Chapter 7
Viggo Visc, the Central Warden,113Please respect copyright.PENANATAvX8IvSb6
was not someone to be taken lightly.
“Now listen here, Visc.” Charles113Please respect copyright.PENANAUrokRJUd2C
slammed his hands on the desk and stood up. “You don’t get to decide who is113Please respect copyright.PENANAPjFLHRgQTs
apart of the Blades and who isn’t. You might the Warden, but that doesn’t give113Please respect copyright.PENANAalzafqaDcB
you the authority to interfere with the King’s guards.”
“This says otherwise.” He reached113Please respect copyright.PENANAWaCVEUbF3G
into his coat pocket and removed a sealed letter with the council’s crest113Please respect copyright.PENANAc1SiZWaYug
stamped on the front. Charles snatched it from his outstretched hand. Grabbing113Please respect copyright.PENANAf8KwBW1CwX
a letter opened, he tore the paper open then began to read. Vander could see113Please respect copyright.PENANAsrnd4eoFAP
the anger on his grandfather’s face as he finished reading. Then, he crumpled113Please respect copyright.PENANApJFNbfLu8W
it up in his hands.
“How long have you and the council113Please respect copyright.PENANAcYm6wVMOcU
been conspiring to undermine my authority Visc?” Charles tossed the crumpled-up113Please respect copyright.PENANAnhWy5BBHAP
paper back at the Warden.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” Visc113Please respect copyright.PENANAriDgP0NaH2
didn’t even flinch. “It just calls for the investigation into my son’s injury113Please respect copyright.PENANASeqvErKmtd
and that the guilty party be punished. That’s a standard proceeding.”
“You expect me to believe that you113Please respect copyright.PENANAogdcPw1Iek
managed to get all of these signatures in a day?” Charles glared at the smaller113Please respect copyright.PENANAhFYjymbtOU
man. “Most of these nobles have been out of the city for weeks.”
“It doesn’t matter what you113Please respect copyright.PENANA1QvHD7pyWn
believe, Commander.” He said. “This is now a council matter.” Visc turned to113Please respect copyright.PENANAb0M33NJeH9
look at Vander. “Now, explain yourself.”
“About what?” Vander asked. “Your113Please respect copyright.PENANAAL41zMKg5W
son came to the Inn a couple days ago, made a huge stink because his fiancé113Please respect copyright.PENANA3NlP7zNg8n
came to visit me then he got physical. Shea only bit him to protect me. Then,113Please respect copyright.PENANAdy73diu6wJ
while my back was turned, he stabbed me through the side.”
“Lies!” Leon jumped up from his113Please respect copyright.PENANAmyKZL8M0o3
seat, his face red with rage. “Nothing but lies.”
“Sit down!” Visc shouted. He113Please respect copyright.PENANAPL7lBpqTEL
turned back towards Vander once his son took his seat. “Do you have proof to113Please respect copyright.PENANAH4xPvQCUsr
back up your claims?”
“Other than the dozen eyewitnesses113Please respect copyright.PENANALancyH2rup
including the four Blades Leon brought with him?” Vander asked. “I was also113Please respect copyright.PENANADpysgRo8J3
with Alexander last night and our trainees celebrating their return from the113Please respect copyright.PENANAkBxjec1R9P
forest. I’m sure the innkeeper will also back up my claims.”
“And this injury you sustained?”113Please respect copyright.PENANAb3h02fQwif
Vander turned towards his grandfather. “You didn’t look injured when you came113Please respect copyright.PENANAkp0t7L7miM
in. Where did he hurt you?”
“Here.” Vander lifted his shirt to113Please respect copyright.PENANAgenIw6jkBA
reveal a mostly healed wound, but where the thread had been still left an113Please respect copyright.PENANAUkSExbhYgF
obvious mark.” Visc walked over to inspect it.
“That looks like an old wound that113Please respect copyright.PENANAqeuz3hTHWd
had long since healed.” He explained. “That proves nothing.” Vander and Charles113Please respect copyright.PENANAFucG6kMEBv
exchanged glances. To them it proved enough, but outside of them and the113Please respect copyright.PENANALwvUDUjyPI
prince, no one else knew about his pact with Unna.
“I heal quickly.” Vander113Please respect copyright.PENANAkLaOCPXm9a
explained. “But if you’ll allow me to inspect your son’s sword, I doubt he was113Please respect copyright.PENANA4g6CQkycTz
smart enough to clean the edge of my blood.” The three of them looked at Leon113Please respect copyright.PENANAiqCgbGqnp8
who had grown quite pale.
“Son, give me your sword.” Visc113Please respect copyright.PENANAIgakKQstV6
held out his hand.
“Are you really going to take his113Please respect copyright.PENANA2DSMr15161
word for it?” Leon stood up. “I’m injured,” he held up his hand. “And there is113Please respect copyright.PENANA3E7T3CSPjO
no evidence that he was attacked. Arrest him and-“ Visc’s hand caught his son113Please respect copyright.PENANAa6YOdP8v4Z
in the face causing him to quiet down.
“Your sword, now!” Visc shouted.113Please respect copyright.PENANA1vgBNFMNiR
Without another word, Leon thrust it into his father’s chest. With the deft113Please respect copyright.PENANAFPvQ3TodwU
hand of a swordsman, Visc removed the sword from its sheath and held it up to113Please respect copyright.PENANAICQLu1lYRg
the light. Without a word he handed it over to Charles. Within moments113Please respect copyright.PENANAjt5tZPER3L
Charles’s face was bright red.
