Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGzIyHmYVB
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmLQUMRFK2
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKsmmMuifO
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeLLS8D3Wj
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5F5fvx6eKL
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwwpvRuLqo
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3Jnh6Scr1
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqYe0AWKf0
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UeZuW38pt
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj7RcepWbw
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cPxNLbGcY
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI02gf9f69
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkFmR73LDR
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5usLeOgFyv
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ldiEmJTmi
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yd1G61fmt
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoYyoK94QM
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8FAyJHvGo
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HIYzDVIYK
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tbyG1Tg2H
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRa1HNfxah
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitlcMwt0kg
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOsgbMXinx
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTY38OKNqQ
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZmegCLM5v
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSInh9eicJy
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGbmXvCc6T
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwB6DUBViKc
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX4sqI9gzO
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ief4Aja4B
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe94WVXyXvA
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhPufeg2tI
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t8ikfhIQS
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd6hSNlePh
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXmFcLTXy1
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilnTLlbOAV
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H9oZUQSFO
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpAbKoZ1lT
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeWZBGiftK
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnrVElqgJG
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOiAB1PZvK
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctpHMP9IjD
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXy4hxPXNsX
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvkZEj1ziq
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7p6DjFG3nw
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1n18hAzq4J
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTix3MszJri
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyVxedDubi
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxJD8F6Miu
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmqfm8Gg1D
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodXbID8NVJ
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipxEXYPYvx
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwDfzqFdf2
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcTCVbB2eW
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHBbFoleiD
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqisbeIHka
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPSvsNh9rD
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVW9cMtcIA
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5MAmfnKQ3
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2MfUt3cUX
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWP7QY2cuaR
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40AL46exUL
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISeyfeljss
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuHoEADFDO
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpXTEuf5ye
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvpCVJZL6Q
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqz0Ql71dF
Malcolm in his portrait.
