Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSCf8MEAdG
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiLLUd5r2h
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbF5ohJKDx
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdAaC8QjeA
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSMR310RIC
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRVOClGvSy
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpkrQE2QDM
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3F1QYMiEhj
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAI8iA1C4g3
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOanC0sj8jl
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80WoYVd0WJ
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfMICHYh0y
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOJYPsyiDq
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlq36zOESfe
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP7hcflzuY
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ueMyR0MdN
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc66cqWXa5
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWrcVnlueJ
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsklCrQeaAG
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeZotBJEZK
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56gVDZOPtm
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhgoqlm1f2
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRVLIv0BXc
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6zJ4uwbxq
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWGqogbebg
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEG1koL0TS
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHqBAno6Bm
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mxjSO8GEf
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDSOu91tpo
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqUG1xsU8E
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBb8AmZnKO
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDig4IXbLt
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HY1s68c54
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQN7B8gmRAe
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAxW85TpJB
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDzJi5im2z
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwH9f3ckamL
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t2eJRbxbS
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvnotKJ9Gj
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2OqH66FCB
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQalztRYka
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEQJs5zD6x
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9UIH0AQRA
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYVWUOv9A6
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoByhqW6Nei
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw1STAfqng
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGaRkWmit8
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpVOhLJaZc
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1IAKdUfuv
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPM8ewrR3g
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVaruJTD1W
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aa58AWlsJ
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiK7juhba5
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkl77nyTW1I
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3VZVRx4yL
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdmjwDlhM5
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaMIlC9Roh
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb6ccycS5X
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCskTaprk4m
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNcFubMTVE
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU3TmcpMvx
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVl4EbThAk
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluoh9XMbCY
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO2SE2RFca
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXA8Gqu2Kbl
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb66LaiplvC
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdaFUZJAFb
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUKXSEwdrk
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoHD6vgQz7
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kdPOaHdb0
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSYi5zB2ei
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EMEbo32Yr
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEXfbQQ1Nj
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxclqryJa8L
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc3tP4imEc
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrGv7op7Ab
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAqsb73weI
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa3poaKu4x
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnc5Uvn35HU
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKApJ7uBMN
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucn2p3wIGc
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRHjhXmqk1
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbR9vpO53aG
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUcfUDPcwO
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTt9euRXlqS
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3maOhZqwh
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQNX0X4rqx
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKANAGPWw9N
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDmTfl2K1p
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiAWnQAXtc
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxie5KWjIh3
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjcu5cHZcs
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5PWmSjwbd
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAvYTIHfzQ
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK03gZm6JC9
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoeoh6gnln
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgXZ2mSNmG
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiuaWIVHJV
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6B5GYCB6g
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkazIYt2Jo
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfakDu1IBJG
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwvTcPIkQ7
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1HcW3AAYJ
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxHKr073Yx
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF4GV5IHNG
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNAVEhJRpR
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡys1lGsUheV
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30Vo92UrkR
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWoCRsqnhS
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG5vzDMRue
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUq1PmsdJT
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYbrJzo71b
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNYOcMVVvT
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVyLtgL866
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2rQwhibkh
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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