“It seems as though you brought a113Please respect copyright.PENANAslddWS4TeH
liar and a backstabber into my Blades, Visc.” Charles’ voice remained steady.113Please respect copyright.PENANAsqbld8aOdu
Vander looked at the edge and sure enough there were flecks of dried blood113Please respect copyright.PENANArRfZWetyzo
alongside it. “You’re lucky this wasn’t in winter. Your sword would have gotten113Please respect copyright.PENANAMyZeDQZbJz
stuck inside it sheathe.”
“How can you be so stupid.” Visc113Please respect copyright.PENANApbPN9y5L9q
smacked Leon upside the head. “Come on, we’re going.” Leon sulkily got up from113Please respect copyright.PENANApSKMNmDa6I
his seat to walk towards the door, but Charles’s voice halted him.
“Give me your jacket.” Charles113Please respect copyright.PENANAw2lEYfkmG5
said.
“What?” Leon looked confused.
“Did you think there would be no113Please respect copyright.PENANA8RWey3sKy7
consequences to attacking my grandson and a fellow Captain of the Blades? If113Please respect copyright.PENANAeXqCGy17k7
you are then you truly are an imbecile.” Charles held out his hand. “From this113Please respect copyright.PENANAiQcY2znlD8
point forward, you are no longer welcome here and there is nothing your father113Please respect copyright.PENANAJyvmMmCNAn
can do to change that.”
“Not that I would anyway.” Visc113Please respect copyright.PENANAyWwXGTJ4gA
snorted. “He’s outgrown this place; I have something else in mind. Give him113Please respect copyright.PENANAbzEhSzzvdM
your jacket and let’s go.” Grumbling under his breath, Leon removed the jacket113Please respect copyright.PENANAd68SI1DfTc
then threw it at Charles. Without another word the two of them headed towards113Please respect copyright.PENANArUrdMIRrcY
the door.
“Wait.” Vander said. The two men113Please respect copyright.PENANACMlK7La6Nm
paused before slowly turning around. “How about we settle our differences like113Please respect copyright.PENANAz1S4KqM7Ey
Blades?”
“What do you have in mind?” Visc113Please respect copyright.PENANAgYYw82XLWV
asked. Vander ignored the glare from his grandfather as he continued.
“A duel once he fully recovers.”113Please respect copyright.PENANAMZNUJTjOPZ
Vander explained. “Loser leaves the Blades.”
“But what do you get out of this?”113Please respect copyright.PENANA1MGCpWcVQz
Visc asked. “Leon has already been kicked out, so you have nothing to lose.”
“I’m tired of him saying I don’t113Please respect copyright.PENANAf2BCJhW7uG
deserve my position and that I only got here because of my grandfather. It’s113Please respect copyright.PENANAeiVWmZc2gp
time he learned I got here on my own merits.” Vander explained. “If he wins, I113Please respect copyright.PENANAowZVKyyMEa
won’t press charges for attempted murder.”
“And if my son loses?” Visc asked.113Please respect copyright.PENANAK0F3oSkOrR
“What then?”
“I’m not sure.” He admitted.113Please respect copyright.PENANAP2IUKyOVBZ
“Never thought that far ahead.” Visc threw back his head and laughed.
“You’re a weird one.” He chuckled.113Please respect copyright.PENANAb3uZDQVEYs
“You have no way of knowing this, but there have been talks about disbanding113Please respect copyright.PENANAe4MiWK9Gy3
the Blades since we are no longer at war, we believe there is no more use to113Please respect copyright.PENANARov6XlcT78
them. If you win, I will quash any of those discussions in their tracks. The113Please respect copyright.PENANA9HjKmgfwh9
organization will be safe.”
“Viggo!” Charles got up from his113Please respect copyright.PENANA6qeMZBJaXS
chair slamming his hands down on the desk. “I told you not to tell him.”
“He brought up the wager and113Please respect copyright.PENANAW3CPmRDqJl
that’s the only bargaining chip I have.” He shrugged. “I will let you know once113Please respect copyright.PENANAOCFAs8trFX
my son is recovered enough to duel. We will see ourselves out.” The two of them113Please respect copyright.PENANASXAlOi4ojD
walked through the door, Leon shot Vander a sour look, then they closed it113Please respect copyright.PENANATYgHkhg5Lx
behind them.
Visc shouted113Please respect copyright.PENANAmmcEyi2mSH
orders to the soldiers standing out there and with one loud stomp, they turned113Please respect copyright.PENANAtbpEvCc7l0
around and filed out of the castle. Vander could hear him berating Leon all the113Please respect copyright.PENANAfcotEetxl5
way through the halls and down towards the front entrance.
“You didn’t have113Please respect copyright.PENANAV0Anh7ClHO
to do that.” Charles sat back down, leaning back in his chair. “Leon is a stain113Please respect copyright.PENANAGeDkmT03U2
on this organization, and we had a perfect excuse to kick him out. Why give him113Please respect copyright.PENANAsy2wqg6XLR
the chance?”
“His father could113Please respect copyright.PENANAwyrbQ87OJX
bury the entire incident and there would be no punishment for Leon.” Vander sat113Please respect copyright.PENANAK4h6pyW7V1
down in the chair. “The Blades have always been an organization built on pride,113Please respect copyright.PENANAX9Llxdklrv
and there is no pride kicking Leon out this way. If he leaves, I want it to be113Please respect copyright.PENANA4inWQe8p9L
my hands that does it.”
