Chapter 27
If you’ve never51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuVPsZz2hD
been inside the mind of a raven, you were missing out. They are one of the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3NIANXUcI
smartest birds in the world capable of remembering faces and understanding a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UJn9uq6Nc
semblance of human speech. However, when Vander was inside, he understood51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWZ5Wa8oaC
everything around him, knew what the bird knew, and could get into places he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuVMsSiYzQ
otherwise couldn’t. The only issue was if the consciousness of the creature he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOCN9R2xtK
was inhabiting decided to fight back, he could be forcibly shoved back into his51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAVNUdUpnz
own body or, in a worst-case scenario, he could be lost forever. However it was51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xhj77SvKb
a risk he needed to take and so far, the raven wasn’t fighting him though he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsS88iY5ut3
was angry. Vander had to promise him some food before he would finally settle51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp24VpJn88
down.
Vander flapped51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsh6pF1ZTa
his wings then jumped from the rooftop. He caught an air current to glid over51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYauwxGldzH
the heads of the gathered soldiers trying to keep the crowds back away from the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOnNWEshax
crime scene. Some of them had taken their spears butts to the citizens to get51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8OQrVWLvS
them to stay away, but that made some of them angry. It took one of the Blades51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvStxPmUy0s
to come over to calm the crowd down before they calmed down enough, but they51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly0lYqAmZJ
were still near the edge peering through just to see what was going on.
He found a perch51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDMvQe4k9R
on top of the house that would enable him to see his surroundings but also51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkzJE2BEhW
listen to what was being said inside. He hopped forward, grabbing hold of the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUukXgTNCC
siding with his talons, and peered over the edge looking into the house via the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSwG54jxbK
window above the door. If anyone looked above, they would have seen just his51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnuQ5ssjJI
head and beady little eyes, but the occupants were too distracted by the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WfcW4lJW7
carnage he had left behind.
The blood had51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAM0saZnL6
dried overnight, but the people inside walked over it as if it was. There was a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp4urZmOF2
medic inside making sure the bodies were dead. It wasn’t Topal, but one of his51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr04VgA9NZ9
students that Vander didn’t recognize. He was carefully checking the bodies51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hsF74KERs
then would nod to one of the soldiers who would then grab a buddy and together51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TN3onuG5C
the two of them would bring one of the bodies outside. Then they would bring a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vCpjQIFrz
tarp to place over the dead to hide them from the crowd. It happened six times51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxFZatTqKj
in total. Vander had to double take because he was sure that seven of them been51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtcRXWrT9E
killed, but after double counting then peering back inside, there was indeed51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLIiSemTxQ
only six bodies. He would have to investigate that later.
He heard some of51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6O5EBh88O
the guards talking inside. “What a waste of life.” One muttered to themselves.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4skS0RmIo
“What do you think happened here?”
“We don’t get51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ggPSy7iYp
paid to ask questions.” That other snorted. But he looked around nervously51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ951pz8B4Jf
before whispering to his friend. “I bet it was that traitorous Blade that did51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW24L66a4N8
this.” The other guard looked warily at his friend.
“How do you51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYthr9wKHj
figure?”
“One of these51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzP5KAqXKP4
people had their throat completely ripped out.” The other explained. “That’s51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP1MxgcYE0
not possible without a lot of strength. I’ve only ever seen animals do that and51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyqs2VjlJI
I don’t think a bear came into down, slaughtered six people, then left never to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM554aEcuo
be seen again.”
“I guess that51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5SrWgEJlq
makes sense.” The second guard didn’t sound convinced, however. “But why would51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmm4yj397j
he come here to kill these people? It makes no sense.”
“Like killing the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPPIuuf1lq
King made sense?” the first guard spat. “The sooner we find this guy, the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY6oKYTpLM
sooner we can bury him. Bastard deserves to hang for what he did.” Unknown to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcFO3kwy9o
all involved, they failed to notice a squad of Blades coming up behind them.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoTCSOEprc
Vander looked up to see Alexander coming with a few Blades Vander didn’t51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm94rg78x75
recognize. They were likely from one of the squads that came with the Warden’s.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcUNi58DAs
He couldn’t help but wonder where the recruits went.
