Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDW8QWRyMh5
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp61sSMfVb
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TdtnyLBAF
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFIfl0L3PI
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhpjDJTasU
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyMfYl2W1Y
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuZdurHmT8
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4klv2knq2y
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWk9LcuPhJ
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77sgSzwKsQ
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucazpQUUXh
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ775j2vZByM
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LWpqlvInZ
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jqQYjwolw
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPm5k7Z5y2
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95DopC2JGE
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tuUo3kLc6
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMlcHBKPad
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwmwbv1I3Y
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFE4DZbC6j1
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB76AomcNb4
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pBnQCUZDX
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzCE22il8a
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2q0P0qZEv
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXf1yIbRpP
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLNJdNAtNl
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPhJEicElL
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw21od2U3RM
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKr3nUrOvq
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmniA9OSGFR
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYt9FRaR1x
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvf17kLBEp
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6TWExswpT
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNaQngC538
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsONbYtMbpf
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCQaaEYAls
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z8obDZc4A
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC01ELElsBm
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LqN53yhHB
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAvGv3J6Kr
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiNWJ9VNup
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeRVg5wzxJ
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0WZvvDqve
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM6cISuaOO
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡli6i9P9EzT
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9iGHTar1y
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lhMRasO6T
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyHfbASORR
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQQiercfxt
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDVQGEZpOn
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMGkHfX89C
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4ZN9TeRqh
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXMuoLgHNK
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeoWNcT8NF
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVggS7HpZN6
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqhLC4iSYY
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBKurWh8hv
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsMoTc6zrC
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo02AoSJOg
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSId6Wq4f6M
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMrZjrKID1
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHB6GO3uLQ
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx02hWyRpOz
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitx3fI5adu
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡive1c7psnv
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mUrttKfd2
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JFCEAzDfP
Malcolm in his portrait.