“Hopefully your113Please respect copyright.PENANAErQkKLplxC
pride doesn’t keep a backstabber in our midst.” Charles made a fist. “I can’t113Please respect copyright.PENANArWJzEIUDbT
believe he would do something so blatant in front of all those people. Is he113Please respect copyright.PENANAGg1pq9b5wd
out of his mind?”
“When it comes to113Please respect copyright.PENANAnGanmFqDSn
his pride, he looses all sense of reason.” Vander sighed. “He put both me and113Please respect copyright.PENANAroY2oUYH4O
Shea in harms way because he thought I slept with Bree upon my return. He113Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6mXcgrP2c
didn’t want to hear any explanations, he wanted to kill me.”
“Kill?” Charles113Please respect copyright.PENANAeu3A48xoGJ
looked up. “It was just a scratch on the side, that wouldn’t kill someone.”
“Let me catch you113Please respect copyright.PENANAFEGmFA13Go
up.” Vander told him about the fight from two days ago and the cut. He also113Please respect copyright.PENANAG2vfOoBrQG
explained to him everything that happened while he was talking with Unna,113Please respect copyright.PENANAdUxGi7lZMz
omitting the part about Veyar telling him about the impending end of the world.113Please respect copyright.PENANAMU5UNPZa8w
There was no reason to worry the older man about something he couldn’t even113Please respect copyright.PENANAydVPfd7SiR
prove. When he explained about Unna saying he had been poisoned, all the color113Please respect copyright.PENANAv25SwN1AME
drained from his face.
“That little113Please respect copyright.PENANA0TUkIiFPOb
bastard.” He slammed fist on the desk knocking over his quills and ink well.113Please respect copyright.PENANAdfzdqOoeIS
“Now I’m even more confused as to why you wanted to give him another chance.”
“Gramps, think113Please respect copyright.PENANA0sHInCO5w9
through it carefully.” Vander said. “We believe that the King had been113Please respect copyright.PENANACKMex0CJCr
poisoned, waiting to verify, but then Leon shows up with poison to try and kill113Please respect copyright.PENANArNnfhcwk94
me? Surely it’s not a coincidence.”
“We don’t know113Please respect copyright.PENANAlniXP6nJRq
what it is yet and we’ve lost a day because of your injury.” Charles stood up113Please respect copyright.PENANAlyOh3PaQna
from the chair. “If you are up for it, I will bring you to see the King then113Please respect copyright.PENANAUAE6itReHr
you can start your investigation.”
“And if the two113Please respect copyright.PENANAohBDFPayu6
are linked?”
“Then we will113Please respect copyright.PENANAhrkl93p04M
find out who they are and crush them like insects.”
Charles led the113Please respect copyright.PENANAioAUExG1HB
way out of the room and down the hall towards the secret staircase that only113Please respect copyright.PENANAe4KiZAIODm
he, Bernard, and Peyton knew about. He swore Vander to secrecy before showing113Please respect copyright.PENANAxNXJklVoR2
it to him because only those in the King’s inner circle should know about it.113Please respect copyright.PENANA77zdpLaAVh
The justification was that when it came for Charles to retire and the King, if113Please respect copyright.PENANA5ir7wr0NNw
he lived, to step-down, Vander would be the one to serve the prince. Vander113Please respect copyright.PENANAHkZY5ADjbg
swore then Charles pulled down a torch holder and a partition of the wall113Please respect copyright.PENANA9KI3wShYxW
opened revealing a cold, damp passageway leading up into the darkness.
Despite the113Please respect copyright.PENANA3yZGUrJEHz
passage being known, it didn’t appear as though it was well used. There was113Please respect copyright.PENANAK4himpw0Wi
dust and cobwebs everywhere, probably because servants couldn’t clean it113Please respect copyright.PENANAvjHppX9ltJ
because they didn’t know about it and Bernard wouldn’t do anything with it113Please respect copyright.PENANAmmH03XZlGu
because it might reveal the secret to others inside the castle. Vander slapped113Please respect copyright.PENANAjUGYgKyvhP
cobwebs out of his face as he climbed up behind his grandfather. He could see113Please respect copyright.PENANAn0MVNojB7l
well enough in the dark to not need a torch, but his grandfather carried one113Please respect copyright.PENANAw7mZlQI4aQ
anyway just to be safe.
At the top of the113Please respect copyright.PENANAVBskBxvF5h
stairs was another wall, but this hand a thick rope hanging from the ceiling.113Please respect copyright.PENANAfb7hqaKRqH
Charles reached out to pull it down which opened the wall in front of them.113Please respect copyright.PENANAPMWkeU97Ud
Once he stepped out, he knew where he was, inside the King’s bedroom right next113Please respect copyright.PENANA5Lqu43tFAR
to the fireplace. Bernard and Peyton were already there with another, third113Please respect copyright.PENANAJv9ilktJSM
figure, that Vander recognized.
“Is it alright113Please respect copyright.PENANAvF8wt4ORjL
for the doctor to know?” Vander whispered to his grandfather.
“He’s been taking113Please respect copyright.PENANA1XSJh1tHFk
care of the Kings and Queens for fifty years,” Charles laughed. “It would be113Please respect copyright.PENANAznWZePCxM8
weird if he didn’t.” Vander walked over to standing close to the doctor so he113Please respect copyright.PENANAvNEzxxOyr8
could study what he was doing.
