Chapter 36
The crowds had already gathered by55Please respect copyright.PENANAXHd67Gm11W
the time Vander had left the basement and been brought outside. He could feel55Please respect copyright.PENANANLHh4UKeEJ
that everything was placed on a knife’s edge just waiting for someone to do55Please respect copyright.PENANAJU7d1asHvu
something to light a match under the powder keg. There were five soldiers in55Please respect copyright.PENANArG2c91DHxm
front of him, two of them were holding the chains to his hands, while the five55Please respect copyright.PENANAJETiPFNRXV
behind him were holding his leg iron chains. There were guards surrounding him55Please respect copyright.PENANAHitNzEmt21
as well to keep anyone from trying anything, or to keep him from escaping.
“How do you like the crowd?”55Please respect copyright.PENANASiqdauJIzl
Vander turned his head to see Leon smirking next to him. Leon had always felt55Please respect copyright.PENANAjU69SFBn7O
inferior to Vander, he wasn’t sure why, but it was always a one-sided contest55Please respect copyright.PENANAnXBdTGJV2s
between the two of them.
“I’m glad to see you haven’t55Please respect copyright.PENANA2pM4Z5W76k
changed at all.” Vander snorted. “I assume that this was your doing?”
“Of course.” Leon laughed. “I55Please respect copyright.PENANArqJoamyQtb
wanted everyone to see you fall. It would make quite the story don’t you55Please respect copyright.PENANAD4rCl8fQDg
think?”
“If you think this will change55Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2lYyeQq6x
anyone’s mind about you, you’re sadly mistaken.” Vander shook his head. “You’re55Please respect copyright.PENANApwhZeGCY5D
still just a baby hiding behind his father’s power. No one will respect you. No55Please respect copyright.PENANAy3CGdBAWCV
one will like you. The sooner you face facts, the happier you will be.”
“I don’t have to take that from a55Please respect copyright.PENANAW5RB41VMcp
king slayer.” Leon hissed. “I’ll be there in the front row when they hang you.”55Please respect copyright.PENANAKtRR9mTY8n
With that Leon walked off to the front of the procession.
As they made their way into the55Please respect copyright.PENANAAzghZdchXb
east district, Vander saw some familiar faces amongst the crowd. Many of them55Please respect copyright.PENANAXeKaYLu8Oe
he had helped in the past and while he was glad to see them, he was embarrassed55Please respect copyright.PENANAWK9WHKEYeF
to have them see him like this. He wasn’t Malcolm’s killer, but did the others55Please respect copyright.PENANAsb5KJL7mKZ
believe him? It was hard to be sure. His eyes met Julianna’s. She didn’t look55Please respect copyright.PENANAuMa1EiCHqd
away, but her face was grim. He turned away from her.
“Vander!” He heard her shout.55Please respect copyright.PENANA3IQGYuwe8I
“Don’t give up, we’re with you!” He looked over to see that Julianna had held55Please respect copyright.PENANA0NMkqoRpOz
her fist up in the air. Slowly and surely the others did the same. They didn’t55Please respect copyright.PENANAgJueHyhGLo
scream, they didn’t shout, they didn’t rush the soldiers to free him. They55Please respect copyright.PENANALYvO8HBjZn
showed solidarity with him, as if they didn’t believe what was being said about55Please respect copyright.PENANA4g7VMwnQBu
him. He would have to prove their trust in him was correctly placed.
“Keep it moving!” one of the55Please respect copyright.PENANARkrNWJyt9u
guards shoved Vander in the back causing him to stumble. He caught himself and55Please respect copyright.PENANAhpy06EDS2d
kept walking.
The road through the middle55Please respect copyright.PENANAwvG3lquMyO
district was cleared for everyone. The nobles didn’t care about this, it was55Please respect copyright.PENANAbvF2zLI3iX
below their station. They were likely asleep or cheating on their spouses. It55Please respect copyright.PENANAiuWhJhrnzk
was those in the third ring that would give him the most difficult time: the55Please respect copyright.PENANAMfvVg5DcqJ
comrades he served with for most of his life. It was their judgement that would55Please respect copyright.PENANALfHlxys6XH
hurt the most. Nothing could prepare him for what he expected to face from55Please respect copyright.PENANAGIkuU9MQSu
them.
