NOVEL WEB Chapter-76 May
“Havanna?” May asked, lifting her brows. “Is that really you? We looked for you, where’ve you been?”
“Is that the friend you were talking about?” the older boy asked, looking at May then chanced a glance at Nana sticking close to Ewan.
“Yeah, can we bring her with us?” she asked.
The accursed mist seeped into Ewan’s mind again, it asked to cripple his thoughts. The previous pain hadn't even disappeared yet, and he had to claw his punctured shoulder once more; his fingers dug in and bled the wound. The twinge jolted him, and he flinched, grunting a groan. The thin fog snapped and receded, vanishing from his mind.
The baby fox must be getting restless for her to act so soon after her last attempt. If this continued, it might not stop him but could hinder him at crucial moments, he might lose his life. He needed to distract the fox and make her focus on something else, or someone else. Her fog affected him long before she appeared, yet she stuck with Nana all the way here, so she must be her target. If he let her be, Nana would become the fox’s second tail. But any less than that he could manage and pull her back before it was too late. So, the best way to keep the fox busy and away from his mind was to let her fixate on Nana.
He didn’t intend to break her fog yet, that would ruin his plans, but he could crack it…. And the means of doing that was in front of him.
“Havanna, it’s me, Verina. Come with us, we’ll keep you safe,” Verina said, scowling at Ewan when he ripped his wound open, extending her hand to Nana. Her long blonde hair had turned brunette, and she’d cropped it up to her neck. She even had a nose ring now—her social circle must’ve changed drastically in the few days he didn’t visit his balcony.
“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry,” Nana said, her trembles slowing down, her grip still tight.
“Who are you?” Verina asked, looking at Ewan.
He slid his neck gaiter down, adjusted it around his neck, and met her eyes.
“Ewan!” she yelled in surprise. The others backed away from him with hitched gasps.
“Ms. May, nice meeting you here,” he said, looking at the woman gaping at him. “But shouldn’t you be with your father? Did he leave you alone to die? How cruel of him.”
Before he could target her though, he needed confirmation about her father. If the old squid was alive and well, he would change his plan. But she was here, with a weak group, instead of staying under her strong father’s umbrella…
“Ewan!!” Verina yelled again. “She’s suffered enough, don’t worsen her pain. Her father gave his life protecting her.”
Nana shuddered.
“I see. I apologize for my rude comments then,” Ewan said, a hint of smile sneaking up on his face. “And please accept my deepest condolences.”
He looked towards the older boy who stepped in front of May after he revealed his face. “May I know your name?” he asked. Her father was no more, and she had no other strong relatives around, so this boy was the only one protecting her now. He could become a threat if he let him be, but Ewan wanted to confirm his status before acting.
“Cord,” the boy said.
“Verina is my neighbor and my childhood friend, I appreciate you taking care of her,” he said. “I would like to ask you some questions if you don’t mind. I just want to know where you stand, it’ll give me some assurance about her safety.”
Cord waited for a breath then nodded. The other three huddled behind him with May, while Verina stood closer to Ewan, glancing back and forth between her group and him with wavering eyes.
“What is your opinion about the clashes between the Kyrons and the Severynths?” Ewan asked.
“Why’s that an issue right now?” Cord asked, frowning.
“It gives me an idea about you, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” Ewan said.
“I have no opinion about it. At best, I’m neutral.”
“May I know why?”
“I’m a Severynth but my parents are Kyrons, and so were my grandparents. We can't support one or the other,” Cord said.
“Thank you, that’s all I wanted to know.” Ewan bowed his head. “I won’t apologize, but I’ll make it as painless as I can.” His fatigued Ryvia bolted out and snapped the boy’s neck, ending his life in a flash as the skin-tingling crack hushed the woods. And Cord thudded on the ground like a string-cut puppet.
The two girls shrieked; May backed off with a heave of gasp; Canyn froze and paled; while Broden rushed for Cord, cursing out loud.
Coincidence or not, I’ll use her.
The obstacles had dissolved, the path to her was open. Ewan focused on May and imprisoned her in place.
“Watch with your eyes wide open,” he said to Nana. “You had my word; I’ll make it as painful as I can.” And the trigger of his Ryvia fractured her forearm.
May cried out, holding her left arm that hung loose with a third bend. An owl hooted in the distance and replied to her cry.
“I hope you guys don’t interfere, it’s a personal matter,” Ewan said, and cracked her right forearm. Nana shivered again and her breaths raced, her nails dug in Ewan’s skin. The baby fox twitched and stood up in her arms, staring up at Nana. The shock must’ve affected her fog, the fox couldn’t sit still.
Verina and the others scuttled away from May and Ewan, ashen faced, watching the scene of torment play out. And while Ewan remained detached on the outside and continued the torture, his emotions churned inside.