Topal Lohsyn, the113Please respect copyright.PENANA6kNhRht5xJ
cities premier doctor, had been caring for patients since he was a teenager in113Please respect copyright.PENANAXvRSYo58Sc
his grandfather’s practice. When he was young he was quiet the handsome man,113Please respect copyright.PENANAFY7LW6eTv2
but now pushing eighty, his eyesight was starting to dim and he did a lot of113Please respect copyright.PENANACjkN66sxwp
his work using his sense of touch, sense of smell and his hearing. It was very113Please respect copyright.PENANAtXxxaGfk5K
rare for the old man to miss a diagnosis, so his skills were well valued. He113Please respect copyright.PENANAkLBzY2Bsad
spent most of his time caring for those who couldn’t afford to see doctors113Please respect copyright.PENANAzha9gaED3t
normally, not charging them more than they can afford. He had thinning white113Please respect copyright.PENANAKfVM6MGoC9
hair and blue eyes. He wore a white coat, shabby brown pants, and black shoes.113Please respect copyright.PENANAGxTrVE1lLj
He used a cane to get around and hand a small curve to his back.
“Charles,113Please respect copyright.PENANA8YUVTQMvwX
Vander.” Topal said, not even turning around to greet them. “Stay there for a113Please respect copyright.PENANAjnfoREQZbi
moment, I’m almost done checking Malcolm over.”
“Yes sir.” Vander113Please respect copyright.PENANAwGCf6XcUcK
said. They only had to wait a few more minutes for Topal to squeeze Malcom’s113Please respect copyright.PENANAoa6qGmJOFY
legs and feet. Once satisfied, he nodded his head then walked slowly over to113Please respect copyright.PENANAtR0zn44cQm
the chair next to the king to sit down.
“He hasn’t113Please respect copyright.PENANA8dUbTd61JF
worsened, but that is starting to change.” Topal explained. “I felt some113Please respect copyright.PENANA4ExoJ7ILx7
atrophy in his arms and legs. If it works its way into his chest he will die.”
“Is there anyway113Please respect copyright.PENANAzI8q38jtAx
to keep it from spreading, Topal?” Bernard asked.
“Short of113Please respect copyright.PENANArrgOQvH7nJ
figuring out what’s poisoning him?” Topal shook his head. “I can only keep the113Please respect copyright.PENANA74OM7ObT4h
effects from spreading quickly. We need to figure out what was used on him to113Please respect copyright.PENANA0fy5TyN2TB
make an antidote.”
“That’s why113Please respect copyright.PENANApjQM95hG0M
Vander is here.” Charles said. “Are you ready to get started?”
“Why is he here113Please respect copyright.PENANA4sNxWwJtZx
again?” Bernard asked. “He’s not a doctor nor an alchemist. How will he be able113Please respect copyright.PENANAEASb8siAMs
to discover something not even Topal can find?”
“He’s here for113Please respect copyright.PENANAaQ1n4DCF4N
another reason.” Peyton wrapped his armies around the worried servant. “Allow113Please respect copyright.PENANAcvXRggV1ym
him to do his job while you and I gather some food for the doctor as a thank113Please respect copyright.PENANAZkF8JVCMHa
you. Would you like to come with us Topal?”
“No thanks.”113Please respect copyright.PENANA03KQL8VEJz
Topal waved them off. “I want to see what this young man is up to.”
“I don’t think113Please respect copyright.PENANALayq6ZYLa2
that’s-“ Charles started, but Vander cut him off.
“It’s alright.”113Please respect copyright.PENANAOSN17SU43r
He said. “I don’t want people thinking I’m doing something that could harm the113Please respect copyright.PENANALCTBt3uZSF
king, so if the doctor wants to be here that’s fine with me.”
“Then I will113Please respect copyright.PENANAOe5WMeqkd4
stand outside the door to make sure no one gets inside.” Vander thanked him113Please respect copyright.PENANAHReXME7OE3
then Peyton ushered the three of them outside leaving just Vander and Topal113Please respect copyright.PENANACPfonMFimq
there alone.
“Has anything in113Please respect copyright.PENANARSaAGopatU
this room changed since the King’s illness?” Vander asked.
“Aside from the113Please respect copyright.PENANAnPtQrGSN4N
linen after Malcolm uses the bathroom, nothing.” Topal said. “Even the plate113Please respect copyright.PENANAU8RRQdHs9h
and cup of tea he drank stuck around. We had to throw out the food because it113Please respect copyright.PENANAQwfqoidMQ1
was moldy, but we had a tester try it, but there were no ill effects.”
“Was the tea also113Please respect copyright.PENANAdLPfLH9HlW
tested?” Topal said that it had been. Vander picked it up to make sure, but113Please respect copyright.PENANA3JQfvxZGZM
there was nothing off about the smell that he could find. Confused, he sat113Please respect copyright.PENANA7rnG2TP6Hq
around staring at the King’s body.
Like most of the113Please respect copyright.PENANA5Kf4y2mJm8
King’s, Malcolm had served in the military and fought in campaigns against113Please respect copyright.PENANAUmA1XW1qub
their southern neighbor for decades earning his stripes and becoming one of the113Please respect copyright.PENANAVyxhI9QKd2
most well-known fighters in the country. Once his father had died, he had taken113Please respect copyright.PENANAhGTiHnqiVe
control of the Kingdom and immediately sued for peace making him loved by the113Please respect copyright.PENANA8pm3RQtjvX
people but hated by the soldiers. There had been talk from the war profiteers113Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6cct6JYFL
about removing him from power, but they had been foiled time and time again113Please respect copyright.PENANALbO4gA0Tmq
because they were the minority. Would that be drastic enough to try and kill113Please respect copyright.PENANAQNizonDJd9
the King? With the marriage between the crown prince of Eluvia and princess of113Please respect copyright.PENANA7RgmZX9nwx
Bricen, peace was on the horizon so if they wanted to act it would have to be113Please respect copyright.PENANA9UTpCQZQ7T
now.