The Blades were standing on both55Please respect copyright.PENANAOFJ0aF16yO
sides of the road with the rest of the army behind them. He knew Alex wasn’t55Please respect copyright.PENANAtwzcjeH2S1
there, but he saw Chicken, Rooster, Forest, Briar, and Eve standing amongst55Please respect copyright.PENANA7CLDpvkCI3
them. In the few months he had been gone, it looked as though they had aged55Please respect copyright.PENANA22VFuvuAkF
considerably. He could tell Chicken was close to tears, but she held them back.55Please respect copyright.PENANAe0USYr6FPy
Rooster looked straight ahead with a bewildered expression on his face. Forest55Please respect copyright.PENANAsZF9KPxpwE
and Briar held each other’s hands, but Eve looked annoyed for some reason. He55Please respect copyright.PENANAOBW2inafHW
felt a little bad that his grandfather wasn’t around. He had taken the brunt of55Please respect copyright.PENANAccOM6059Kg
the punishment and now it would be his turn if he couldn’t convince the council55Please respect copyright.PENANAfc7ML10RHi
he was innocent.
He was brought up the castle steps55Please respect copyright.PENANAOTlZrili8w
then towards the council chamber. Most of his guard detail was left behind with55Please respect copyright.PENANA0Fk2DvF346
only the four guards holding his chains, Eric Jilena, and Leon escorting him to55Please respect copyright.PENANAxLUnNYgvrK
the council chamber for judgement to be passed upon him. However, they took him55Please respect copyright.PENANAV1oSFl6gYE
to the throne room instead. Two Blades opened the door revealing the large55Please respect copyright.PENANA6zqx0pNasa
empty space, the only thing there was the throne where Cuvera was sitting.55Please respect copyright.PENANAnhD9E4C5hE
Behind him was Kiara and Eliza. Spaced evenly around them were the remaining55Please respect copyright.PENANAlpcGrT6yJH
council members and they did not look happy in the least.
Peyton Cranton sat next to Cuvera55Please respect copyright.PENANAytj29CCCXI
with a small smile on his face. He had likely been waiting for this for a very55Please respect copyright.PENANAtOSqA9z7RP
long time.
“We brought him.” Eric pulled the55Please respect copyright.PENANApvHECjW0nB
chains causing Vander to stumble, falling to his knees.
“Remove the chains.” Cuvera55Please respect copyright.PENANAV8S9SBeIcz
instructed.
“My King?” Eric asked. “Is that55Please respect copyright.PENANAX2DrV6yXGU
wise? He already killed your father and my son. He’s dangerous. He should be…”
“I gave you an order General.”55Please respect copyright.PENANAeyP58Od8DO
Cuvera snapped. “Do not make me repeat myself.” Eric debated whether to55Please respect copyright.PENANAnU5bpu0GtE
disobey, but eventually he relented. Vander felt the chains leave his hands55Please respect copyright.PENANAmARjQTGvVf
then clatter on the ground. He rubbed his wrists tenderly hoping to get the55Please respect copyright.PENANAChNUaHDKrM
feeling back into them. “Step forward.”
Vander walked until he was ten55Please respect copyright.PENANAjh7zQTwmOX
feet away from the throne, before dropping to one knee, bowing in front of his55Please respect copyright.PENANAMFpdhAI0By
friend. He looked up to see that Cuvera had aged considerably these past few55Please respect copyright.PENANAtKtHB3sT7T
months. He was now sporting a thick brown beard. His eyes were dark, likely not55Please respect copyright.PENANAUiWnLej4Mu
getting enough sleep, and it appeared as though Kiara was pregnant with their55Please respect copyright.PENANARRciZCkKAl
first child. She was looking at Vander with a worried expression on her face.55Please respect copyright.PENANAZQo2bR6aNU
Eliza’s face was unreadable, but he detected some concern in her eyes. He55Please respect copyright.PENANAdkzbN5p0G5
didn’t want to give anything away, so he just kept his eyes focused straight55Please respect copyright.PENANAvDVVEa6PR2
ahead.
