Page 40 of A Clash of Stars

NOW

After hearing his command, I concentrated on my hands, channeling the power I held at my fingertips. I could feel the guards pulling on my arms, trying to drag me up so they could continue their descent into the dungeon.

I felt the pulsating essence flowing through my veins, and that’s when my eyes opened. I could see the light radiating off me, and then I saw the reflection of my glow in the eyes of the guards, along with another look,fear.

My body began to float slightly above the ground as they released me. Terrified looks watched as I began to expand my powers. I could sense my hair all around me again like I was floating in the water, and this time I took power and slammed it into the ground.

The crackling sound of lightning and thunder flew around me, and the ground shook. Loud crashes started all around me when I noticed the guards trying to pull me down.

I reached my hand out and pulled my essence around them as if they were puppets, crushing them into the ground and snapping them like twigs.

When I finally reined in my power, I took the two Asterian swords with emeralds at the hilt as my chosen weapons, and Evander grabbed my wrist.

“We need to run,” he commanded towards me and the others. All of us were instinctively running. Evander, Griffin, me, and even Madok.

We reached the castle’s first floor when we ran into more Asterian guards. I immediately grabbed my weapons with the emerald hilt in my hand and stood in a defensive position with both swords ready to strike. Looking around me, I saw all the boys I had grown up with ready to stand and fight alongside me.

I couldn’t help but wonder why it was me. Why was I destined to fulfill this prophecy, and what the abyss was this complete prophecy?

I had bits and pieces of it but only part of the picture. Not once had anyone laid out the entire truth of my existence or anything.

Everything in my life had little clues here and there, leaving me to figure everything else out.

As the guards continued to race towards us, I braced myself for battle. I was ready. The first swing I took toward the guard struck him in the right shoulder, splattering blood over the pristine white hallways. I took one step back, and he continued to strike me. With all my effort, I slashed one powerful strike and severed his head as it plunked onto the ground.

I was just as shocked as everyone around me that I had just done that, but at the same time, I felt empowered. I am, without a doubt, the warrior that I have been training to be.

Everyone else continued to fight, and I couldn’t help but notice Evander. The way that he fought was like watching the birds land gracefully in a lake. His feet glided in a beautiful dance as his structured arms moved through the air with precision and grace.

I told myself to stop because I couldn’t distract myself anymore. Another guard approached me, and I stabbed him immediately in the chest with no remorse. The guards that were around me started to tremble. I guess it’s intimidating to have a princess who can hold her own in a fight.

As we continued to fight off the guards, Evander passed by me, “I didn’t think I could be any more attracted to you, but if you kill one more guard, I just might have to put aside how bratty you are and marry you.”

I smirked as we fought off the last guard in this section of the castle and started to run toward the castle grounds. As we entered the maze of roses in the garden, I was grabbed by the wrist and turned around by Madok.

“I am so sorry that all of this happened, Clara,” Madok spoke sincerely. I could see the hurt in his eyes and sense this powerful feeling, the warmth of sunrise.

I looked at him with loving eyes, and I couldn’t pretend I didn’t have feelings for him because he would always be my childhood sweetheart. I thought he was the one that I would marry, become his Queen, and him my King.

I leaned up, placed an ever-so-gentle kiss on his cheek, and spoke softly, “I will always love you, Madok.”

The other part I couldn’t say was that I knew that when I realized who my mate was, I couldn’t risk hurting him. With that, I turned to walk away from him and walked toward the rest of the group.

We met the pine tree line as we reached the edge of the maze. Surprisingly, people were waiting for us. My first instinct was to get ready to fight, but then I saw Evander’s face light up into a smile as he ran forward and hugged someone. I tried to get a closer look when I saw a girl, probably a little younger than me. Then, Evander spoke.

“Lettie! Thank gods you came early. I want you to meet someone. Clara, this is Lettie, my sister.”

I could feel the smile radiate off of me as I walked towards her to shake her hand. She immediately embraced me in a giant hug. When she pulled back, she looked into my eyes as if she had known me for a lifetime.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you finally, Clara. I have a feeling we will become great friends.”

I nodded my head, “I would love that, Lettie. I hope you don’t mind me asking but Lettie? Is that your full name or a nickname?”

She laughed, gave her brother a quick side eye, and nudged his arm.

“My name is Juliette, but this idiot doesn’t know how to pronounce things properly, so I was stuck with Lettie.”

The warmth surrounded me as I could feel the love and admiration that Evander and Lettie had for one another. As my eyes turned to Griffin, I realized it might not be the love of brother and sister that I was sensing from him, and maybe Griff had something to tell me later. I smirked when I realized I was starting to strengthen my powers a little at a time.

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