“Tell me what the113Please respect copyright.PENANAAinazc3PnD
King ate shortly before falling ill.” Vander asked as he stretched. He closed113Please respect copyright.PENANA7V9TJCAs2U
his eyes to summon the abilities given to him as Topal talked.
“It was a113Please respect copyright.PENANAlnwD6iIzC9
sandwich.” Topal explained. “I believe of beef and some vegetable. The tea was113Please respect copyright.PENANAsNM5Bg7F7h
mint I believe. It had a strong odor to it, but Malcolm liked his tea strong.”
“Okay.” Vander113Please respect copyright.PENANAb9VkJEZMfO
frowned. “I’m going to start looking around, whatever you see, please keep to113Please respect copyright.PENANAPhN74p2cKa
yourself.”
Vander removed113Please respect copyright.PENANAJOGc6k0JJr
his jacket draping it over one of the chairs. He got down on his hands and113Please respect copyright.PENANAZXwWcsHGBW
knees then started to sniff around. Some of the stronger scents were from the113Please respect copyright.PENANAdVBVqncSaV
people who had been here since the beginning. Malcolms was the strongest scent,113Please respect copyright.PENANAZUlw8oByuv
followed by Bernard which made sense since one served the other. Next came113Please respect copyright.PENANAkZbumleuKM
Cranton then an oily smell which reminded him of Visc. He closed his eyes,113Please respect copyright.PENANAPmjihCUf3i
pushing those smells away. They didn’t matter to this investigation. He doubted113Please respect copyright.PENANAQQfMabUCN9
any of those people close to Malcolm would poison him. He focused on the King’s113Please respect copyright.PENANArGRphLBisG
body first because sometimes the poisons smell lingered around after being113Please respect copyright.PENANA7MUPeZII1H
absorbed in the blood stream.
There were the113Please respect copyright.PENANA1PakYtWlm4
normal scents, then the abnormal smells, mostly from the linens. It smelled as113Please respect copyright.PENANAlWyzEYRV0W
though two servants didn’t do a good job of cleaning these sheets after they113Please respect copyright.PENANAGEHZUSNsSy
used it to have sex on. It would have been impossible for others to notice, but113Please respect copyright.PENANAcXkHYN3JDe
not him. There was also a slight drop of whiskey on the sheet, no doubt from113Please respect copyright.PENANAXiD5caMnUg
Bernard or Peyton looking down at the King’s form and needing to have a drink.113Please respect copyright.PENANAf0oGD5hc3L
Finding nothing of interest there, he moved on to the body.
He lifted the arm113Please respect copyright.PENANA0QyvmDwrBI
to sniff under the arm pits, then lifted the legs to get behind the knees. He113Please respect copyright.PENANAhkbNEF15ix
moved down to the feet, one of the smelliest parts of the body, but didn’t find113Please respect copyright.PENANAfwarI1XZV8
a thing. Traveling to the King’s neck then Vander placed his nose in front of the113Please respect copyright.PENANAdbQiYd5Ql3
King’s mouth. Pushing gently on his chest, Vander expelled air from the lung to113Please respect copyright.PENANAcPJVQ30qNl
smell what lay inside. As soon as he got a whiff he turned his head then113Please respect copyright.PENANAhgBoizj5tH
promptly threw up.
“Vander, are you113Please respect copyright.PENANAN1WTnUZTXv
alright?” Topal got to his feet to check on him. Vander went to open his mouth113Please respect copyright.PENANAyDv4ux3glz
but moved his head again to finish puking. Topal’s study hand slapped him on113Please respect copyright.PENANADIe9rRxqSD
the back until his teeth began to clack together.
“There is113Please respect copyright.PENANAgspstFaXkf
something rotting in his chest.” Vander wheezed. “It reminded me of spoiled113Please respect copyright.PENANAtt6xdoEcYQ
beef.”
“His breathing113Please respect copyright.PENANAAoy1cep3sI
doesn’t seem labored to me.” Topal frowned. “Could it be impacting the tissue113Please respect copyright.PENANArEzI3kEDLR
around it and not the lungs itself just yet?”
“I don’t know.”113Please respect copyright.PENANAhvNy2ZJpeA
Vander shrugged. “But that’s one of the symptoms, not a cause. I need to keep113Please respect copyright.PENANAe2XhAsPLmj
searching.”
Stepping over his113Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZncVVCOOd
pile of vomit, he walked around to the other areas of the room but didn’t find113Please respect copyright.PENANAKu7bTWjUaN
anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t until he reached the King’s cup of tea113Please respect copyright.PENANAqJYR1p3VhG
did he noticed something unordinary. He held the cup out to Topal.
“What can you113Please respect copyright.PENANAi66jI4RPKC
smell?” he asked. Topal took it in his hand the wafted the area over the cup to113Please respect copyright.PENANAjAipD982x2
bring the smell close to his face.
“Something113Please respect copyright.PENANAxwo5R3ZI4U
sweet.” He frowned. “Kind of reminds me of a ripe apple, but that can’t be113Please respect copyright.PENANAJWGpHAi2Gd
right. Malcolm only drinks mint tea.”
