*Book One of the Amor Fati Series*
Prince Calanthe Ámarent, once the child of a beloved queen regnant and now a disgraced prince, goes on a journey to re-discover his identity after experiencing tragedy, loss, and abuse at the hands of his Aunt, Qu...
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Calanthe stood his ground amongst the Tarynians: Cendric, Dagrun, Erlendr, Rein, Ta'lat, and Hrafn. Yet Sindri had veered off from the group, carrying an air about him that smelled of death. Calanthe shuddered in place, then glanced across to Hrafn. Hrafn folded his arms over his chest, keeping a keen eye on Sindri before he caught notice of Calanthe.
His throat bobbed with a heavy gulp. "This affair may be coming to a close."
Calanthe chewed his bottom lip, not understanding what Hrafn meant. He couldn't read the room because he didn't understand the position that Sindri had taken. Sindri's eyes grew wild with fire, fiery revenge that sought to lash out and take a heavy blow. It reminded Calanthe of his mother before she would strike him down. Sindri brought a new fear out inside Calanthe that drove him to stay near Hrafn and Erlendr. He saw them as guiding lights, but not Sindri. There was a deathly air about Sindri that curled a chill around his spine.
Each Tarynian held their hands to their sword's hilts, grasping them tightly. The blood in their knuckles grew white. A fight was bound to break out, and all of Calanthe's nightmares would have to fruition again. War, blood, death, and ruin. His heart couldn't stand it. Every thud in his chest sounded like a war beat, thudding over and over. It grew loud in his ears. His chest became tight, and his breathing shortened.
Then the doors of the grand hall busted open, sounding off the stone walls. A hoard of armed, angry Eglanites stormed in. Jax at the front, Hector following behind, but nowhere was Hyacinth or Eleanora to be found.
"Eleanora," Calanthe breathed. His sister's life was in peril. "We must find Eleanora."
"Now is not a good time," Ta'lat barked. He rounded the room to Sindri's position at the helm, in the center of the grand hall when not long ago there had been dancing and a party. "Orders, Sire?"
Before Sindri could open his mouth, Hyacinth broke through the swarm of Eglanites. "Don't you dare raise your swords. You're all pinned, and any commotion will lead to bloodshed."
Calanthe's palms began to sweat when he watched Jax's lips curl with a smirk. Hector chuckled, then veered a cold gaze onto him. Calanthe was his target. He had to get out and leave now. His life was in peril, but he couldn't leave Eleanora. Eleanora had saved him. She was smart, and without him, their mother would destroy and corrupt her piece by piece. Calanthe's voice felt taken from him.
"You want a war, Hyacinth!" Sindri shouted, then drew his sword. The hilt glistened with a number of gems, many of them red like rubies and other dark and void of color.
Then it was there that Calanthe named Sindri: Bloodrock. A rock of poisonous blood shed, a rock that had come down from the multiples and led his people like they were nothing. Calanthe balled his fists at his sides, tearing beginning to leak from his swollen eyes. The pain and the memories he brought back made him want to scream. There was no hope to be found in Sindri, but Hrafn. Hrafn was a cool breath of air, crisp and blowing in through the windows. Calanthe found life in him, but there was only death stemming from Sindri.
