Chapter 27
If you’ve never91Please respect copyright.PENANAkgleb3UbJV
been inside the mind of a raven, you were missing out. They are one of the91Please respect copyright.PENANA1P4LI8Qd8t
smartest birds in the world capable of remembering faces and understanding a91Please respect copyright.PENANAhB8Pi7ITZI
semblance of human speech. However, when Vander was inside, he understood91Please respect copyright.PENANAwUqxa4vMPw
everything around him, knew what the bird knew, and could get into places he91Please respect copyright.PENANAWlHO7Enw2O
otherwise couldn’t. The only issue was if the consciousness of the creature he91Please respect copyright.PENANAWxunVgbOt7
was inhabiting decided to fight back, he could be forcibly shoved back into his91Please respect copyright.PENANAIaVbeQPmEz
own body or, in a worst-case scenario, he could be lost forever. However it was91Please respect copyright.PENANAKLqCPVJi4m
a risk he needed to take and so far, the raven wasn’t fighting him though he91Please respect copyright.PENANAevlK6ZLr8H
was angry. Vander had to promise him some food before he would finally settle91Please respect copyright.PENANAf9iOfnkBiy
down.
Vander flapped91Please respect copyright.PENANANwIv6sYH2d
his wings then jumped from the rooftop. He caught an air current to glid over91Please respect copyright.PENANAn2V0zf4cPv
the heads of the gathered soldiers trying to keep the crowds back away from the91Please respect copyright.PENANAfbs6OqJEo4
crime scene. Some of them had taken their spears butts to the citizens to get91Please respect copyright.PENANAfLwmnSo8je
them to stay away, but that made some of them angry. It took one of the Blades91Please respect copyright.PENANAsKilB4KHXV
to come over to calm the crowd down before they calmed down enough, but they91Please respect copyright.PENANAREAaGylfKG
were still near the edge peering through just to see what was going on.
He found a perch91Please respect copyright.PENANA5UmSV0BERe
on top of the house that would enable him to see his surroundings but also91Please respect copyright.PENANAg4EO97BKO0
listen to what was being said inside. He hopped forward, grabbing hold of the91Please respect copyright.PENANAyLk0RJJO8z
siding with his talons, and peered over the edge looking into the house via the91Please respect copyright.PENANAo2oQn24GOs
window above the door. If anyone looked above, they would have seen just his91Please respect copyright.PENANAwWErdABdB8
head and beady little eyes, but the occupants were too distracted by the91Please respect copyright.PENANArguxj9BG66
carnage he had left behind.
The blood had91Please respect copyright.PENANAXcECIfU3ns
dried overnight, but the people inside walked over it as if it was. There was a91Please respect copyright.PENANAFCEehFrlRz
medic inside making sure the bodies were dead. It wasn’t Topal, but one of his91Please respect copyright.PENANAwZdZjvOqkW
students that Vander didn’t recognize. He was carefully checking the bodies91Please respect copyright.PENANAauvaaaMNkl
then would nod to one of the soldiers who would then grab a buddy and together91Please respect copyright.PENANAn1BBxMXUPl
the two of them would bring one of the bodies outside. Then they would bring a91Please respect copyright.PENANAMgjKgEG4Ig
tarp to place over the dead to hide them from the crowd. It happened six times91Please respect copyright.PENANApBe2QIqcFC
in total. Vander had to double take because he was sure that seven of them been91Please respect copyright.PENANAklRCqoCCUZ
killed, but after double counting then peering back inside, there was indeed91Please respect copyright.PENANAJLIQvB8dVg
only six bodies. He would have to investigate that later.
He heard some of91Please respect copyright.PENANAwUJHDEM0jw
the guards talking inside. “What a waste of life.” One muttered to themselves.91Please respect copyright.PENANACKp9XGYBVe
“What do you think happened here?”
“We don’t get91Please respect copyright.PENANA0lh8csnY83
paid to ask questions.” That other snorted. But he looked around nervously91Please respect copyright.PENANALnTqlK2DHn
before whispering to his friend. “I bet it was that traitorous Blade that did91Please respect copyright.PENANAobb4gi69mz
this.” The other guard looked warily at his friend.
