Free Web NovelChapter 177: Building Resentment (1)
The battlefield was strewn with the remnants of the recent clash, the air thick with tension and the lingering scent of burnt earth and blood.
Amidst the chaos, Shinon’s keen eyes caught sight of Marcus, standing a few yards away with an air of false confidence. The man appeared to be unscathed, not a single visible injury marring his form.
With a mixture of scepticism and curiosity, Shinon approached Marcus, his footsteps silent on the ground. As he drew near, he noticed how Marcus’ facade wavered, his eyes darting nervously.
"You don’t seem injured at all," Shinon remarked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you had to be grievously injured when I didn’t see you defending the settlement. I guess I was wrong."
"Of course, I’m injured," he retorted defensively, straightening his back. "I have wounds that aren’t visible to the naked eye. That’s why I had to leave the fight."
"Is that so? But even such wounds might have left a bruise or two? How can it be all the injuries you received were internal, and yet you walk like nothing happened." Shinon narrowed his eyes, sensing the deception in Marcus’ words.
He continued, "But let’s say you’re telling the truth. Even so, as a leader, wouldn’t it have been better for you to stay and fight alongside your people? After all, the ’outsiders’ I brought helped even if they knew they had no chance against Alex."
Marcus’ face flushed with frustration, his eyes avoiding Shinon’s penetrating gaze.
"I did what I had to do," he mumbled, unease creeping into his voice. "If I stepped up and lost my powers, all of us would have been doomed for good!"
"What good are your powers if you’re nothing without them?" Shinon leaned in, his voice low and cold.
"Listen here, you-" Marcus began raising his voice, but when he noticed everyone’s eyes on him, he quickly calmed down. "Like I said, I did what I thought was the best. I decided to live to fight another day."
"You did what you had to do?" Shinon repeated with disdain in his tone. "And what exactly was that, Marcus? Forming an alliance with Aric to get rid of me? Betraying the settlement and its people?"
Marcus stumbled back, his face now a mixture of panic and anger. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How did Shinon know about something only he and Aric did. Did that Aric bastard betray him as well?
’No... now is not the time to panic. I have to get out of this situation asap!’ Marcus thought and thought of shifting the blame onto Shinon.
He quickly tried to gather his thoughts, searching for a way to escape the predicament. Blame it on Shinon, shift the focus away from himself. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Shinon leaned closer, his words sending a chill down Marcus’ spine.
"Go ahead, try and lie out of your way. But know this, I’m not the only one who knows the truth about you and Aric," Shinon sniggered. "The moment you try anything, that person will spread the truth about you and Aric in the settlement. Are you willing to pay such a hefty price?" freёwebnoѵel.com
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," he stammered, trying to compose himself.
"Oh, but I do," Shinon whispered in Marcus’ ear. "I know everything, Marcus. I know about your little plan, your alliance with Aric, your attempt to remove me from the picture and Lunarisite. You don’t want the settlers to know about the slaves you have forced into the mine, do you?"
Marcus felt a chill run down his spine, a cold sweat forming on his forehead. How could Shinon possibly know about the Lunarisite?
It was a secret that Marcus had guarded with the utmost care, hidden from the settlers. The thought of anyone discovering his illicit activities filled him with dread.
Even amongst the Phoenixes, no one knew about the slaves and the true purpose behind the raiding team they had in the settlement.
"You’re bluffing," Marcus said, trying to regain his composure. "You can’t prove anything."
Shinon’s lips curled into a knowing smile. He knew he got Marcus by the balls. The overconfident leader couldn’t wriggle his way out of the mess even if he wanted to.
"Maybe not," Shinon said cryptically. "But do you really want to take that chance? Do you really want to risk everything – your reputation, your position, your life – on a bluff?"
Marcus felt a surge of anger rise within him. How dare Shinon threaten him like this? How dare he try to blackmail him into submission? But beneath the anger was a creeping sense of dread. Shinon was right – he couldn’t risk the truth coming to light.
"I did what I did for the settlement," Marcus said, his voice tinged with desperation. "I did it to protect the people, to ensure their safety."
"And yet you abandoned them on the battlefield," Shinon remarked, his eyes never leaving Marcus’ face. "You left them to face Alex alone when they needed you the most. That’s low, even for you."
"What do you want from me?" Marcus asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Oh, I want nothing," Shinon’s lips curled into a sinister smile. "I just wanted to see you squirm, to see you in the same desperate situation you put the settlement in."
Marcus gritted his teeth, anger and frustration bubbling inside him. He had always prided himself on being in control, but now he felt like a puppet, manipulated by Shinon’s strings.
Marcus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "You mean... you won’t expose me?"
Shinon shook his head. "No, I won’t. But you should know that your actions have consequences. You may have dodged the bullet this time, but karma has a funny way of catching up with people like you and this time, i’m lending karma a helping hand."
As Shinon walked away, leaving Marcus seething with anger and frustration. His hands trembled with fury as he clenched them into fists.
"This isn’t the end... mark my words."
