Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmUirvaP7s
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoCJaUr8uc
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8BouZab1l
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9A1WqB6kOc
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNQUvYCIBw
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Lk2sdPhq0
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQieSF0RMOl
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rUJEcKDhW
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HQAYrTlAj
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZa8FAK44L
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T45nOy67B
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabzEZIeGvn
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5jnK5tOHw
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EmuR8r1Oh
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJVqFceeAW
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbREu8iXsz
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDex548DTWE
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVGZ1KAuM8
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh50VYOkrTj
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPtTXYyDOu
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbMi7vlkwF
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oq4mOosfB
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgc3JBVYVY
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYp4eVFgsB
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv4Xxn0txU
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡed3cfgn8iE
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNjHfVeKry
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHbnAE8R3Z
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRADgI7Fv9h
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kNUr7qArq
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZSIyIVFDt
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jw8WEMfg7
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nSbXxDLMi
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKjoqiBtOq
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPGVJr2AJY
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5amMCaJVy6
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEpCmcSyam
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDotreEhisG
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUXS0vZ2yM
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJrbo2UZOl
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRkeHAwOiS
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywB5Hhy65h
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxxP3u7fNO
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGa8KkRbqz
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcSoxf2VAv
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhEQHN1Jcb
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXLQ7qiST7
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWb75HWyKF
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRW5ycbmpxs
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yVGeAohV1
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRPeaHkSr2
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrkmLnPD5x
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJBHUebkJF
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpfWdUBzrc
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgr7XQJkZTj
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Esdfyjtgu
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilOP2908V2
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWlGQAN9zE
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV0MFMJEZG
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWx7h9h1n6
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdkOqU7mrw
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf30qxVVCL
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdXSGfLYjx
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByFYHXyRXS
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYxWYskMtZ
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8E5blJYBs
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15GnLNgsnA
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNAnotTTK2
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b8DoLVoFb
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kQHElwIRJ
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNtPHtTmFP
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡildxXPJEOk
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQKOmCORGn
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad2DCTXrZ9
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYAc0CgisA
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEJOzcda8k
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAPU1U5Psp
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wmdCj4zsu
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DLKVV1sM9
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8yBOL8o9C
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaAnO2Mm53
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGHaNVVJY5
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyWRVjkgzc
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrjNfqKwIP
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyz3nJrPC6G
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQxMjHm2q2
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYN2RxqQtX
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKYw2ywjT6
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29fL44D6ub
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbZx0kRJ5x
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIT9pgwv9n
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbJgpWblTE
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5BA8RMRFQ
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W8kvpKDXj
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPpKnsMwHw
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvE87PesE3
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh17D7uCkin
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10RXlb4qgx
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8qBpwyuRc
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMLmXxOElM
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGLLnJRWem
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4N8aZY5vc
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUY2JLKXiJ
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0pecCYhoj
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8POyREn2Z
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgbDWIz0Dm
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFZrDxMzFN
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR3Vx6YTWC
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlKCfvvDQz
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejO09vI9hI
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMpfLsmnel
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPe8ITg53u
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXskr2iPBVv
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryOZNTyxCY
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkfOl5JVB8
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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