Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFLCSKYA8C
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERmJRS7Q37
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSIJI9aYcN
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNuBpusZuk
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXi9nJbn7i
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptjye1soIt
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDMwgAbjjB
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueR7MXHCYk
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRca3E95wG
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysyXHVs6ON
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ob1O3l8lb
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqA8LXTC8fd
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6uA2JZykM
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOB6VWceFd
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dfqMj61Q1
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOBiQ18349
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBz3s39B5c
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLyZx15KX3
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzyY67DPBF
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vm0wUl8bb
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50IazQM9gP
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDCyE4Tn0q
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9ONPhYubU
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzDQZBvhl6
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cszYwAZBE
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhVEuzpYn6
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SzhF0Fn9C
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajPgacdu4n
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmWjLtGhZe
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37Lj4GXxWT
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiV2y24lnJG
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiyoqdT5Oj
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd9qvBNkoj
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiEgwWdkaw
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolTCTSIbsO
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLUKzWUphu
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGOZ9XiVZM
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UNBqcb6VT
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuDkECeJ0Y
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4UNcr4wOD
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LCWezMqLK
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzkpDqaeXc
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zfhSU8pYV
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyE5vfKSXE8
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JAKH5BTJm
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIppJFobdqO
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMBlAjQFiQ
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBstw7dPFRU
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtPcKeqAP2
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRaBKi0Ech
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFyEziQVgt
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBzMnbOS72
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkCbEKag82
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWS5EO9Dcx
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9yYPDdgSx
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJKMWZj5eI
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAaUAS8yYz
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIZNogBbtA
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9ti5mt31l
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9ejEOEXuD
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOHKXcXhsP
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTzRn2B2N4
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQPBCrilSZ
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbNq2D2uKp
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysvWj7tBjU
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbPM0nFqpj
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnD5eWP6xd
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pQRRTLuNl
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoitgYXYrbG
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqmtD6tfJq
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZC1pwDnXg
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQ3isV94lN
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXdBgaNgi8
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPGReOjqfw
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaHWz0CJ2A
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaf1C0biwJ
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNrBp6eHFC
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Sxzp5sPbs
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt44cWKTUBN
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbTuoLxK5q
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F4yGqv1FE
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6lycoFpNm
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUJEfsR7PI
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ2zVWAiaD
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVTgg8hw50
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDfDBcvuGo
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6aStTpDIT
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO62cJWgIYm
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPIQZ7x2Fb
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ltm3Sn78B
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqQ9qd4yRh
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBH49GqA2W
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BIIt9EazO
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPGWDdf2Ox
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqPoPCw38c
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4tkygoxRT
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMMvPPT3MF
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yFlmaxXzp
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUYZ2MvFoP
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1awBhkMPYi
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw3W5qzfF8
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1frO6lYK8
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hcuNdfJXJ
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvBI1ciTkD
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxixS62PsPZ
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgdkr5lQYH
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU2DJH4v2I
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wiihmwGI1
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeQaeYQcLj
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBYJIybaVa
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97F8NKNoFf
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7nrxwTl2T
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfzlXowPcq
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ho2bvNFLS
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvkQl9kPQw
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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