He noticed that the four Warden’s55Please respect copyright.PENANA3NXQ7FbjBb
from the other regions were also in attendance. Jewelthorne looked bored, as if55Please respect copyright.PENANASmLfIxjnz0
he had been forced to be there. Valyrian looked at him with disgust while55Please respect copyright.PENANAJzR8j8QJDl
Whitesun, the one he knew the least, looked at him with interest. Mari looked55Please respect copyright.PENANAJeW5EhEjnB
at him with a small smile, as if she was telling him that everything was going55Please respect copyright.PENANAVhNqUVk631
to be alright. Despite her demeanor, he felt that it was going to be everything55Please respect copyright.PENANASLiLCfV8sL
but.
“You know why you are here,55Please respect copyright.PENANAcko85tJoIH
Vander, Blade Captain?” Cuvera’s voice echoed through the room.
“Yes.” Vander admitted. “I am55Please respect copyright.PENANAxjRajiMCEi
accused of killing Malcolm and Jeffery Jilena.”
“Last night you were also seen55Please respect copyright.PENANAzkRMZxMESC
fleeing from the northern district right before Humi, Humjir’s head priest, was55Please respect copyright.PENANA4u4fJxgszv
found dead.” Cuvera explained.
“Humi died?” Vander was55Please respect copyright.PENANA1GRhQvsUxm
disappointed. He had hoped that the guards would have gotten there in time, but55Please respect copyright.PENANA2DOMWzlpsc
he guessed wrong.
“What do you have to say for55Please respect copyright.PENANAvndgRJK5Dj
yourself?”
“Innocent on all accounts.” A55Please respect copyright.PENANAuuI7svVXdj
collective gasp went up from the council members. Anna Jilena looked like her55Please respect copyright.PENANAs40LrlgZJf
head was about to explode.
“I’ll give you a chance to tell55Please respect copyright.PENANAXdHGW7LEbl
your side of the story.” Cuvera said. “Explain to me how Lord Cranton saw you55Please respect copyright.PENANAR1ilP8wBgc
kill my father, us all watching you flee the room in a hurry, then finding55Please respect copyright.PENANAUuhzgI0Imh
Jeffery Jilena dead on the ground with his throat cut.”
“I see.” Vander sighed. “Must we55Please respect copyright.PENANA0rIE2QN5Ac
do this in front of them?” He motioned towards the council. “I’d rather just55Please respect copyright.PENANAjMoatkZm1v
talk to you alone.”
“So, you could kill him?” Peyton55Please respect copyright.PENANAWhLy1COpuY
laughed. “I think not. You’re the criminal here, you don’t get special55Please respect copyright.PENANAfJmVazfc2R
treatment.” As much as he hated to admit it, Peyton was right. So, he told them55Please respect copyright.PENANAJmpyKVRFNK
what had happened.
He started by talking about what55Please respect copyright.PENANAFE6oUv0OY7
had happened in the catacombs when Cuvera went to visit his mother. Boar had55Please respect copyright.PENANAYR9q1TzSdf
come to him in a vision, telling him to grab the book on the gods that Malcolm55Please respect copyright.PENANAp29Bat6wzN
had shown him in his office. Not bothering to question his ancestor, Vander55Please respect copyright.PENANAacU37GCOeN
waited until everyone was distracted before sneaking into the library and55Please respect copyright.PENANAJsSWTSzrDb
grabbing the book. Malcolm had seen him, but before either of them could say a55Please respect copyright.PENANAyUxPc06JQy
word to each other Peyton had run him through with a sword.
Peyton didn’t even flinch when55Please respect copyright.PENANATagrDXRuZU
Vander pointed at him, and while some of the council members looked at him55Please respect copyright.PENANAE02KpPqHHS
sideways, Vander could tell very few believed him.
After that, he ran away because he55Please respect copyright.PENANA2w7Ib1a9rX
knew Peyton would blame Vander for the deaths even though he had nothing to do55Please respect copyright.PENANAllqTbMbeh7
with it. Jeffery had found him on the lawn but had asked Vander to knock him55Please respect copyright.PENANA3lQB88PhrQ
out then escape. Vander punched him in the stomach before jumping against the55Please respect copyright.PENANAQyGHC65mEz
wall.
Topal whispered to the council55Please respect copyright.PENANABRaG4MmBM9
member next to him, but it was so quiet that Vander could hear what was being55Please respect copyright.PENANANWFuseSBpB
said.
