Page 36 of A Clash of Stars

Before I could respond to him, the final entree was being delivered to us. I was so overcome with hunger. I didn’t look around the table to see if anyone was watching or caring. I just ate. I don’t think I even breathed while I ate.

Immediately after my final bite, the King requested to speak to me alone.

I hesitantly strolled into his dark office full of worn oak and black leather. It was dark and unsettling, and it was not a welcoming space and smelled of mothballs.

“Thank you for meeting with me,” he spoke courtly as he shuffled through the papers on his desk.

“Like I have a choice, your Majesty,” I smirked so hard that I thought my cheek might fall off.

Hehuffed a small chuckle and placed his wrinkled hands on top of the papers in front of him.

“Clara, I know you must be confused about all of this, but I can assure you that you are completely safe. There is an important reason you are here, which I am sure you know.”

I stepped towards him as I spoke, “You say this as if I should already know what you are talking about, but I don’t understand. I have done nothing to deserve this treatment whatsoever.”

His eyes didn’t match Evander’s; come to think of it, nothing about the King reminded me of Evander except for his cruelty.

“You captured the Relic. No one has ever captured the Relic and successfully bonded with it, Clara. Do you know what that means for you, for our land?” His voice roared towards me.

My eyes told him I did know what it meant, but what came out of my mouth was much different, “I have no idea.”

The King stood, pushing away from the desk and striding towards me. His eyes were like beams of darkness tearing into my soul.

“What it means is,youare a true descendent of Athiana. You are the key to giving all the kingdoms their full powers back. We have been restricted to just our separate powers for too long. It is time for us to step back into our original powers.”

I gave him a look of surprise and assured him, “I have no such power. I only hold the power of my kingdom. That is all.”

He continued to walk toward me. When he was only a few feet away, he stopped.

“I find it very hard to believe you, Clara. Unfortunately for you, I do not trust you, and you will be held as a prisoner here until you decide to cooperate with us,” he declared.

What is he even talking about?

“I am cooperating with you? Aren’t I standing here conversing with you?”

He snuffed out a snort and said, “You are lying to me, Clara. You forget that my power can reach your mind, but to my surprise, there is a shield around you. I wonder, did you do that yourself, or is that someone else’s doing?” he questioned me.

My face, at this point, didn’t need to act shocked. It was.

“Sir, what is it you want from me?” I asked in the most genuine voice I could. He began walking away from me, and I was utterly aghast that he wouldn’t respond but chose to ignore me when he knew that I was the rightful Queen and he no longer had the power to control our land, but no one knew that. He was keeping that from everyone.

The King paused for a moment and turned his head.

“I want your power, Clara.Allof it. I know your parents were the ones to challenge my rule, and I’d be damned if I let some twat be Queen of Carondelet.”

I felt the walls around me crumble, and my head spun. There’s no way. He can’t take my powers. I was told I was the descendant to take over and make something of our land. Before a following thought could come to my mind, two guards dressed in Aster leathers grabbed me by my elbows and forced me into the room I was locked in earlier today. They threw me in as if I was some criminal.

A million thoughts started racing through my head, “What about my parents? Where are they? Are they okay? What about my people?” I immediately began crying.

Is Madok okay? Why wouldn’t he look at me at the dinner table? I could feel the tightness in my chest as I slid down the door to my room, embraced my knees, and sobbed until I had no tears left to cry.

I stood up and glanced over my tired body. I looked towards my arm as my marking was radiating bright gold, my eyes were a glowing purple at this point, and even the slightest golden neck marking that I once thought I dreamt upstarted glowing. An overwhelming feeling of vengeance took hold of me. I would make them pay for taking me. I was the true victor, and no one would stop me.

I glanced down towards my hands when I saw a soft white glow illuminating them. I had used the power of light before when I was younger, but it had been such a long time since it had happened. I remember that I was about fourteen when I had a nightmare. When I sat up in the bed, my hands were a bright white that lit the room as if I was the moon and stars burning together.

When I glanced up at the room I was trapped in, part of me felt like that fourteen-year-old girl. A girl with the whole world in her hands, yet far from what she wanted. Her purpose, I still didn’t know, but I was starting to find out. I spoke the words out loud so I would remember.

“You are Clara of Artesia, the true descendent, and youwillfulfill your mission,” I softly spoke into the room’s emptiness.

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