The Darkened War

Ch.33

Calvin folded his arms and frowned, trying even at a distance the best he could to listen in on the conversation Coyle and Darryl were having with the brown haired man from Effulgence. Katomi stood beside him, picking at her cuticles, while Cam and Edmund argued about some nonsense in the background that wasn't helping his attempts at ease dropping in the slightest.

The sky was dark, and the air was freezing, but still they had all been forced to stand there and wait while the planning was being done by this new leader who'd stepped in, and apparently, forced Calvin out. Even if this man was supposedly some long lost brother of his who he had no recollection of, he didn't like how easily Darryl had replaced him. The brown haired man may have been older, but clearly he wasn't trustworthy. Katomi had even decked the guy when she had first seen him: that had to have counted for something. He'd consciously abandoned their cult and now they were simply welcoming him back with open arms while he already began calling the shots. Darryl had spent little time explaining the situation to Effulgence's King before they had left the castle, his older brother leading the way. Calvin clenched his teeth as he watched them, sure the anger had made it to his eyes.

Alain–that was his name. Calvin didn't see any of himself in the man or Alyssa either. Not only did their hair and eyes differ, but the rest of their facial features did too. Whatever commonalities they might have had paled in comparison to their differences. It was no mystery how the Effulgence King lived with both of them for so long and never noticed it. Not only was Alain handsome, but he was charming too; something Calvin had never been. It was not that he envied him–Calvin had no desire to replicate this man. Everything about him was fake. From the diplomatic smile he shot Darryl, to the unbearably friendly attitude he now carried around, even after he had come running at them, sword drawn. The look of remembrance in his eyes when he saw Katomi–Alain had never forgotten them, and yet never cared to return, never cared about them–and didn't care now. He was just a liar. While everyone else kept their arms wide open, Calvin would keep his fists clenched, and his arms tightly glued to his sides.

When Calvin looked back over at Katomi, she was smirking, as if she had just finished reading his mind. When Calvin's eyes darted from her, she purred, "Jealous, are we? That Darryl failed to include you in their discussion?"

Calvin scoffed and folded his arms across his chest, "I thought I was a cult leader. It was all 'Calvin you're so important, being one of the three', so why now that he's here to I have to maintain my distance?"

Katomi sighed and leaned back against a tree, "To be honest, I don't even know what they're talking about. I know Alain wanted to speak with them about something serious, but that's it. Don't get all hurt over it, they'll tell us what's going on when they're ready."

Calvin huffed, and Katomi slid down the tree beside them, crossing her legs when she was seated, and breathed in the night air. Maybe she needed to clear her mind, maybe she was more stressed and concerned than she let on–but Calvin knew better than thinking he could understand what went on in Katomi's mind. Instead, he kept glaring at Alain, as if enough scowling could break down his walls and expose whatever other secrets he might be hiding.

He had just gotten comfortable staring bitterly in their direction, when the three men turned around and begun heading back over. Immediately Cam and Edmund stopped their bickering, and straightened out. Calvin didn't bother, or even so much as look his brother in the eye.

Alain stared at the blond boy who'd been his baby brother, and realized he was fourteen. He was a teenager, and already he was being dragged back into Aigua. Darryl had found him, and suddenly in a blink of an eye he had become a leader of this magic cult. The more he thought about it the more effort it took to force away the scowl that was creeping onto his face. After everything Katomi had said, Alain had been sure he regretted his decision in running away, and was compelled to return. Still, even though he had made that choice, it didn't stop the rush of fury bursting back from the past when he witnessed Calvin doing the same. It was hard to witness how he had grown, so much Alain could hardly recognize him. A handsome face, blond hair the color of sunlight, and green eyes that Alain was sure would light up if he were to smile. He really had turned out exactly like their sister.