Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiJD2LRlUN
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFKMgiwrEi
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSKUKgwLZ6
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uWVXIQGIn
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBp8BYpanQ
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiY5HLlIakq
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjadsann5gB
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVFchnZYBM
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCb6CUQ1VY
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8StM5Bv9e
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenzNYAcR4B
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3iBtTMYry
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69KweKmn69
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKoyPGe8PK
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWljdLG64fV
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyfUUbjhLt
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9utkyrtLys
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlZshm1dlQ
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIPOTDPwng
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOXcpgpjWw
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkPPZVuk1x
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgA6oppatn
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMLGFhFz9o
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZk42G3GhG
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNxbD3GH0K
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30fc7O6KLW
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSH0AUIvoI
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UmdmQHtsw
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0vsXPZO1y
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYapSljwK2S
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RZ57tjw5A
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhd5mtEwB5w
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGc6fLSGGH
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIiqtRoPzR
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvP1hc3B1o
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJaAlLkzvz
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tSo4A2XFY
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6SfYgXbQd
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUeg115XAc
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHTHZ43o7m
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IDHUJWB2B
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmJNdBOcJf
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzh6h61qeG
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnPu7g0jaK
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsljkUQglEJ
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJKZnIayk3
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdKOOj6GdW
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMscmxFAzGT
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75bkzioCMg
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZurpxjLSsv
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64uTj3IvxG
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqRhhHEU2Z
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyBQfSp6qb
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC7CS8lq5X
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEBVcuBIj8
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fm4bZ7MxX
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNN1Ig6mxvr
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSXkncdSum
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvi39uhRSH
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiTVdfGDTi
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTrLOjj5zW
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0KyO6P6LT
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54253mK8kv
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡer3WMV4d2b
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzLUfiAgIg
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6DnCYvjI5
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarZRsTKUnd
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeY1XPEpvRH
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8a5YUWJGJY
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6U2ASV07Z
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAkQ2CJWdS
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4JIzxEpju
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVQZQTUuQ8
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsukpP5LrTG
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJ2Nch1vuX
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3O40t0VpA
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGulnlHUORi
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiLFcohGzQ
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX5rpoOtdp
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmM8azsATX
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YAlhWySwe
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgByKVQ867t
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKe4gX7IDg
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOl3JZcgNi
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0Bi9HJrEs
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTbBCdo8Lp
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqXoMmpeDk
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhncVqv8L12
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKGCQgG7mK
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeI7H9TaHI
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqUZw2Palv
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvhl5BO4tm
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TOdGQsAsQ
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIiv54hh84
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDmiZIvk4m
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Q5j9WPliI
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91mZxBTACW
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCuG2NeLzD
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUEcfQamjz
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDhydNEUX4
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOOlo8YRug
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7OST0q2wf
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzH9AkI627g
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYQZZCQtbD
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6IcTEBIO6
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2Qe32Yqzt
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUA78IR6s8
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuTmQaLE5H
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33Xbc4eKWT
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucDpIfl1u7
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvbuhcKb8g
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQg4zladzz
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXQqCjq8sH
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiD9sUur3c
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw0nfH9IqN
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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