Alex looked like51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBKdwhZXel
shit. His eyes were sunken in, and he had allowed his beard to grow long and51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegIhz7cmC7
thick. His clothes were unkept, despite Blade regulation, but his eyes were51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNpBCf9O7G
still sharp. He had come in at the tail end of the guard’s conversation, so he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxq1NWiJo8
let himself be known by growling right behind them.
“If you two have51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafmMrKW6qh
time to gossip, you have time to stand investigate the house.” He spoke.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDOfSq5iQW
Normally his size and demeanor were enough to get most men to do what he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkGo4ljGkn
wanted, but that didn’t seem to work here.
“You’re not in51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktF8X710Hj
charge of us, Blade.” The first guard hissed. The way he said it made Vander51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKLhwGBgqh
angry. It appears he wasn’t the only one as the Blades with Alex went for their51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7BImBkl42
swords. They stayed their hand once Alex motioned for them to stop. “We don’t51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5VhEFMBfa
take orders from those who let the King die.”
“You’ll take51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJUYUpFkjP
orders from me whether you like it or not.” Alex’s voice was calm, but he was51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzbn5B9h2N
seconds away from violently lashing out. Vander could tell based on how he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjLzyNqS07
clenched his hand. “Until the King decrees otherwise you will help us find51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSR7z60Ucv
Vander and bring him in.”
“Our General says51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44ac3jUl1G
otherwise.” The second guard said. “We are only here as per our duty, but after51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BmEKfKc0d
the bodies are taken out, you’re on your own.”
“Coward.” One of51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpes6wqJxUx
the Blade’s spat. At that insult, the two guards drew their weapons as did the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw8gUDTP8b
guards who were supposed to be keeping the crowd back.
“That wasn’t very51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkigcClXEw
smart of you.” The first guard growled. “You’re surrounded and outnumbered.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVw0oHUcmR2
What’s another dead Blade in the grand scheme of things?”
“Enough of this.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcr4nPLjco
Alex’s voice bellowed out. He turned towards the Blade who let his emotions get51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEZRXJ7WmL
the better of him. “Apologize so we can get on with our days.”
“But…” Alex’s51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPITo2GVX1J
glare dried the excuse in the poor man’s throat. He lowered his head, but not51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGErM6ek7S
his eyes, and muttered a quick apology. Knowing better than to start a scene,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomS88XpmAz
the guard accepted it, but kept his eyes firmly rooted on Alex as he sheathed51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9SrSzFi4p
his Blade.
“You have minutes51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWZj8OguPB
to get what you need the clear out.” The guard said. “This is our51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvf0Ond5cn
investigation, not yours.”
“I understand, we51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUTheIrQdX
will be quick.” Nodding to the others, they dispersed. Some of them headed51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEiJTpE0nD
inside to look around while two of them checked the dead bodies. Alex stayed51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT67liMmQQ
outside surveying the crowd. Suddenly Vander was very happy that he had picked51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpaWamzs0Y
the raven to take over instead of going into the crowd himself. He knew that no51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFmMTcKnWg
matter the disguise, Alex would be able to tell who he was.
One of the Blades51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY0bavb8dE
outside called over to Alex. He quicky rushed over. Vander could catch some51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFGAXg3Qlq
words of that passed between the two of them. They commented about one of them51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqovKcHRmeV
having their throat ripped out, which Alex admitted was likely Vander’s doing.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrm94F8DEk
However, the intriguing part was when the two of them discovered snake tattoos51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDxcc1iPuV
on all their arms. Alex nodded to himself before stepping away calling the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8DLrjRtEw
guards back to take the bodies away. He then went inside to see what the others51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kiho6LmVe
may or may not have found.
