Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwX6kHKNQ6
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATnh8DdRLz
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1YlVEaWT7
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRXU9Ljjfj
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnkdMknzSS
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhzcrowK0e
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2x9EHXxic
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9ycu8Jk7C
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTdojUV4GL
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNtXQHHcCm
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaizHEzELq
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjXS4jf5U2
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfitwJPYjV
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbpoiU9lt3
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4mjfmcShx
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHT4sbGD0B
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIWFyu44EN
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqG4ba7Yfst
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmRasP2dt5
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQHYIKOGYZ
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb5kUiyYHM
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrcX8jzpa9
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmP9PmYMdZC
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUGAHvJkXX
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsAQooehZT
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU9GsGths7
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhrrIjEGuf
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6kPbgsVRw
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEsv72QXSN
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKyWXstG2e
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOisl2dDyhf
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB74T5eKORR
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6NIEF0jYI
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8j5PVUGssk
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdseMXr90vC
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2O8xcJv8d
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43CpcawakM
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd68W1YpgF
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfDQzmy4Gm
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFVaAnJOtL
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJgrKJ6g5O
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8GxNKtWIJ
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQbux1YYBj
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rOtogTPik
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HzZ8VA0G1
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX4FLFDMSm
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUoYdBXas7
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYXgrbWrqq
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGUE6NtuD7
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVAG1hMd9E
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV82QDvSOp
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2reK781Xz
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2Nf7gA61N
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyof9DTaTIg
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrA9YJbsg1E
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskyRyGKm5w
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeBHPSER1j
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZx2bUJcqm
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLpmNtth15
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7V9Fp2IHa
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PFPmO0WrP
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTgSR4WnQz
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcX6pFGmmhG
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZwJO5FX7S
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwHq6lkqES
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmwDbZEzdY
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgzEy71woP
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXA7BMyQT3A
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBTyyRsO93
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9p6SYtxEro
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQhqatxFe1
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIKHLVSqKy
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmG5vMW5RY
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqj4ssd7OWo
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqhqsEzZ6r
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4HhsBjtSZ
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0HqjueDJh
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAcuEbhlhq
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEersPW8zu
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5RpklmRz9
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuL6KQ8VmZu
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uakV29vdM
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvei0mkwWJS
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpl88nCAqMf
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUJjQgAuv6
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbOvM5riLW
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTPrT7klUL
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWyQY1SCOA
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPckr8JXG9k
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w5JxG90nD
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY55YFXzpoa
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrdSAmBacu
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Kq5gpJazI
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7hfmNCKKK
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9279YyUxii
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6UHB2AVhf
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv04hHMoh2x
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmkFEnRwv7
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqvn5iKN2u
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gRAyPrWtn
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaSDhQBHZe
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBif96vdJl
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUGTYtPtsn
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡins2EU1sQF
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7xXULGxEc
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkfbzgm0JV
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuF1IpON8N
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe7M6zzgsL
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqUTaLYv54
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B1UQPN0td
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡek7ZbsJdHT
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdjemJNBFG
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyn5cO80mC
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEQL6b7VPZ
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFGqYYcw81
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBy53MUcQE
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFNelMcdDD
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjeaTN5XFh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTxw4asWtK
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJaGYDHepq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FZCbymZB3
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5vOyPldRf
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHmqFEm5ar
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NzGiW7Kwz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPcEBEE6uW
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8frq7QhpQo
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeecZz85bBT
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIzHYXdp0K
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj10vbTNPP
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjTKrv79bK
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiI7qX2NEi
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbvqYeg2m9
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SES9dHn45
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsBQ0HV4hF
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhluDA03heK
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz8hM2BFT6
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVrdGRfV6G
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DH31fynx1
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5ULAjhtLu
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6K44yefHSY
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwIMZ2YJ3i
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBPv2PlPfr
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKtgVGEamg
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ4XAh2TZq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNE6Qt98jV
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsSWC2NUdM
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhtS3z69Wk
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnvzsx5W4z
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNno8tXgcM9
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikfap0qjuq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtQ5VY05OG
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtDJ6tKgdV
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOg62hDgmYU
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyvZE112iO
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6ycRzE36T
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdER0VWlymc
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5Dxz2Ylyb
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRsCztvGhz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6KqA2IGXX
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bpbzKfYvr
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4iguRqtvC
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ7MHMjZax
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAsCHsQsDo
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTJJikNjqs
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSKbMzChob
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1DbAqkrWg
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFXhdbZ5Mz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfefSnVHU8X
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdy3hAzbPYs
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhKBpJWsov
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KcWXjEcu0
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3jToOe1Zq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihpnlG9EqE
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywqbjHMy0g
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyaJNXlZG4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIDpg60Rnq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE8sWSmzEC
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxJY7UKALn
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PPPYi0wU3
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8SAn44vOq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCjC4Jtzn2
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x3ROvqhYz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmA7Bs6aI17
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc43XJp4WrN
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuigkBII587
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LDrMOPC0G
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsGkASEt01
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavZg1e6Lsz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99AH7BTvip
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrGerI6bwW
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0swvZafNo
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewU44NWIzF
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xrHt0OaPp
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZluzQgnHyT
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMRBbH6s8n
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNs2DEaOxp2
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zEmFyR34z
ns 15.158.61.54da2
