Chapter 27
If you’ve never117Please respect copyright.PENANAZdxTeowcWz
been inside the mind of a raven, you were missing out. They are one of the117Please respect copyright.PENANALoM8TZsbgT
smartest birds in the world capable of remembering faces and understanding a117Please respect copyright.PENANAQPXmBSlsW5
semblance of human speech. However, when Vander was inside, he understood117Please respect copyright.PENANAg7T8So8YZS
everything around him, knew what the bird knew, and could get into places he117Please respect copyright.PENANAxXmL1pLKS7
otherwise couldn’t. The only issue was if the consciousness of the creature he117Please respect copyright.PENANAKsQ0jZSHjG
was inhabiting decided to fight back, he could be forcibly shoved back into his117Please respect copyright.PENANAWIYy92DDsY
own body or, in a worst-case scenario, he could be lost forever. However it was117Please respect copyright.PENANAMdMC5ykLAO
a risk he needed to take and so far, the raven wasn’t fighting him though he117Please respect copyright.PENANAryKafIgNzd
was angry. Vander had to promise him some food before he would finally settle117Please respect copyright.PENANAh76XPuFSQM
down.
Vander flapped117Please respect copyright.PENANA8vgJXLHkOV
his wings then jumped from the rooftop. He caught an air current to glid over117Please respect copyright.PENANAQBdHUGuVHz
the heads of the gathered soldiers trying to keep the crowds back away from the117Please respect copyright.PENANAY0vO6Av0HA
crime scene. Some of them had taken their spears butts to the citizens to get117Please respect copyright.PENANA4XiQTL1SUO
them to stay away, but that made some of them angry. It took one of the Blades117Please respect copyright.PENANAWbbBphMj9I
to come over to calm the crowd down before they calmed down enough, but they117Please respect copyright.PENANAer5NwlET99
were still near the edge peering through just to see what was going on.
He found a perch117Please respect copyright.PENANAPJeyjTdw98
on top of the house that would enable him to see his surroundings but also117Please respect copyright.PENANA6nJMjiG1ES
listen to what was being said inside. He hopped forward, grabbing hold of the117Please respect copyright.PENANAQunpwj6xwL
siding with his talons, and peered over the edge looking into the house via the117Please respect copyright.PENANAm5LmvTFIwV
window above the door. If anyone looked above, they would have seen just his117Please respect copyright.PENANAF62j2pcK3t
head and beady little eyes, but the occupants were too distracted by the117Please respect copyright.PENANAVl5D84alON
carnage he had left behind.
The blood had117Please respect copyright.PENANAWQWRbH9QyZ
dried overnight, but the people inside walked over it as if it was. There was a117Please respect copyright.PENANAM1U3E0hXjR
medic inside making sure the bodies were dead. It wasn’t Topal, but one of his117Please respect copyright.PENANA93shqgBxiH
students that Vander didn’t recognize. He was carefully checking the bodies117Please respect copyright.PENANAr4ijAIQDxW
then would nod to one of the soldiers who would then grab a buddy and together117Please respect copyright.PENANAAnneW9frxI
the two of them would bring one of the bodies outside. Then they would bring a117Please respect copyright.PENANAEUkKjbLnaU
tarp to place over the dead to hide them from the crowd. It happened six times117Please respect copyright.PENANARkoEDAmtOP
in total. Vander had to double take because he was sure that seven of them been117Please respect copyright.PENANAdaCA38j5JI
killed, but after double counting then peering back inside, there was indeed117Please respect copyright.PENANAbDGdTy7Kml
only six bodies. He would have to investigate that later.
He heard some of117Please respect copyright.PENANA83y1wc70NG
the guards talking inside. “What a waste of life.” One muttered to themselves.117Please respect copyright.PENANAGeMGT7317C
“What do you think happened here?”
“We don’t get117Please respect copyright.PENANAY7hPgPZCtV
paid to ask questions.” That other snorted. But he looked around nervously117Please respect copyright.PENANAROyuU9E5jk
before whispering to his friend. “I bet it was that traitorous Blade that did117Please respect copyright.PENANAerV5ZLt0ms
this.” The other guard looked warily at his friend.