“Mint is a strong113Please respect copyright.PENANAJyzq4TjatZ
smell that can easily hide another.” Vander explained. “Typically, it wouldn’t113Please respect copyright.PENANAeGBbNdUJb6
matter because you would throw it away and clean it immediately, so the other113Please respect copyright.PENANAMmIVjly6Bl
smell wouldn’t matter as much.”
“But apple113Please respect copyright.PENANAfbQW20NBZY
doesn’t mean anything.” Topal shrugged. “As far as I know, apple hasn’t113Please respect copyright.PENANAzgecgfx8SO
poisoned a single person.”
“No, it hasn’t.”113Please respect copyright.PENANAcgrcY88hyK
Vander frowned. “You wouldn’t happen to remember the king of lettuce or sauce113Please respect copyright.PENANAsMPWOfVB6j
on the sandwich the king ate did you?”
“Not sure.” Topal113Please respect copyright.PENANA3mlIFiLSmL
thought for a moment. “Usually, he ate it with watercress because he liked the113Please respect copyright.PENANAnGBeI2fMxP
strong taste, why?”
“Watercress?”113Please respect copyright.PENANAIkre2J0rmu
Vander frowned lost in thought. “Was there anything strange about it?”
“I don’t think-“113Please respect copyright.PENANAK8Q00qMlQf
Topal’s eyes grew wide. “Wait a minute. I remember Bernard asking why there was113Please respect copyright.PENANAeYmetvXnVT
a blue tint to it shortly after the King went unconscious. We just chalked it113Please respect copyright.PENANAuWFenk9zGL
up to a trick of the light.”
“If you’re right113Please respect copyright.PENANAW7w9pe3fba
then it’s ocecress, a poisonous cousin of watercress, but it wouldn’t be enough113Please respect copyright.PENANAp2P23x7lTI
to cause this.” Vander explained. “They would need something else, like113Please respect copyright.PENANAKTHN32joJm
applewood extract.”
“Like the smell113Please respect copyright.PENANAh3VefIrJpe
from the teacup.” Topal slumped down in his chair. “I don’t know how I missed113Please respect copyright.PENANAxTGS3HLEeB
that.”
“We don’t know113Please respect copyright.PENANAeu27etkrrf
for sure yet, but it’s a solid guess. What we really need to do is to check on113Please respect copyright.PENANAa2lbj9obE0
the food taster and see if anything happened to them.” Vander explained. “Let113Please respect copyright.PENANAMl2oaO7wSk
me talk to my grandfather.” Vander walked towards the door then knocked twice.113Please respect copyright.PENANA3WSRYPD6XG
A moment later Charles opened the door. Vander quickly explained to him what113Please respect copyright.PENANALNIO3Va2nk
they needed. He nodded once then raced down the hall then disappeared out of113Please respect copyright.PENANAcXs9v719Wq
sight. He then walked back into the room to sit down in the chair. He suddenly113Please respect copyright.PENANAiCXYhhm2OT
felt very tired, likely from using a lot of his energy to heighten his senses.
“I can’t believe113Please respect copyright.PENANAwsBqxhUtaE
that crafty old fox has kept you a secret for all this time.” Topal looked at113Please respect copyright.PENANAOVFeSlRdpj
him with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “I thought it was weird for someone to113Please respect copyright.PENANAN0GPVXRoG2
befriend a shadow beast cub, but now everything makes more sense.” Vander113Please respect copyright.PENANA52Fq3yD47E
didn’t even try to deny it.
“No one else has113Please respect copyright.PENANAS8oz6DmqUH
been able to piece it together aside from you.” he said. “Only a couple of113Please respect copyright.PENANAMMY5RwyuDS
other people know, I just ask you keep it a secret for now.”
“Of course.”113Please respect copyright.PENANA0P41sO0ymX
Topal bowed his head. “No good would come from telling other people, especially113Please respect copyright.PENANA5SBRIR6sBw
those maniacs who worship Atza. They will strangle you with rope the moment113Please respect copyright.PENANAJOycPLs8wR
they find out.”
“I have Cuvera113Please respect copyright.PENANA6Fllr1tWpZ
backing me.” Vander chuckled. “Hurting me would bring the crown prince down on113Please respect copyright.PENANAYwjPE55Bq2
their heads. Not sure is worth the risk.”
“They have some113Please respect copyright.PENANADeWuS7RWos
members of the council on their side, it would be a war for sure.” Topal agreed. “I could use113Please respect copyright.PENANAFh5p8vs0rh
someone of your talents if you decide you want to be a doctor, I will need a113Please respect copyright.PENANAqYmRvVvGQH
successor soon.”
“What about your113Please respect copyright.PENANAfxs7a02AYi
granddaughter?”
“She still has a113Please respect copyright.PENANAihpv2lP9y4
lot to learn I’m afraid.” He sighed. “And I’m running out of time to teach her.113Please respect copyright.PENANAy01Gr4B2DA
If only her parents were still alive.”
