Our Time Bomb

Chapter 37 - Reunion Of Sorts

Erika's pov

"Sorry you did what?!" I'm standing before Martinel. I am perfectly horrified. They didn't tell me he'd locked my twins up in our dungeon.

He is my height, yet this man is cowering as if he were a mouse in the clutches of an angry cat. This is probably the exact situation he never wanted to face. He avoids eye contact with me and nervously fingers the edge of his ornate cape. "I uh... It was a mistake."

"A mistake was it?!" I nearly explode, "Free them immediately or I will kill you Martinel."

Fear springs up in his eyes, "Of course, uh let them go." he says to a nearby leather-clad  guard. The Guard nods and walks away.

We are in the main hall where we always gather to meet, eat, organize, and vote.

I glance around me at the many eyes watching. I see Syra, she's got a victorious smirk plastered on her face. Come to think of it, the reason any of this happened was cause of her. I ought to thank her.

I speak up to everyone in the room listening,  "So tell me... All of you, what do you think of your leader, Martinel, now?"

They are all quiet for a moment but burst out suddenly with their fists in the air chanting, "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!" more and more voices join in the chorus of impending death.

I turn back to the terrified Martinel and sneer at him, "We will see... Won't we?"

Everyone grows quieter as their eyes are drawn in the direction of the door. My twins enter. They look awful to be honest. What the hell did they do to my kids?

Chris's pov
I feel overwhelmed, being back in this room where we first met Martinel. I still clearly recall his mocking face that chased all hope from my soul. Now I see him, he sees us too. My eyes are drawn like a magnet to someone I have not seen in some time... Mother. My nerves jump and immediately hope washes over me.

I nudge my sister with my elbow, "Luna! It's her! She's here!"

She motions at me to keep walking because for some reason, my feet stopped working. Must be that I haven't walked outside of my cell for a week.
"I know!" she says gladly, "Chris we're free!"

We walk through the crowds of Shadow Nation who are covering much of the room. Mother sees us. She does not smile as I would have thought she might. She beckons to us, "Come, you two, I've waited until you got here to deal with this imbecile."

I frown and look at Luna. She shrugs but stands against the wall nearby mother. I follow her.

Mother turns to Martinel and draws her sword, "Everyone knows it's tradition!"  she yells so that everyone in the room who's watching can hear. "Whether you wish to keep your place as Heir Commander, or not, you will still have to duel me, as I am threatening your position."

He gulps and draws his sword as well. 

"Anything you wish to say to them?" she asks, while gesturing in the direction of the crowd, a tight snarl in her voice.

He tries to hold his head higher, "I never meant to wrong anyone. Please tell you understand."

The crowd jeers and begins stomping their feet and clanging their weapons together, "kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"

Shivers climb my spine with every time they chant it. Will mother really kill him?

She begins to circle him. Why does she look like an angry predator? And he the prey? I don't understand it, as he is much more muscular than she. He looks as though he could beat her, but the look on his face tells me he doesn't think so. Is there something I don't know? Why does everyone fear her? She is just my mother, not that scary... Right?