“How do you117Please respect copyright.PENANA81XE8OF6lE
figure?”
“One of these117Please respect copyright.PENANAWHGv2WR4MD
people had their throat completely ripped out.” The other explained. “That’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAfO5PY6cAlj
not possible without a lot of strength. I’ve only ever seen animals do that and117Please respect copyright.PENANAsih0JZD0YT
I don’t think a bear came into down, slaughtered six people, then left never to117Please respect copyright.PENANAndkAj3B3kh
be seen again.”
“I guess that117Please respect copyright.PENANAycSBzHnXAI
makes sense.” The second guard didn’t sound convinced, however. “But why would117Please respect copyright.PENANA1G6MJhg6BQ
he come here to kill these people? It makes no sense.”
“Like killing the117Please respect copyright.PENANAMJVdaQbOem
King made sense?” the first guard spat. “The sooner we find this guy, the117Please respect copyright.PENANAN0eEa2Y17A
sooner we can bury him. Bastard deserves to hang for what he did.” Unknown to117Please respect copyright.PENANAN9g29tmKmk
all involved, they failed to notice a squad of Blades coming up behind them.117Please respect copyright.PENANA3fBsNDr8Dj
Vander looked up to see Alexander coming with a few Blades Vander didn’t117Please respect copyright.PENANAw3YC3veNMO
recognize. They were likely from one of the squads that came with the Warden’s.117Please respect copyright.PENANAyv2G2IG22v
He couldn’t help but wonder where the recruits went.
Alex looked like117Please respect copyright.PENANAzXjAxicO55
shit. His eyes were sunken in, and he had allowed his beard to grow long and117Please respect copyright.PENANA3jWliCpQnI
thick. His clothes were unkept, despite Blade regulation, but his eyes were117Please respect copyright.PENANAnlJvQnegcC
still sharp. He had come in at the tail end of the guard’s conversation, so he117Please respect copyright.PENANAhk3N4vSNA6
let himself be known by growling right behind them.
“If you two have117Please respect copyright.PENANAwNv0N6jzxN
time to gossip, you have time to stand investigate the house.” He spoke.117Please respect copyright.PENANA3mw036Urvj
Normally his size and demeanor were enough to get most men to do what he117Please respect copyright.PENANAfXJ5VHH19E
wanted, but that didn’t seem to work here.
“You’re not in117Please respect copyright.PENANAklOFEq3xDz
charge of us, Blade.” The first guard hissed. The way he said it made Vander117Please respect copyright.PENANANlhsdRPMnw
angry. It appears he wasn’t the only one as the Blades with Alex went for their117Please respect copyright.PENANAKuedC7coTS
swords. They stayed their hand once Alex motioned for them to stop. “We don’t117Please respect copyright.PENANA3qdy6zqlNn
take orders from those who let the King die.”
“You’ll take117Please respect copyright.PENANARFZXj8oEPd
orders from me whether you like it or not.” Alex’s voice was calm, but he was117Please respect copyright.PENANARmhwHlzlqK
seconds away from violently lashing out. Vander could tell based on how he117Please respect copyright.PENANAQWzHW7c6Dj
clenched his hand. “Until the King decrees otherwise you will help us find117Please respect copyright.PENANANGeNZqYbfo
Vander and bring him in.”
“Our General says117Please respect copyright.PENANAs1IOiVP8cu
otherwise.” The second guard said. “We are only here as per our duty, but after117Please respect copyright.PENANAjRU2kFeR8y
the bodies are taken out, you’re on your own.”
“Coward.” One of117Please respect copyright.PENANANvDhNTAeM3
the Blade’s spat. At that insult, the two guards drew their weapons as did the117Please respect copyright.PENANAgQtT0AHMFd
guards who were supposed to be keeping the crowd back.
“That wasn’t very117Please respect copyright.PENANAP3LgbqcR0o
smart of you.” The first guard growled. “You’re surrounded and outnumbered.117Please respect copyright.PENANAAfqT4CsU3V
What’s another dead Blade in the grand scheme of things?”