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYGNM0WMYiK
113Please respect copyright.PENANANcE8yi32wW
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFn4AdYyFEb
113Please respect copyright.PENANA64tG0KnnCy
113Please respect copyright.PENANAbEUadsLIWR
113Please respect copyright.PENANAVn7aOLs9Vj
113Please respect copyright.PENANAB4dqI1Fa8F
113Please respect copyright.PENANAyiyLOezMJM
113Please respect copyright.PENANAdVh9alyLcX
113Please respect copyright.PENANAqJ9CQ1rT92
113Please respect copyright.PENANATB47QasXeA
113Please respect copyright.PENANAW7jQxR8bXL
113Please respect copyright.PENANAbv5ZCNoUc7
113Please respect copyright.PENANAPH09Tew1bz
113Please respect copyright.PENANAKrZhBw39fn
113Please respect copyright.PENANAkDlu3AfUYs
113Please respect copyright.PENANAKsApXTn3lf
113Please respect copyright.PENANA2cocnbRJyn
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFhM664Q2j4
113Please respect copyright.PENANA22t2r9nzWo
113Please respect copyright.PENANA29ad2ZlAcd
113Please respect copyright.PENANATdOmWVjP9i
113Please respect copyright.PENANACGLBf5ztwQ
113Please respect copyright.PENANAtQSNRNKuQ7
113Please respect copyright.PENANAjkP8p2j5Wv
113Please respect copyright.PENANAbooD091zqn
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYbsaej6AP0
113Please respect copyright.PENANAGXIhvWlh9R
113Please respect copyright.PENANAxLA4Bxo97h
113Please respect copyright.PENANAGq2ozSO8DJ
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYhWqU2ciI0
113Please respect copyright.PENANAJFSXPaVvO8
113Please respect copyright.PENANAOcgkZMSWQl
113Please respect copyright.PENANAUMIOHw4uPP
113Please respect copyright.PENANAAda3lF4ihv
113Please respect copyright.PENANAiUAxQhNqMS
113Please respect copyright.PENANArCCuZf4ynt
113Please respect copyright.PENANADuxdGyi95S
113Please respect copyright.PENANAoeQ68htWJn
113Please respect copyright.PENANAWdHNyZKRTh
113Please respect copyright.PENANAehFqF2iCTr
113Please respect copyright.PENANAu7ynu9gh3R
113Please respect copyright.PENANAS1mxWwa5y6
113Please respect copyright.PENANAVJ6wpYM8CU
113Please respect copyright.PENANAcCUPUJjguA
113Please respect copyright.PENANAsxYidLCouP
113Please respect copyright.PENANAXNBc3YSn5c
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnMlNsR4Wnz
113Please respect copyright.PENANAIu3sJ5MJO9
113Please respect copyright.PENANAqznxbYjDhu
113Please respect copyright.PENANAV3GDiCpgWt
113Please respect copyright.PENANA9qCm9S4uCy
113Please respect copyright.PENANAP4uNuJVdQS
113Please respect copyright.PENANANoAA1RCWo8
113Please respect copyright.PENANAN2dhIw3c90
113Please respect copyright.PENANAf8i4XfXKqz
113Please respect copyright.PENANATAieOW1BxS
113Please respect copyright.PENANA0BVP4OeJ4Q
113Please respect copyright.PENANADcrxeWBkNe
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFLSpYDXzE6
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnImDYuA1MV
113Please respect copyright.PENANA51h2aoTJeu
113Please respect copyright.PENANAXuzEyNDyqm
113Please respect copyright.PENANAlKSQnasyOX
113Please respect copyright.PENANAeE5OVbgRU5
113Please respect copyright.PENANAyCLO2uvVwA
113Please respect copyright.PENANAplH5jkxY5E
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnFxLKLG8X2
113Please respect copyright.PENANAZRSpsvGcph
113Please respect copyright.PENANAER5sgzBrbO
113Please respect copyright.PENANADiiGF9iWyY
113Please respect copyright.PENANARSUxm8cTqn
113Please respect copyright.PENANAjuhsIICzoZ
113Please respect copyright.PENANAJHCi1B0Tn2
113Please respect copyright.PENANAKGONiaYK8y
113Please respect copyright.PENANACpUVw3aG3Q
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnEtaT29MLi
113Please respect copyright.PENANAO91XbGdDCf
113Please respect copyright.PENANAxd7OkURW9j
113Please respect copyright.PENANASJcnabxIYx
113Please respect copyright.PENANAQwcPkXBCdz
113Please respect copyright.PENANAOcfFtRZvCW
113Please respect copyright.PENANAeMwbbL7YUe
113Please respect copyright.PENANAT465fsBTFB
113Please respect copyright.PENANAI2Rm8OqbWs
113Please respect copyright.PENANAivGckoeSWw
113Please respect copyright.PENANA4CnsnR1Hqt
113Please respect copyright.PENANAr7faYiZBWI
113Please respect copyright.PENANAP0n0uPFncs
113Please respect copyright.PENANAWtj8Gd4290
113Please respect copyright.PENANAXDK3JMJ1st
113Please respect copyright.PENANAwz19kJ8wlo
113Please respect copyright.PENANA8uZdUxMOhj
113Please respect copyright.PENANAcHJfzwZW47
113Please respect copyright.PENANAv9fjLS0bjA
113Please respect copyright.PENANAbqOWh0AsKK
113Please respect copyright.PENANAuxMdnkAH7g
113Please respect copyright.PENANA5Dyx69L7gq
113Please respect copyright.PENANAe7lzshf0Xl
113Please respect copyright.PENANADOh1B9Dolw
113Please respect copyright.PENANAmf1sZb1Kvh