“How do you91Please respect copyright.PENANAgucqdRjihj
figure?”
“One of these91Please respect copyright.PENANAsSil4ec0e3
people had their throat completely ripped out.” The other explained. “That’s91Please respect copyright.PENANArL3usiXrMJ
not possible without a lot of strength. I’ve only ever seen animals do that and91Please respect copyright.PENANAbpiPMxwy9P
I don’t think a bear came into down, slaughtered six people, then left never to91Please respect copyright.PENANAn4uZIaaQ8P
be seen again.”
“I guess that91Please respect copyright.PENANAKMUzJHh6Ta
makes sense.” The second guard didn’t sound convinced, however. “But why would91Please respect copyright.PENANAJ8giPOPQfh
he come here to kill these people? It makes no sense.”
“Like killing the91Please respect copyright.PENANA1Ny7hjEO3r
King made sense?” the first guard spat. “The sooner we find this guy, the91Please respect copyright.PENANAxMrkC1MScb
sooner we can bury him. Bastard deserves to hang for what he did.” Unknown to91Please respect copyright.PENANA4ak8wMQZgH
all involved, they failed to notice a squad of Blades coming up behind them.91Please respect copyright.PENANAyp2O2Qhv1P
Vander looked up to see Alexander coming with a few Blades Vander didn’t91Please respect copyright.PENANAqJiZ5py1Kw
recognize. They were likely from one of the squads that came with the Warden’s.91Please respect copyright.PENANAr94wHiCYqK
He couldn’t help but wonder where the recruits went.
Alex looked like91Please respect copyright.PENANA1PkN2AtmOO
shit. His eyes were sunken in, and he had allowed his beard to grow long and91Please respect copyright.PENANANtftZebTWL
thick. His clothes were unkept, despite Blade regulation, but his eyes were91Please respect copyright.PENANAlLKMhd10Jb
still sharp. He had come in at the tail end of the guard’s conversation, so he91Please respect copyright.PENANAP01TB92lBc
let himself be known by growling right behind them.
“If you two have91Please respect copyright.PENANAIgPdO8njUw
time to gossip, you have time to stand investigate the house.” He spoke.91Please respect copyright.PENANABBkq9QeeGC
Normally his size and demeanor were enough to get most men to do what he91Please respect copyright.PENANAK8jZdJl1zI
wanted, but that didn’t seem to work here.
“You’re not in91Please respect copyright.PENANAmDaZgtNbIV
charge of us, Blade.” The first guard hissed. The way he said it made Vander91Please respect copyright.PENANAR1xipdVZDK
angry. It appears he wasn’t the only one as the Blades with Alex went for their91Please respect copyright.PENANAIRzygTQNY1
swords. They stayed their hand once Alex motioned for them to stop. “We don’t91Please respect copyright.PENANA2CN0miJCUg
take orders from those who let the King die.”
“You’ll take91Please respect copyright.PENANANw4kxOIsfc
orders from me whether you like it or not.” Alex’s voice was calm, but he was91Please respect copyright.PENANA7TRPAKw1lx
seconds away from violently lashing out. Vander could tell based on how he91Please respect copyright.PENANA58lWonPKC3
clenched his hand. “Until the King decrees otherwise you will help us find91Please respect copyright.PENANAGoTWtsthPa
Vander and bring him in.”
“Our General says91Please respect copyright.PENANAh6tYR3MCBe
otherwise.” The second guard said. “We are only here as per our duty, but after91Please respect copyright.PENANA2QEITilbSZ
the bodies are taken out, you’re on your own.”
“Coward.” One of91Please respect copyright.PENANABvCgtelJaw
the Blade’s spat. At that insult, the two guards drew their weapons as did the91Please respect copyright.PENANARznbnX2Rnj
guards who were supposed to be keeping the crowd back.
“That wasn’t very91Please respect copyright.PENANAebn9T8UwpK
smart of you.” The first guard growled. “You’re surrounded and outnumbered.91Please respect copyright.PENANAN6UwcNUmeh
What’s another dead Blade in the grand scheme of things?”