“Enough of this.”117Please respect copyright.PENANAUzfOyJS5w1
Alex’s voice bellowed out. He turned towards the Blade who let his emotions get117Please respect copyright.PENANAtAdNWf3aSc
the better of him. “Apologize so we can get on with our days.”
“But…” Alex’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAWMShIO1LPI
glare dried the excuse in the poor man’s throat. He lowered his head, but not117Please respect copyright.PENANAUknzkCU6YC
his eyes, and muttered a quick apology. Knowing better than to start a scene,117Please respect copyright.PENANAFz7PQSgBkT
the guard accepted it, but kept his eyes firmly rooted on Alex as he sheathed117Please respect copyright.PENANA58TtftzFdM
his Blade.
“You have minutes117Please respect copyright.PENANA1tzIqmG9xR
to get what you need the clear out.” The guard said. “This is our117Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZHvzzmtpj
investigation, not yours.”
“I understand, we117Please respect copyright.PENANARxu8GS6HwW
will be quick.” Nodding to the others, they dispersed. Some of them headed117Please respect copyright.PENANAyJzToc5Jgq
inside to look around while two of them checked the dead bodies. Alex stayed117Please respect copyright.PENANAD95l8OjN5O
outside surveying the crowd. Suddenly Vander was very happy that he had picked117Please respect copyright.PENANAH4sGlyz5DB
the raven to take over instead of going into the crowd himself. He knew that no117Please respect copyright.PENANASboOI5z0zl
matter the disguise, Alex would be able to tell who he was.
One of the Blades117Please respect copyright.PENANA2QlFtTPVUa
outside called over to Alex. He quicky rushed over. Vander could catch some117Please respect copyright.PENANAMtKGwH00t6
words of that passed between the two of them. They commented about one of them117Please respect copyright.PENANAdihWmC3poq
having their throat ripped out, which Alex admitted was likely Vander’s doing.117Please respect copyright.PENANABn2YRQOg81
However, the intriguing part was when the two of them discovered snake tattoos117Please respect copyright.PENANAgBcP72dL76
on all their arms. Alex nodded to himself before stepping away calling the117Please respect copyright.PENANAcx9xyRC9FQ
guards back to take the bodies away. He then went inside to see what the others117Please respect copyright.PENANArlpb5m5ZG8
may or may not have found.
Vander couldn’t117Please respect copyright.PENANApj3An7zRMW
really tell what was being said inside. They were talking low to one another117Please respect copyright.PENANAnXKWv7Ppk7
while looking at a scroll that they discovered shoved inside the table. Vander117Please respect copyright.PENANANnXSW5ITQj
shifted slightly to get a better view. It looked like a map of the city, but it117Please respect copyright.PENANArPzjAqvfof
wasn’t anything that he recognized. He would need to get his talons on that117Please respect copyright.PENANAq5LpcO4bnv
scroll, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He would have to try to117Please respect copyright.PENANArcaROXSKxc
take it from his friend at some point in time. Vander heard a squawk coming117Please respect copyright.PENANA8fDBIWjZXs
from behind him. He turned around to see a large, angry raven flapping behind117Please respect copyright.PENANAWMC0e11c5w
him. He was instantly filled with fear from the raven he was inhabiting. He117Please respect copyright.PENANAVLLsVy5ZXC
guessed the two of them had an issue before which caused the raven, he117Please respect copyright.PENANA0KnaUEcEFy
inhabited to flee afraid.
As the other117Please respect copyright.PENANAjcZ4nHL2AA
raven attacked, Vander pushed himself out of the body and back into his own.117Please respect copyright.PENANAEzqV6R1eNt
The sudden jolt to being back in a human being, on the ground, caused him to117Please respect copyright.PENANAs5BMlL3Hkt
violently throw himself over so he could vomit onto the cobblestone instead of117Please respect copyright.PENANA0xnlNFrjJU
onto his clothing. He looked up to see the two birds entwined in a death grip117Please respect copyright.PENANAHlHeGjdeYP
violently stabbing and clawing at each other. The smaller one he had been apart117Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1NusL9pjV
from was losing, but his pride didn’t allow him to quit. He had to do117Please respect copyright.PENANAejDi4dHeE4
something, so he grabbed a rock.