113Please respect copyright.PENANA4mWhZ5sA6f
113Please respect copyright.PENANAvpoqTxyu43
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYdg8qTMJ5J
113Please respect copyright.PENANAWUaxW5gbX0
113Please respect copyright.PENANA3Z6dmgcxiI
113Please respect copyright.PENANAcwqmZmwQPk
113Please respect copyright.PENANAqZjqVS57Dr
113Please respect copyright.PENANABw0hrAlU7C
113Please respect copyright.PENANA8DQWc4X0oY
113Please respect copyright.PENANAfsA3RwmrNt
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYfm9mkRVqN
113Please respect copyright.PENANA8uaVpY0k4M
113Please respect copyright.PENANAytkqMZUAXK
113Please respect copyright.PENANAZkyHRDww2B
113Please respect copyright.PENANA9a7zXa66Kw
113Please respect copyright.PENANAT0AdCB8fYX
113Please respect copyright.PENANAV2QFwcPAQb
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnvuswNqSsp
113Please respect copyright.PENANAkyh52kqnD2
113Please respect copyright.PENANAvMFOavvp6I
113Please respect copyright.PENANAnJa6M6vWUM
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFW6UU8Fyq9
113Please respect copyright.PENANAwaLefWsCme
113Please respect copyright.PENANArQ7nGolrc7
113Please respect copyright.PENANASKeoif8NFi
113Please respect copyright.PENANAHJ8B3ZFwH6
113Please respect copyright.PENANA3AvNBJksjx
113Please respect copyright.PENANALFWgNr2Tgv
113Please respect copyright.PENANA7ArMg2Bc3e
113Please respect copyright.PENANAUvwQeAWwXa
113Please respect copyright.PENANAyTaW3UDLKT
113Please respect copyright.PENANAm2qFqr52Jx
113Please respect copyright.PENANAcyoufpYWu1
113Please respect copyright.PENANAilO6UE4dIO
113Please respect copyright.PENANAg3LOHR6U54
113Please respect copyright.PENANA1wwxuLASFG
113Please respect copyright.PENANAKlAXp4f4BF
113Please respect copyright.PENANARrsz1nF2na
113Please respect copyright.PENANAdEf5j9gbx9
113Please respect copyright.PENANA4UXbfBSm8L
113Please respect copyright.PENANA5v2oM2SxlZ
113Please respect copyright.PENANAWREJ79ro52
113Please respect copyright.PENANA0EbW23i10d
113Please respect copyright.PENANAix4rBVmTLl
113Please respect copyright.PENANA5E1mPmdEna
113Please respect copyright.PENANAr8ktiLoVvk
113Please respect copyright.PENANA2NuVsOCE5s
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFiUOswuhvd
113Please respect copyright.PENANAweUL8pr5lE
113Please respect copyright.PENANATU9HhhGUQ2
113Please respect copyright.PENANAXTKm79TFVc
113Please respect copyright.PENANAXbuq1n9H5u
113Please respect copyright.PENANA9HZH5Lig33
113Please respect copyright.PENANAiWDr7tVu3u
113Please respect copyright.PENANAGIrlQhIj83
113Please respect copyright.PENANAAvvpixCrar
113Please respect copyright.PENANAeYdRKA8OTs
113Please respect copyright.PENANAaZiXnxs8Ck
113Please respect copyright.PENANAVv9JoiJM07
113Please respect copyright.PENANAeU5DmwcHeI
113Please respect copyright.PENANAjmvMP00L6O
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYb7CrVWYlW
113Please respect copyright.PENANAxLFeREyn5V
113Please respect copyright.PENANAmi3j49PtHo
113Please respect copyright.PENANAwuFvhloo9K
113Please respect copyright.PENANACbSxSt8sBd
113Please respect copyright.PENANA282gGt8D7R
113Please respect copyright.PENANADCam8pDYS5
113Please respect copyright.PENANAZTDiTNJScf
113Please respect copyright.PENANAK4g5n98jpy
113Please respect copyright.PENANAbQT403wxix
113Please respect copyright.PENANABkeQSWo1wv
113Please respect copyright.PENANABAOCzFWJEP
113Please respect copyright.PENANAFPVEp8vsS6
113Please respect copyright.PENANA3Omk22BK1M
113Please respect copyright.PENANAwffuj0pwjc
113Please respect copyright.PENANAtcxWnwHDZ9
113Please respect copyright.PENANALHqyuTOjLu
113Please respect copyright.PENANAHIV2UeAnJ9
113Please respect copyright.PENANAYVVcNjUTbY
113Please respect copyright.PENANA8HS3JZachT
113Please respect copyright.PENANAGqnSsFNIp1
113Please respect copyright.PENANAD5ChO4MpVV
113Please respect copyright.PENANAS1dGr0GVZ0
113Please respect copyright.PENANAUD7d2uhEoK
113Please respect copyright.PENANAchASxZh8zJ
113Please respect copyright.PENANAP638it26Z2
113Please respect copyright.PENANAoKeTswzfD7
113Please respect copyright.PENANARmb1dTXP5n
113Please respect copyright.PENANAvFkiAPJwcJ
113Please respect copyright.PENANANsjBhiW3Pt
113Please respect copyright.PENANAOH7jotJfdC
113Please respect copyright.PENANAojqZETTRiK
113Please respect copyright.PENANAgMUBl6N9pA
113Please respect copyright.PENANAeyNiEQt0aC
113Please respect copyright.PENANAGjTm86j68m
113Please respect copyright.PENANACZrcwEsOls
Vander opened his113Please respect copyright.PENANAHbg1pzF5cE
mouth to speak, but the door opened. Bernard, Peyton and Charles came inside.113Please respect copyright.PENANAjiZ9tTQBCS
Bernard said: “What did you fi-“ followed by a scream. “Who puked in here?”