Vander continued. He fled to the55Please respect copyright.PENANAcs6XeGgC5A
Orange Fox because he knew the stigma surrounding the place would keep him safe55Please respect copyright.PENANAUa3ZKsQd0D
while he could figure out what to do next. For three months he used the55Please respect copyright.PENANAxjQsB0iMeN
resources available to him to track down and find the Serpents, however he55Please respect copyright.PENANA26yHljHz72
didn’t go into too much detail. He killed seven of them, then discovered a note55Please respect copyright.PENANAvzXuTaLytO
sending an assassin known as Fang after him. Afterwards he went to talk to Humi55Please respect copyright.PENANALsRRsfNP80
when they were attacked by an assassin. He told Vander to flee while holding55Please respect copyright.PENANAwEfuFn8JQq
them off, but he guessed he didn’t last much longer after that.
“Then you found me two days55Please respect copyright.PENANAfynL4jMt3D
later.” Vander finished. “That’s all that happened.”
“Seems whoever you talk to just55Please respect copyright.PENANAWSyjeQ7KTn
seems to be killed.” Peyton said. “There is a pattern here, Vander, I’m not55Please respect copyright.PENANAJiTezkkA0k
sure if anyone else can see it, but I can.”
“I also agree with Peyton.” Anna55Please respect copyright.PENANAzFkvQY0Upx
Jilena seethed. “My son is dead because of you. Your story of what happened is55Please respect copyright.PENANAYVBXiZbsWf
nonsense. My son’s throat was cut, there no question there.”
“If I may.” Topal raised his hand.55Please respect copyright.PENANAkqzNlwFSKj
“When I did the autopsy of Jeffery, I noticed some discoloration around his55Please respect copyright.PENANAjXli4JmVvV
diaphragm along with some bruising within his lungs. To me, it seemed as though55Please respect copyright.PENANAizSJRf150l
he had been struck five minutes before his throat was cut. There also wasn’t a55Please respect copyright.PENANAykpSidxSo1
blood trail leading from the body to the wall.”
“He killed him!” Anna screeched.55Please respect copyright.PENANAVoAlw2NMKb
Bickering broke out amongst the council members causing Cuvera to stand up from55Please respect copyright.PENANAjFKLJRlY4q
the throne.
“Take him to the dungeons until we55Please respect copyright.PENANAdxoMTpSWxZ
get this settled.” Cuvera instructed. Bowing his head, Eric placed his hand on55Please respect copyright.PENANAJphjZgDhvO
Vander’s shoulders. Sighing, Vander stood up allowing himself to be led towards55Please respect copyright.PENANAkagVUdEWir
the dungeons.
Before Eric handed him over to the55Please respect copyright.PENANAryjsu0pjjx
jailers, he made Vander face him.
“My son, Jeffery, he respected you55Please respect copyright.PENANAbpMsM9mmiT
a lot.” He spoke. “For his sake, I hope your innocent.”
55Please respect copyright.PENANAUeTvlnmcxC
55Please respect copyright.PENANA4d09muokMy
55Please respect copyright.PENANApXoaci7d0n
55Please respect copyright.PENANAm8X02c1VNp
55Please respect copyright.PENANA2EwzwTSxnX
55Please respect copyright.PENANAB4FiwdKrEP
55Please respect copyright.PENANAG9rBh6R5mM
55Please respect copyright.PENANAjvRQYHewym
55Please respect copyright.PENANAkpuVzNYDex
55Please respect copyright.PENANAx1rNbXE0mq
55Please respect copyright.PENANA5dvv87hlXK
55Please respect copyright.PENANAbZGMz7pKMN
55Please respect copyright.PENANAi1fYuyqsRN
55Please respect copyright.PENANAteY3WaK0sW
55Please respect copyright.PENANA2wCtihh9Qn
55Please respect copyright.PENANAoyHMVGVXwX
55Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3aaoPeBlQ
55Please respect copyright.PENANAw6opMapxrk
