A Knight's Purpose (Book 1) ✔️

Anger

 Ansely stormed out of the elevator into his office, tossing his papers at the ground. They fluttered down in an unsatisfying manner so he screamed and burnt them all to a crisp. His anger still not dispelled he slammed his hands down on the desk so hard the glass fractured into a million pieces.

"Tut, Tut, Ansely. You should control yourself." A thick voice intoned. A flat voice.

Ansely whorled to find Claudus standing in a cloud of black smoke that seemed to follow him everywhere.

"You!" He seethed. "I followed your instructions. I've cast this spell for more than three day and three nights and there is still nothing. My mages have died powering this spell, keeping it alive so long, and all for nothing! You promised me power!"

"Enough." The cold flat voice cut off his tirade.

When he went to open his mouth, he was flung into a wall. Pushing himself up from the floor he wiped blood from the back of his neck as it dripped down from a wound in his head.

"You are a tool for us, Ansely. You have no right to question our commands."

"Bullshit," Ansely spat, flinching reflexively. When no response was forthcoming, he continued. "You owe me nothing, this is true. But, we have a deal, Claudus. You said if I did this I would receive power but there is nothing. Your spell is a lie. You have destabilizes my leadership and my people's trust so you do owe me a reason for this deception."

Claudus inspected him as one might an ant. "The spell is working, but it's power does not go to you."

"Then who does it go to?"

"One who would oppose us. Call off the spell immediately before he gains enough power to destroy us. We will find another way." And then he was gone in a puff of black smoke.

Ansely snarled and smashed his fist into a wall. He should never have listened to Claudus. The Book had never led him wrong but Claudus... Claudus was a man and therefore had motivations of his own. Claudus had never promised him immortality but the Book had.

How could he have ever been so stupid?

The throbbing in his head reminded him. The Book had indentured him to Claudus and Ysbadden, plus others he suspected lurking in the shadows. And they were powerful. Powerful beyond reason, beyond anyone else he'd seen in this world.

Definitely strong enough to kill him, but something told him that he'd passed a threshold where it would be more trouble to kill and replace him than it was to just frighten him into submission. He'd suspected it during their last few interactions but today made him certain. Now, with a level head, he understood that normally Claudus would have killed him.

But he didn't. Which meant something had indeed changed. And he wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not yet.

Taking a deep breath, he went to stand behind his desk and called for Coleman from the depth of the basement where the casting was taking place. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk while he waited.

"My Lord, how may I serve you?" Coleman had lost his usual verve. Probably because he'd been overseeing the casting for three days straight. He wasn't quite like Ansely, he still had people he considered friends and confidants. Ansely was aware a few of them had perished trying to hold the spell.

He supposed that was unfortunate as he generally tried to reward those who succeeded, but it also was of little consequence.

"You must stop the casting. We have discovered what we needed to know." He spoke casually and watched Coleman carefully.

The man went a pale white and then blossomed red. "We did nothing, My Lord. There has been no response."

"The power was being siphoned by another. We now know this person exists. It is enough. Stop the spell immediately." He turned and began rifling through papers as if this announcement didn't mean anything to him either.

Coleman didn't move.

He looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"My Lord, if I may?"

"You may not." He didn't have time to listen to Coleman's complaints as they were likely the same as his own. But Claudus had a point if there truly was an enemy absorbing their power instead.

He wasn't sure how much he believed Claudus's answer yet, but for now it would have to do.

"Do not question me, Coleman. Be gone."

This time, he left.

***

Hi darlings, a day late again. But ooooh we're so close! I'll probably post early this next week because this chapter was so short so don't forget those votes, comments, and shares!!

~M