He popped out117Please respect copyright.PENANAFJpfxoKxls
from behind his hiding spot then launched the rock at the bigger bird. With a117Please respect copyright.PENANAXIhB196fzj
cry, the big raven fell to the ground stunned, possibly dead. The sudden rock117Please respect copyright.PENANAL6qXdZCFqG
being thrown combined with the dropped bird causing some members of the crowd117Please respect copyright.PENANAk8vQQyb2o1
to turn towards him. Some were confused, but a couple recognized him.
“It’s the King117Please respect copyright.PENANAj5F9WhizCF
killer!” one of them shouted, pointing at him. Some of the guards began117Please respect copyright.PENANADrygtxQuH2
shouting to pass, but the crowd pushed forward.
“Someone grab117Please respect copyright.PENANAJAC5KANQVA
him!” Two citizens lunged forward, but Vander jumped backwards. He grabbed a117Please respect copyright.PENANAzt7phWiVVv
box then threw it at someone who had broken through hitting them right in the117Please respect copyright.PENANAuIehvA9hAL
face. Vander backed up towards the wall then jumped up, grabbing the top with117Please respect copyright.PENANAuugMmebFEE
his hand to haul himself over. Before he disappeared, he locked eyes with Alex117Please respect copyright.PENANAuVpqIT1FDX
before disappearing.
He heard shouting117Please respect copyright.PENANAJelwBT8caA
coming from behind him, but he wasted no time running back towards the gate117Please respect copyright.PENANAo4Un9xc7Bj
which would lead him into Lower Eluvia. He just had to make it there before he117Please respect copyright.PENANAjz7jyvKyJL
was caught then everything would be okay. What he didn’t realize though was117Please respect copyright.PENANAKr7ef258Ey
that the road he was running down intersected with the road that mob was coming117Please respect copyright.PENANAFxLnNPxdeg
down. He heard them running towards him, which caused him to run as fast as he117Please respect copyright.PENANAU5rtd0OIpo
could. Tragically he ended up running into another group of guards who had117Please respect copyright.PENANAHAm4eoceMN
heard the commotion.
“Well look who we117Please respect copyright.PENANAB1KIay4hif
have here?” One of them grinned. A metal fist came flying towards Vander’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAdLoatmgsMf
face. It hit his jaw sending waves of pain throughout his mouth, likely117Please respect copyright.PENANAG2ypsjrwbc
knocking a couple of teeth loose. He fell to the ground, but scrambled117Please respect copyright.PENANACsIr4pLyJt
backwards as the guards drew their swords.
“Did you know117Please respect copyright.PENANATBoMBnEFyI
there is a bounty on your head?” one asked with an evil glint in his eyes. “The117Please respect copyright.PENANA63N8ZYrzqj
Jilena family has offered quite the reward for your head.” Vander looked at the117Please respect copyright.PENANAzABA8X8SEZ
group confused. He didn’t know why the Jilena family cared so much about the117Please respect copyright.PENANAVwgskrI7Ng
king’s murder that they would go against Cuvera’s wishes. He didn’t have to117Please respect copyright.PENANAgb2L9Aqw3t
wonder long as the guards were apparently quite chatty.
“They are blaming117Please respect copyright.PENANAd46bijnla0
you for the death of their youngest son.” Vander’s blood ran cold. Jeffery was117Please respect copyright.PENANA4RGmHrWqOK
dead? But he had let him go, there was no reason for him to be killed.
“I had no reason117Please respect copyright.PENANAySbKXRpJzW
to kill him.” Vander argued.