55Please respect copyright.PENANAzHzr5UUIGm
55Please respect copyright.PENANAyS1BlwsEbf
55Please respect copyright.PENANA0qSf2NJIXK
55Please respect copyright.PENANATtw9r9Jywf
55Please respect copyright.PENANAkrgl9kNVxg
55Please respect copyright.PENANAkHgVCxSbqo
55Please respect copyright.PENANAC48VUNh2fG
55Please respect copyright.PENANATKhbVsML1N
55Please respect copyright.PENANArC0rXOVtIg
55Please respect copyright.PENANAwJQ2lKBRHL
55Please respect copyright.PENANAz9uyadUlm5
55Please respect copyright.PENANAV5o46kNHE9
55Please respect copyright.PENANAAZ1JXuNffl
55Please respect copyright.PENANA9XCnqOBQGz
55Please respect copyright.PENANA5bgyxWG4cy
55Please respect copyright.PENANApqBkbZ04O2
55Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZjtMH4uQZ
55Please respect copyright.PENANAJbO5zlIWLO
55Please respect copyright.PENANAmxp4AXFnTc
55Please respect copyright.PENANAUWrB8No6VF
55Please respect copyright.PENANAWH7kXOLqEt
55Please respect copyright.PENANA6D3XhYiZmY
55Please respect copyright.PENANAXWLc93cq5H
55Please respect copyright.PENANAFzW84bDL0j
55Please respect copyright.PENANAr9TNHik1FG
55Please respect copyright.PENANA0zWwctWwwT
55Please respect copyright.PENANAOoUNxpGjxm
55Please respect copyright.PENANAtMY4kkvEde
55Please respect copyright.PENANAkYBgwvzKbh
55Please respect copyright.PENANA1VN6N1atzU
55Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZXil8lEFG
55Please respect copyright.PENANA3K0N8iOIGw
55Please respect copyright.PENANAPY0tHIiYYb
55Please respect copyright.PENANAk79ZHmgMlO
55Please respect copyright.PENANA4JvLwR1qdD
55Please respect copyright.PENANADfYnfLglae
55Please respect copyright.PENANAZiSd7nNAtE
55Please respect copyright.PENANAak2z95hXl2
55Please respect copyright.PENANAK7pMvmIbQ4
55Please respect copyright.PENANA0ckdUlk7eY
55Please respect copyright.PENANAANo3RpllL1
55Please respect copyright.PENANAUZWijb0iwo
55Please respect copyright.PENANArU9o1me5w6
55Please respect copyright.PENANAVEbWGpOaUM
55Please respect copyright.PENANAKmU1VfBz8H
55Please respect copyright.PENANAHM7u8fnfKO
55Please respect copyright.PENANAIsK9MYRMLa
55Please respect copyright.PENANAflPlfBM6xo
55Please respect copyright.PENANA6ReL0kX7Qn
55Please respect copyright.PENANArtKMdSeTrV
55Please respect copyright.PENANAbUrSHXVKIw
55Please respect copyright.PENANAtMgrHRLDS5
55Please respect copyright.PENANAfYXyqQQ53F
55Please respect copyright.PENANAKPjnjl47E1
55Please respect copyright.PENANAPovBe4OFjW
55Please respect copyright.PENANAltxsqLDmo1
55Please respect copyright.PENANAiymqytkiQi
55Please respect copyright.PENANAG1Ot6Ea1Qw
55Please respect copyright.PENANAlVPNq0pmFh
55Please respect copyright.PENANAIusow8SyU1
55Please respect copyright.PENANADBjwUxe4Kl
55Please respect copyright.PENANAfnwgEaMz2q
55Please respect copyright.PENANAJKAvp4ahYA
55Please respect copyright.PENANAJNgV0HpKKs
55Please respect copyright.PENANA7jTStEWaLf
55Please respect copyright.PENANAnIzmSouzHP
55Please respect copyright.PENANAXPsQgY1lIY
55Please respect copyright.PENANAvWl77Rwxcb
“I am.” Vander nodded. Perhaps55Please respect copyright.PENANAM1NGDf2kFk
taking some solace at that fact, Eric gave him a small smile. He snapped his55Please respect copyright.PENANA9GQnKS02Bm
fingers. The two jailers walked up, grabbed Vander’s arms, and brought him to55Please respect copyright.PENANAojp1af4HGc
his cell. They pushed him into the dank, musty flat that had rags for a blanket55Please respect copyright.PENANA1GjQMyI1VB
and very little warmth. The slammed the door shut, covering him in darkness.