“Enough of this.”91Please respect copyright.PENANA0pbgxRyT04
Alex’s voice bellowed out. He turned towards the Blade who let his emotions get91Please respect copyright.PENANAqxIgVaryOe
the better of him. “Apologize so we can get on with our days.”
“But…” Alex’s91Please respect copyright.PENANAuQsRHGCPxi
glare dried the excuse in the poor man’s throat. He lowered his head, but not91Please respect copyright.PENANAbsbdai3Gs1
his eyes, and muttered a quick apology. Knowing better than to start a scene,91Please respect copyright.PENANAxpv5Swv7cB
the guard accepted it, but kept his eyes firmly rooted on Alex as he sheathed91Please respect copyright.PENANAEaJ5foqiNG
his Blade.
“You have minutes91Please respect copyright.PENANANmgvErruJW
to get what you need the clear out.” The guard said. “This is our91Please respect copyright.PENANAzaoYSw1FE2
investigation, not yours.”
“I understand, we91Please respect copyright.PENANAHrLdiY7yIg
will be quick.” Nodding to the others, they dispersed. Some of them headed91Please respect copyright.PENANAm05LqGWgDy
inside to look around while two of them checked the dead bodies. Alex stayed91Please respect copyright.PENANAVR4xmWIeC4
outside surveying the crowd. Suddenly Vander was very happy that he had picked91Please respect copyright.PENANAr38I7mnDQK
the raven to take over instead of going into the crowd himself. He knew that no91Please respect copyright.PENANApc3M32Na5w
matter the disguise, Alex would be able to tell who he was.
One of the Blades91Please respect copyright.PENANADAV18cZ8by
outside called over to Alex. He quicky rushed over. Vander could catch some91Please respect copyright.PENANA6cARh3mNI8
words of that passed between the two of them. They commented about one of them91Please respect copyright.PENANAeAimsrpg5l
having their throat ripped out, which Alex admitted was likely Vander’s doing.91Please respect copyright.PENANA49frj0lVy7
However, the intriguing part was when the two of them discovered snake tattoos91Please respect copyright.PENANAqog1KAJd2B
on all their arms. Alex nodded to himself before stepping away calling the91Please respect copyright.PENANAB4tieJtT18
guards back to take the bodies away. He then went inside to see what the others91Please respect copyright.PENANAxFdfd37c9x
may or may not have found.
Vander couldn’t91Please respect copyright.PENANAJvzEUbuPjx
really tell what was being said inside. They were talking low to one another91Please respect copyright.PENANAmEUNYFbrG7
while looking at a scroll that they discovered shoved inside the table. Vander91Please respect copyright.PENANAThEB45gKGX
shifted slightly to get a better view. It looked like a map of the city, but it91Please respect copyright.PENANAcJ0XGIbnfw
wasn’t anything that he recognized. He would need to get his talons on that91Please respect copyright.PENANAMUvKJXkWo1
scroll, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He would have to try to91Please respect copyright.PENANA9R5z3NDVA9
take it from his friend at some point in time. Vander heard a squawk coming91Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0kS0xAX0J
from behind him. He turned around to see a large, angry raven flapping behind91Please respect copyright.PENANAoT3uLsVCJ1
him. He was instantly filled with fear from the raven he was inhabiting. He91Please respect copyright.PENANAuLbWvykNLo
guessed the two of them had an issue before which caused the raven, he91Please respect copyright.PENANAOt0CcpPkf7
inhabited to flee afraid.
As the other91Please respect copyright.PENANAriT85r0RY2
raven attacked, Vander pushed himself out of the body and back into his own.91Please respect copyright.PENANA88r84HgWgF
The sudden jolt to being back in a human being, on the ground, caused him to91Please respect copyright.PENANA6EzWrCeTg0
violently throw himself over so he could vomit onto the cobblestone instead of91Please respect copyright.PENANAHFfInAb6Ne
onto his clothing. He looked up to see the two birds entwined in a death grip91Please respect copyright.PENANA5nW5aNnHqs
violently stabbing and clawing at each other. The smaller one he had been apart91Please respect copyright.PENANAjn3k4KF45t
from was losing, but his pride didn’t allow him to quit. He had to do91Please respect copyright.PENANAEqEDptOToo
something, so he grabbed a rock.