117Please respect copyright.PENANA5rZrYQf3zH
117Please respect copyright.PENANAtU3o9wrWA0
117Please respect copyright.PENANAgFbmLofIcw
117Please respect copyright.PENANAGms4Wb1G5G
117Please respect copyright.PENANAh2rh3JLgV2
117Please respect copyright.PENANALqjFKgKnO5
117Please respect copyright.PENANAICS62ZEuHh
117Please respect copyright.PENANAKpYplRv97o
117Please respect copyright.PENANAQOyCEfutG1
117Please respect copyright.PENANARX1viURo6Z
117Please respect copyright.PENANABmR1AMzbt9
117Please respect copyright.PENANAAoYJOe2qKs
117Please respect copyright.PENANAtWhZ1xO2pg
117Please respect copyright.PENANAArO6L3dmDt
117Please respect copyright.PENANA5rJSyZMkxs
117Please respect copyright.PENANAtZIjs3vGmj
117Please respect copyright.PENANArkyBioSWMC
117Please respect copyright.PENANA9teCaPYPAJ
117Please respect copyright.PENANABG3rUOl5OV
117Please respect copyright.PENANAlHgNr78ef5
117Please respect copyright.PENANAfGnhJjek1f
117Please respect copyright.PENANAldspwlyEU5
117Please respect copyright.PENANAsEl1lrYk8U
117Please respect copyright.PENANAVz05Zrt1UB
117Please respect copyright.PENANAOhUDKC6IAN
117Please respect copyright.PENANA7qHg3EHUfG
117Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7UKsz2BtR
117Please respect copyright.PENANA35oPy0tf3Q
117Please respect copyright.PENANANHavNBHuVQ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAuuvUf2klgk
117Please respect copyright.PENANAn0hPqWzDjF
117Please respect copyright.PENANAO82ZBWxwWO
117Please respect copyright.PENANA6Sn2KHDp8k
117Please respect copyright.PENANAYO6eyulQ0r
117Please respect copyright.PENANAOI0ixDxnd5
117Please respect copyright.PENANAJUnbI4QT2X
117Please respect copyright.PENANAPDPFv1a4vT
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkjDIWj0hVq
117Please respect copyright.PENANAgIoYGWRu3V
117Please respect copyright.PENANAydpFDa4tFd
117Please respect copyright.PENANAZ11G6bL2qf
117Please respect copyright.PENANAEoj2GTA9iN
117Please respect copyright.PENANA0PenOakrzR
117Please respect copyright.PENANApFYdnKj5X3
117Please respect copyright.PENANAw6KIYdznYG
117Please respect copyright.PENANAHEvdcpcxDi
117Please respect copyright.PENANAfZvfmXqd78
117Please respect copyright.PENANAV72QBphOcC
117Please respect copyright.PENANA5rDenr0Fu2
117Please respect copyright.PENANAcwb75LGVz0
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkhBlXIDZK3
117Please respect copyright.PENANAtHxitGmGhH
117Please respect copyright.PENANAKLtn46N6cT
117Please respect copyright.PENANA7E62wy2rMy
117Please respect copyright.PENANADETzVU8Gge
117Please respect copyright.PENANAwpWnVMmXOu
117Please respect copyright.PENANAsZWnEDboY2
117Please respect copyright.PENANApJof7dTDmV
117Please respect copyright.PENANAgtgiedIdnA
117Please respect copyright.PENANAjOGTwpc0yz
117Please respect copyright.PENANAWrCDSNBtkp
117Please respect copyright.PENANAb5ZVXaUT2j
117Please respect copyright.PENANApAOIXMe5fE
117Please respect copyright.PENANAFdttpCm4qh
117Please respect copyright.PENANA8slx6SLlIt
117Please respect copyright.PENANAyVizw7A8QK
117Please respect copyright.PENANA7jmLgWIDzc
117Please respect copyright.PENANAy1XQTs63Z8
“Rumor has it117Please respect copyright.PENANAuGPW15hJkk
that he tried to stop you, so you ran him through.” The guard shrugged. “Makes117Please respect copyright.PENANANlDkD9oxn1
no difference to me. With the money we will finally be able to retire in117Please respect copyright.PENANAN69i0wF4hi
peace.” Vander scooted backwards as the guards lunged towards him with their117Please respect copyright.PENANAuLG2OEHdAu
swords readied to skewer him.