Chosen Legacy (Book Five of the Chosen Universe)

Chapter Thirty-Six

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
ZELL
He felt Maegus coming, so he turned around to greet him. "Hello, Maegus," he said pleasantly.

"Zell... Lad... We need to talk," Maegus said.

His body language and tone were concerning. "Very well," Zell said. "Is something wrong?"

Maegus took a deep breath. "I've been lying to you, Lad."

"Lying?" Zell asked in confusion.

"The Circle isn't just a Chapter of Rebels who like partying together. We're a very exclusive secret society of Warlocks, Wizards, and Sorcerers who work magic together... Three very different types of magic that no one believed could be combined before we managed it. We abandoned our destinies to come together for a very important mission."

"A mission... What sort of mission?"

"To stop you, Lad." He paused.

"Maegus..." Zell shook his head. "You would betray me? You?"

"The things you were doing... The murders you committed... You had to be stopped, Zell. You were out of control and harming innocents. You killed Artemisia. She was neutral. No one was supposed to harm her. That was what started this."

"She was a Seer. I couldn't allow her to remain alive. She knew the truth about me... I didn't want to have to kill her, but I saw no other choice. Why was her death the catalyst? I killed many Seers."

"Hezzo was in love with her. He nearly destroyed the planet with a blizzard after he found her body, but Ling stopped him. That day, Hezzo decided to defy his destiny and form the Circle. He asked me to lead it, because he knew no one would listen to him with his reputation for evil. Together, we recruited the others."

"All with the intention of killing me?"

"If we had to, yes. We were determined to stop you in one way or another."

"All of this time you have been in the Alliance, you have been plotting against me?" It was unthinkable. It infuriated him. More than that, though, it hurt.

"Yes, Lad. I knew about the Three. I found their bodies. I was determined to stop you, for them. We all had our reasons. Grayzee, Branz, and I joined the Alliance so we could destroy it from the inside."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"A part of you came from the past. He nearly killed Branz, and I wasn't much better off."

Zell hated that this news worried him. "Is Branz alright?" He asked.

"Yes. The rest of the lads came to our rescue, along with a few others. Shaniece, Patti, and Nedezzo are gone, Zell. Nedezzo and Shaniece wanted out of the Alliance."

He wasn't entirely surprised. "Nedezzo didn't want to be here. I knew that. As for Patti, I don't even know why I had Branz abduct her. I suppose I was worried she was a threat to me. It is a shame about Shaniece. I owe her a great deal. She was very helpful after Scarlet's attack on our previous base. Still, it made very little sense that a Campbell would willingly join the Alliance. I should have realized she was not loyal."

"What will you do about it?" Maegus asked softly.

"Shaniece may live her life. I have no quarrel with her. Nedezzo is better off away from here as well."

"And... What will you do about us?"

"Leave if you want. I don't care." That was a lie. The idea of Grayzee, Branz, and especially Maegus leaving him made him feel more lost than ever.