GOD OF WAR WITH POWERS

Chapter 7

Felicia stood at the edge of the grand hall, her gaze lingering on Ethan as he conversed with the grandfather. The skepticism in her eyes was clear, and as she crossed her arms, a low chuckle escaped her lips.

“You really think you’ll get an invitation?” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “After everything that’s happened? Do you honestly believe they’ll welcome you back into the fold like nothing’s changed? You’ve been gone for years. Don’t fool yourself.”

Ethan didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the old man, who was glaring at him with a challenge written all over his face. He could feel the weight of the situation, the pressure mounting as the seconds ticked by. But Felicia’s words, they barely registered. The doubt in her voice was just another layer of the same disbelief that had surrounded him since his return. And he’d never been one to pay attention to doubters.

Instead, his gaze shifted slightly as he subtly activated his appraisal power. The ability didn’t just give him the surface truth; it reached deeper, into the unseen. Felicia’s emotional state was written all over her. He could sense the unease, the doubt—and something else, a quiet fear that she was trying desperately to suppress.

He focused more, letting his power probe the hidden layers, seeking the deeper motivations behind her words. Beneath the mockery, he saw the truth. Felicia wasn’t questioning his ability to secure the invitation because she thought he couldn’t. No, she was terrified that he would. The doubt wasn’t for him—it was for herself. Deep down, she feared what might happen if he succeeded. If he regained control, it would mean the unraveling of her own place in the family. That, Ethan knew, was the real reason behind her skepticism.

He glanced back at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s not about what I think I can do, Felicia,” he said, his voice calm and sure. “It’s about what they’ll have to do once I’m back.”

Felicia opened her mouth to say something, but the grandfather’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“You think you’re worthy of an invitation, do you?” His voice was mocking, his eyes narrowed with disdain. “You’ve been gone for five years, Ethan. You’ve lost your position, your influence. Now you return like some hero, expecting them to roll out the red carpet? Get real.”

Ethan turned to face the grandfather. The challenge was clear, but Ethan remained unshaken. “You know better than anyone, old man,” he said quietly, “how quickly things can change.”

The grandfather’s lips curled into a sneer. “Prove it then. Show me that you can get the invitation. Show me that you can make them listen to you again. You’ve lost everything, Ethan. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can just waltz back in and take it all. You’ll have to fight for it.”

Ethan's expression remained composed. The old man was a relic of the past, his words nothing more than noise. He didn’t need to prove anything to him.

But the challenge hung in the air. He knew what the grandfather wanted—a display of power, a chance for him to see firsthand that Ethan wasn’t the same man who had left. That would come. Ethan was certain of it. He had nothing to prove to the likes of him, but the game was far from over.

“I’m not in the habit of proving myself to anyone,” Ethan said, his voice low, a dangerous calm beneath the words. “But I’ll let my actions speak for themselves. When the invitation comes, you’ll see who’s in charge.”

The grandfather’s gaze flickered with irritation, but he didn’t back down. “So sure of yourself. I’ll give you one chance. If you fail, there’ll be no more room for games.”

Ethan could feel the weight of the moment, the tension thickening around them. Felicia was silent now, watching with a mixture of amusement and trepidation. The grandfather wasn’t going to let him off easily, but Ethan had never been one to back down from a challenge, especially not from someone like him.

As he looked at the grandfather, Ethan’s thoughts remained clear. He didn’t need to be the loudest in the room. His confidence wasn’t built on empty promises or empty words. No, he knew something that no one else here did. Something was coming—something that would tip the scales in his favor. The invitation, the return to power—it would come. And when it did, the family would have no choice but to accept him.

The grandfather didn’t speak again, but the silence between them was telling. Ethan’s mind raced, preparing for what was to come. His return wasn’t just about reclaiming his place; it was about a reckoning.

Ethan could feel it, that familiar stirring deep within him—the dormant energy, the power of his heritage, was beginning to awaken again. It wasn’t just a matter of politics or family. This was personal. His journey back wasn’t just about power; it was about showing them who he truly was. And when the time came, they would all see.

“Well,” the grandfather sneered again, breaking the silence. “Let’s see if you can live up to your little promises. I’ll be waiting for you to fail.”

Ethan met his gaze evenly, unflinching. “You’ll be waiting a long time.”

As he turned to leave, Felicia’s voice rang out, filled with that same skepticism. “You think you can get that invitation, huh?” she called after him, her tone dripping with disdain. “Let’s see how far your delusions take you.