Thirteen.

The air buzzed with tension as the camp prepared for the day's sparring matches. There were about 47 of us now, with more people joining us each day. Each fighter was eager to showcase their skills, but I felt a pit in my stomach as I watched the others warm up. Today, I would face Kael's "friend," the woman whose laughter still echoed in my mind, stirring a mixture of anger and hurt.

As we gathered in a clearing, the sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Kael stood to the side, his expression serious as he watched the matchups. I felt his gaze, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

When my turn came, I stepped forward, trying to steady my racing heart. The woman—Talia—stood across from me, her stance confident and smug. "Ready to lose?" she taunted, a smirk dancing on her lips.

"Just try to keep up," I shot back, channeling my frustration into determination.

"Okay ladies, no use of power is permitted. Talia could wipe you out in a second if it were the case Purple." Garrick says to me calling me that stupid nickname he gave me because of my eye color.

Her power is telekinesis, she come from a long line of normies though causing a huge impact on her abilities. Honestly she can barely lift an apple unless she's mad then she throws forks.

The match began, and we circled each other, trading blows. I focused on my training, my body moving instinctively as I parried her strikes. Each clash of our weapons echoed my inner turmoil, the shadows of my power coiling within me like a restless serpent.

Kill her.

Okay- maybe let's not do that.

Talia's moves were fluid, but I quickly gained the upper hand, pushing her back with a series of precise strikes. I could feel the adrenaline surging, the urge to unleash more than just physical strength. The shadows whispered to me, eager to respond to my emotions.

"Is this all you've got?" Talia sneered, dodging my blade. "I expected more from Kael's pet."

That one remark cut deeper than I anticipated. I lost focus, anger igniting like fire in my chest. "I'm not anyone's pet you bitch!" I snapped, and with that, my powers flared to life.

The shadows around me thickened, swirling and crackling with energy. I tried to pull back, to regain control, but the surge of magic felt intoxicating, overwhelming. Talia lunged at me, but I moved instinctively, sending a wave of shadowy energy in her direction.

"Penelope, stop!" Kael shouted from the sidelines, his voice piercing through the chaos, but it was too late.

The shadows erupted toward Talia, dark tendrils reaching out, threatening to engulf her. I saw the fear in her eyes, and a sense of triumph surged within me. But then, Kael leaped forward, his body positioning itself between us.

"No!" he cried, his voice filled with desperation. The shadows collided with him instead, throwing him back as he absorbed the energy meant for Talia.

"Kael!" I screamed, horror washing over me as I felt my magic drain into him. The darkness receded quickly, but the rage still bubbled beneath the surface.

Talia staggered back, breathless and wide-eyed. "What the hell was that you psycho?" she gasped, anger mingling with fear.

Kael pushed himself up, shaking off the impact. He looked at me, his eyes blazing with concern and something else—disappointment? "What were you thinking? You could have killed her!"

I felt my heart race, the rush of magic still coursing through my veins. "I was defending myself! She provoked me!"

"And you almost killed her might I add again!" Kael's voice was sharp, cutting through the remnants of my fury. "You need to control yourself Penelope!"

"I don't need you to lecture me you goat!" I spat, feeling the heat of humiliation creep up my cheeks. "You put yourself in the line of fire! Why would you protect her?"

"Because she's not our enemy!" he retorted, his frustration palpable. "You need to understand what's at stake here."

"Do I?" I shot back, my emotions boiling over. "You treat her like she's more important than me! She's a distraction, Kael! She's the reason I can't focus!"

Talia's laughter rang out, a sound laced with venom. "Jealous much? You think you can keep up with someone like Kael? He deserves better than your petty rage. You act like we are children who have never interacted with a guy before, except add in the part where you actually tried to kill me. Over a boy."

I felt the shadows shifting around me again, tendrils so dark they have almost a purple look to them reaching for Talia, fueled by my anger. But this time, I fought against them, trying to rein in my power. "Stay out of this!" I hissed, my voice trembling with barely contained fury.

"Did I hit a nerve Purple?" She asks tauntingly.

"Penelope, focus!" Kael's command brought me back to reality. "Don't let it get to you."

But it was too late. The anger, the betrayal, the feeling of being sidelined—all of it spiraled out of control. The shadows flickered at the edges of my vision, threatening to consume me.

"I won't let you use me any more!" I shouted, my power crackling around me, desperate for release. "I'm done being your scapegoat!"

"Penelope!" Kael's voice cut through the chaos, urgent and commanding. "You need to calm down. We're on the same side!"

But his words felt hollow in that moment. I was overwhelmed by a desire to break free from the expectations, the manipulations, and the illusions surrounding me. "Maybe I don't want to be on your side anymore!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the clearing.

In that instant, the shadows erupted, swirling around me with a life of their own, threatening to engulf everything in their path causing gasps to ring out and everyone ducking for cover. My power was no longer just an extension of myself; it was a force of destruction, a manifestation of my pain and anger.

Kael lunged forward, trying to reach me. "Penelope, stop! You're stronger than this!"

But the shadows pulsed violently, and I felt a surge of desperation. I couldn't let this happen—I couldn't become the monster they feared.

"Penelope you have to stop!" Corbie.

With every ounce of will, I fought against the tide, forcing the shadows back, wrestling for control.

Finally, with a cry that echoed my inner turmoil, I released my grip. The shadows receded, collapsing into the earth like smoke dissipating in the wind. I fell to my knees, breathing heavily, the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Narya was by my side in an instant, her expression a mixture of concern and frustration. "What just happened?"

"I don't know," I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. "I lost control. I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"You almost did," she said, her voice softer now, filled with a mix of fear and understanding. "You need to learn to harness that power, Penelope. We can't afford mistakes like this."

"I'm trying," I admitted, feeling the weight of the moment press down on me, I look up to see Kaelyn hovering over Talia helping her. "But I don't know if I can trust anyone anymore, including him."

Kael looks up at me his eyes softened, and for a brief moment, the anger dissipated, replaced by something more profound—an understanding of our shared struggle.

"We'll get through this. Together." Narya says placing her hand on my shoulder.

But as I looked at Talia, still sitting at a distance, her face a mixture of shock and anger, I realized that trust would take time. The shadows I wielded were as much a part of me as my heart, and if I didn't learn to control them, they would consume everything I held dear.

In that moment, I knew their battle ahead wasn't just against the dark fae—it was against the chaos within me too, and I would need to confront that chaos before it tore apart everything.