Vander couldn’t51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VTktipheZ
really tell what was being said inside. They were talking low to one another51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyHtdBugMo
while looking at a scroll that they discovered shoved inside the table. Vander51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbd0nH69zj
shifted slightly to get a better view. It looked like a map of the city, but it51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRY8eLx3Ep
wasn’t anything that he recognized. He would need to get his talons on that51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjo8hTryuR
scroll, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He would have to try to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJC90lTSAgm
take it from his friend at some point in time. Vander heard a squawk coming51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs6AmzxDtA
from behind him. He turned around to see a large, angry raven flapping behind51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs1OZuy4YB
him. He was instantly filled with fear from the raven he was inhabiting. He51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfxEcKyWs2
guessed the two of them had an issue before which caused the raven, he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡog7flZnW7J
inhabited to flee afraid.
As the other51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd64ePUdbH
raven attacked, Vander pushed himself out of the body and back into his own.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFW5gnXEjr
The sudden jolt to being back in a human being, on the ground, caused him to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM84JAxmp51
violently throw himself over so he could vomit onto the cobblestone instead of51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Mc42uWOvg
onto his clothing. He looked up to see the two birds entwined in a death grip51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26TPwSndEE
violently stabbing and clawing at each other. The smaller one he had been apart51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2uiGp041x
from was losing, but his pride didn’t allow him to quit. He had to do51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7s4EQLyyED
something, so he grabbed a rock.
He popped out51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvPTafd8tj
from behind his hiding spot then launched the rock at the bigger bird. With a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyLRxifor1
cry, the big raven fell to the ground stunned, possibly dead. The sudden rock51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq4t83Xtg1
being thrown combined with the dropped bird causing some members of the crowd51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZocvDhJJ9
to turn towards him. Some were confused, but a couple recognized him.
“It’s the King51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh08mf4mTXD
killer!” one of them shouted, pointing at him. Some of the guards began51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWe4sDPA8X
shouting to pass, but the crowd pushed forward.
“Someone grab51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJK9wZFwZQK
him!” Two citizens lunged forward, but Vander jumped backwards. He grabbed a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSWkuTFXRB
box then threw it at someone who had broken through hitting them right in the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJeX0HOaBA
face. Vander backed up towards the wall then jumped up, grabbing the top with51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7rPZYOe6Y
his hand to haul himself over. Before he disappeared, he locked eyes with Alex51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzbFhfXw1v
before disappearing.
He heard shouting51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xZhokaxX8
coming from behind him, but he wasted no time running back towards the gate51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzdXrtRPNF
which would lead him into Lower Eluvia. He just had to make it there before he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7d5IpTrSd
was caught then everything would be okay. What he didn’t realize though was51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPZKQa6mbp
that the road he was running down intersected with the road that mob was coming51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk6HZfUR4a
down. He heard them running towards him, which caused him to run as fast as he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCtIuXAxqL
could. Tragically he ended up running into another group of guards who had51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOk5MqVJhW
heard the commotion.
“Well look who we51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwGnDau4M6
have here?” One of them grinned. A metal fist came flying towards Vander’s51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgemciQODgu
face. It hit his jaw sending waves of pain throughout his mouth, likely51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jTS0aBhpB
knocking a couple of teeth loose. He fell to the ground, but scrambled51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtJ3EMBSo6
backwards as the guards drew their swords.
“Did you know51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhU10ye7yG7
there is a bounty on your head?” one asked with an evil glint in his eyes. “The51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJgi2vigFP
Jilena family has offered quite the reward for your head.” Vander looked at the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjtdcs9dbI
group confused. He didn’t know why the Jilena family cared so much about the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7JEbmJ5fN
king’s murder that they would go against Cuvera’s wishes. He didn’t have to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPhyM21Ndn
wonder long as the guards were apparently quite chatty.
“They are blaming51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftRvjIIX9P
you for the death of their youngest son.” Vander’s blood ran cold. Jeffery was51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgmtQqQ2a7
dead? But he had let him go, there was no reason for him to be killed.
“I had no reason51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTfEEM4Set
to kill him.” Vander argued.
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“Rumor has it51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgX3jarclCr
that he tried to stop you, so you ran him through.” The guard shrugged. “Makes51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FQHvJdE3g
no difference to me. With the money we will finally be able to retire in51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUslgZZNjv
peace.” Vander scooted backwards as the guards lunged towards him with their51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6IvsjstV5
swords readied to skewer him.