He popped out91Please respect copyright.PENANAcuV1Uvfj35
from behind his hiding spot then launched the rock at the bigger bird. With a91Please respect copyright.PENANApv6KIX0ScA
cry, the big raven fell to the ground stunned, possibly dead. The sudden rock91Please respect copyright.PENANAr66BVVylhM
being thrown combined with the dropped bird causing some members of the crowd91Please respect copyright.PENANAFBjAsWyDiC
to turn towards him. Some were confused, but a couple recognized him.
“It’s the King91Please respect copyright.PENANAHmRypTmWPb
killer!” one of them shouted, pointing at him. Some of the guards began91Please respect copyright.PENANAjzkE9sX305
shouting to pass, but the crowd pushed forward.
“Someone grab91Please respect copyright.PENANAe5sHOwJ0D2
him!” Two citizens lunged forward, but Vander jumped backwards. He grabbed a91Please respect copyright.PENANA8avsTwRWCL
box then threw it at someone who had broken through hitting them right in the91Please respect copyright.PENANA6npsLRZ10z
face. Vander backed up towards the wall then jumped up, grabbing the top with91Please respect copyright.PENANAVC784Kyazz
his hand to haul himself over. Before he disappeared, he locked eyes with Alex91Please respect copyright.PENANADSmNdA3JSW
before disappearing.
He heard shouting91Please respect copyright.PENANA4sy181GkTt
coming from behind him, but he wasted no time running back towards the gate91Please respect copyright.PENANAw9Uw8apER3
which would lead him into Lower Eluvia. He just had to make it there before he91Please respect copyright.PENANAF9ELKM6suT
was caught then everything would be okay. What he didn’t realize though was91Please respect copyright.PENANAc1tp8GlhHw
that the road he was running down intersected with the road that mob was coming91Please respect copyright.PENANAOCll35VCUf
down. He heard them running towards him, which caused him to run as fast as he91Please respect copyright.PENANAvTtxoHYa1P
could. Tragically he ended up running into another group of guards who had91Please respect copyright.PENANACQvCfcjxO5
heard the commotion.
“Well look who we91Please respect copyright.PENANA1cmojhevnH
have here?” One of them grinned. A metal fist came flying towards Vander’s91Please respect copyright.PENANAo0GbMZXNfP
face. It hit his jaw sending waves of pain throughout his mouth, likely91Please respect copyright.PENANAivuCH2NyRo
knocking a couple of teeth loose. He fell to the ground, but scrambled91Please respect copyright.PENANA9NCsJnhvaf
backwards as the guards drew their swords.
“Did you know91Please respect copyright.PENANAAlNOH29S4c
there is a bounty on your head?” one asked with an evil glint in his eyes. “The91Please respect copyright.PENANAarCoN42zj4
Jilena family has offered quite the reward for your head.” Vander looked at the91Please respect copyright.PENANAWS7skQmaNS
group confused. He didn’t know why the Jilena family cared so much about the91Please respect copyright.PENANAjqEP0PrW3n
king’s murder that they would go against Cuvera’s wishes. He didn’t have to91Please respect copyright.PENANA9erPeg47MF
wonder long as the guards were apparently quite chatty.
“They are blaming91Please respect copyright.PENANAqbrBQGzyj5
you for the death of their youngest son.” Vander’s blood ran cold. Jeffery was91Please respect copyright.PENANAbTiYbkbmlM
dead? But he had let him go, there was no reason for him to be killed.
“I had no reason91Please respect copyright.PENANAcWhmtWfUmp
to kill him.” Vander argued.
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“Rumor has it91Please respect copyright.PENANATlQ5HPhZJM
that he tried to stop you, so you ran him through.” The guard shrugged. “Makes91Please respect copyright.PENANAi1zz0eDKU8
no difference to me. With the money we will finally be able to retire in91Please respect copyright.PENANASQtZ9g015c
peace.” Vander scooted backwards as the guards lunged towards him with their91Please respect copyright.PENANAl5w3SUfU6T
swords readied to skewer him.