Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmKW3h8q7n
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZ7aRPtpUK
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqeLQaYV7V
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGK5lIGhyc
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkflwy8va4u
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWl0SPleoj
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk0Ruh2BF6
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6kn86VR7o
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFn9Ff5tnO
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4m0eDagMH
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvWDHl4lKd
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDZMeUVsMx
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbV0pqufZQ
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VypKLJ2CD
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDi3IVeU1JA
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7i9iHNkMZ
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJuUbuTUyS
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWyHWNPuyZ
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRY97BcS99W
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWPOSaS4f0
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAazRRYVMTT
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvF4Xse81ks
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdM2rLLEdf
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKtnNWnhOz
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHBEBZUNHX
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyRZUxrGoY
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDVcxyRTyu
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8ptiDtn4J
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeiePivI5M
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDdWS9wFLB
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnsQ8IBAgK
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5YJZI9FQa
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WwhXbqfQq
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPGr3w7qE8
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFF16edPfB
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknK4alReoi
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZloidD3Xu
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZsYzDbMsw
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiBi56r6fa
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lA8QqpR9V
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkjCrGfCzy
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0SjubBGG8
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf50VXl6WJr
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMU4qXGUTvs
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sLVWxiLHG
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZwmpGYMqn
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4GlH63m2a
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYl4HhNzv8
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmepD1DKx9l
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrCPI3ocLO
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYrCOtJdNj
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sTYrNHnxX
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaNl4vSloF
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvwKuPTesC
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZldyxz9P6b
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy6ztYZ85K
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEuXEY0F8Q
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo6QTYufFT
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCmkzxtFD7
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtBBMRLZ6V
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0DEpbL00B
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot74ojLRwq
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0vvZiPPi6
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzaH0unRK2
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp90CNADp5R
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡow6cuvZN5q
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEguT1rA5dC
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEUlGAfjFv
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybDBUS4O9Y
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKGRYBE7QG
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoP7AuXNc23
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8US0NO0DXd
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5asOU9pz6z
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQc9sWWy49
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLjzEdGm58
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgrHuuq2Gj
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaG2PsP0lUN
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycVMFeoqIy
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp5r6U1WFQ
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF75fUQtUn6
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqrUpK24zs
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdstray9Qy
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv774GRa2KJ
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4g0O7SZdS
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXbQIBpLDM
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7JA2Mshv1
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbnqRb3Ewm
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv4jSDbVuO
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJovxIHmRa1
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PBS4Qlbfb
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWSPcYS5FF
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpgHegfSw5
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLleJ8QZ2V
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSay3YcGA7
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64cFOYLW2B
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIn28kvRUZ
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4TQSA7Mpj
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4rt4d6xNp
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTJSHxVywa
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFBIY8uAJh
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7xhFm1Oke
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIxybMpucQ
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNfH52Z2po
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtXdCB2PQ3
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZmtKA6IXM
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeMR8MdvVF
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAYUmqMuXJ
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbs7FdeeMZ
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPvVMgPLuW
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5P8osWCzc
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEODYI18xE
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBvoTs9U9u
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6mXsY3Ow1
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJWJQ8toq7
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3cqPwd2vJ
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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