Page 65 of A Clash of Stars

Then again, I don’t want to die because how would I ever get revenge? The choice was made. I would withhold my power. I wouldn’t speak.

Nothing seemed to be suitable for me to say at that moment. I knew I was being taken. I could die; it was my fault for trusting these stupid princes.

I heard Evander whisper behind me, “Stay still, Clara.”

I felt my jaw tick in frustration as I kept my face unhappy and unwilling to express emotion. I could turn around and punch him square in the jaw. I can’t believe I let him get intimate with me. I felt sick to my stomach.

A movement caught my eye, and I glanced to the side when I saw a face that made me do a double take. He held a finger over his mouth, ensuring I would stay quiet. He ran up towards us.

“Hey! What the abyss is going on over here?” Madok yelled.

Luke immediately grabbed him very aggressively, but Madok just let him. He put him next to me and held his hands behind his back. His eyes glanced at mine.

I knew exactly what he was doing without saying a word, and he winked at me. He wouldn’t let me leave that city without protection and help. If I were captured, so would he.

If anyone were highly confused by this whole scenario of my life, it would one hundred percent be me. It was like a terrible fairytale, opposite of the ones my mother told me as a small child.

Madok and I were now being pushed to walk forward, but I wasn’t budging.

“Walk, Clara, don’t make this harder on yourself,” Evander growled at me, but I ignored him.

I wouldn’t talk. I wouldn’t look at him. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me pay any attention to him.

I noticed the people around us running towards the beach. I caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair, Bethany. She was ushering people to safety.

Gods, please stay safe, Bethany.

I hope my parents are okay and they can get out. I hadn’t seen them come home, so maybe they were out of the city, which is good for them now.

Also, what was Madok thinking? He just signed his death sentence alongside me. Idiot.

We were continuously pushed to walk until we reached the forest outside the city. The loud bangs and shattering of buildings stopped once we saw the royal Aster carriage.

All at once the attack ceased to exist.

The King stepped out of it wearing his Aster leathers that entwined the colors of purple and green. His face was dark and unmoving. He walked towards his son, reaching out to shake his hand, “I’m so proud of you, Evander. You did an excellent job.”

His eyes glanced toward mine. I pulled at his emotions, something to give me an insight into who he was and his intentions, but all I sensed from him was vast emptiness.

Nothing.

No emotion behind the dark lifeless eyes. How could the King have no emotion?

It was as if he acted without any utter feeling, which terrified me. I couldn’t allow him to kill me, not because of selfishness, but because it would lead to the ultimate destruction of our world.

I just knew it.

“Now, Clara, we got off on the wrong foot. Please, come to my castle. I want to make it up to you,” he crooned at me.

I continued to stay silent. My mother always told me that when I wanted more information, to be quiet. So, I remained silent.

“Oh, what happened to our talkative princess? Realize that you were being deceived? How sad. Look, everyone. Our little girl doesn’t know what to do.”

He looked around to have the others join him in laughing at me like he was a prepubescent teenager.

I didn’t let any expression pass over my face. All I could think of was to spit on him, so I didn’t think about it. I just did it. Gasps rang out all around us. The King wiped my spit off his face and flung it to the ground.

He pointed his pointer finger at me and yelled, “Youshould be killed for that action alone!”

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