The Eye of Chaos (Council of Champions Book One) ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Six: No Choice

            Kei leaned against the wall, glowering at his old family. After all these years they finally come back, and it was as if they expected it to go back to how it was. The Chaos it would. They should be glad he wasn’t going to just kill them outright.

            Hywen sat in an old wooden chair with only three legs. He had his legs spread apart and was leaning over with his hands gripped together between them. His eyes were pointed toward the ground and they never wavered from that single spot.

            Maria stood behind him, her hand patting his back softly. Her expression was blank, but her eyes looked sad. And they should be after betraying him.

            “I’m here. What did you want from me?” Kei asked when his left eye twitched behind the patch. He knew another vision was coming, but decided to hold it in as long as possible. Whether or not he wanted to admit it, killing them again would be hard.

            “We just wanted to see you again.” Tears fell from Maria’s eyes as she took her hands from Hywen’s shoulder to her eyes. “After Zale died-”

            “Cut the shit,” Kei interrupted, her fake tears ticking him off. He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at her, the corners of his lips curving up. “Even if he did die, it would barely touch you. I thought about it while I was running to Vraik.” Her eyes widened and a gasp escaped from her lungs. “Zale wasn’t related to you guys was he? It was just another act.”

            “Kei, you don’t understand.” Cyreen walked up to him, her breath washing over his face, smelling like a mixture of spice and apple. Neither of which could be bought by the poor.

            He looked more carefully around now, and delayed Cyreen. “What don’t I understand?” There had to be some sign of their real status. Some small golden necklace or a tiny ruby. Just something that gave away their true intentions.

            “Back there, we didn’t betray you. Our family was real,” Cyreen pleaded real tears at the corner of her eyes. “Zale was the one who kept us in line. If it wasn’t for him…” She spread her arms out as a gesture. “We didn’t have a choice.”

            “We always have a choice.” Kei noticed Maria move her hand to block something on the table from his view. That must be it. She had forgotten to hide it before he arrived. Well she was going to pay for it. “What did you just hide Maria?” Screw stealth, if it came to a fight he would win. Especially since Zale wasn’t here. If that was even his real name.

            “Nothing.” Maria flicked her wrist and the glint he had seen earlier reappeared and the disappeared within her sleeves.

            “Here let’s make this simple.” Kei unfolded his arms to rest them on both of his hilts. “You show me, or I cut your head off.” Hywen stood up instantly and gripped a knife which had been on the table. Probably he had intended to grab the handle, but instead he overreached and gripped the blade.

            Hywen yelped and let it slide out of his now open hand as it cut him on the way down. It clashed to the floor and the result of metal hitting dirt was soundless.

            The old, calm feelings he used to get around Hywen bubbled up in his stomach and threatened to make him laugh. Kei covered that up with even more anger and force.

            “Now, you Chaos Forsaken wench,” He shouted, kicking a nightstand to the side. It flew across the room and broke into three pieces as it crashed against the opposite wall.