Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFolgY7OpLf
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcOfrfy7Kb
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5CTt31RMS
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYrnjfKjz4
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczfidGh6VE
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfc9SaOQAP
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bcYDcnNrp
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAa9aiQL4g
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsYZIXWuqo
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uurfFQYiP
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5zNkTwqyR
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjegSpgGks
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIvwwYGUYW
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs7BvpSXsg
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYEgEhgfNj
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67y9UYKcKs
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79RgLKq7zh
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oQrgjxJSU
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzJyJOlvIX
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzBOoZHQwQ
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtfc8kAt2P
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6ueAD4oGQ
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvOYS54JGD
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJj0sC5Pc0
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHlHdj6pqn
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr68yjNmOtu
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5bd7Jo5QT
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7Dq7U091v
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsKZkyuUoI
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJyjKp766B
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JM1oy06WC
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtc8SOsqH0d
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4yOi4TxNf
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxp881M4Ek
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmufevukqY
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdw7ovRGX8
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkm1rZHSjI
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9tCJCST7s
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFvE8n9IvC
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaoMvfUOjm
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0TxPtYQwY
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDRwbWSci8
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHmADQrQGz
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNn1e71vJJ
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LtLKMj5RM
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JaOLowhZx
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCRCpdEhRJ
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIau0b975k7
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVbyjzNHsj
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxp2T4xp84P
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRs6MtGK5M
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4ph3WAocm
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuspDmKbVR
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ274VFRzDv
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbaMFZ6I2f
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMzYPA2Hgm
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSD1RLi4yK
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ46rJqQp3J
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksrdo3z3tL
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDTCKTz3IP
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XOGJpbSoG
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwqx358GGi
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmg2rCCOyn8
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCkZAgvyI4
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI29GCm1USK
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuY96hPjO7
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeus7ApXEmu
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSweV3iUaO
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqUdUMrSv3
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlg1US8vR0
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpYZTBk0g5
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmfDpU8KQB
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfpc4otUaL
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2807tUzItq
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTQFA1anRB
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR5t9nq1Px
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpPrafT2hR
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62vRbSDCCn
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7adwzxNoSf
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdSHwj2ZbB
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaQnlmeHej
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdJBxTh5Ng
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3zuGuuBwv
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZltyBougSc
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf2Hu5vAjK
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwWx4e34l8
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyggZAia7mM
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0299vo9sKq
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu2VLDL1A4
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRb7jRi5ew
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCmVORvT0I
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEF9nf9nlZ
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTItYeeYtI
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6f97L7bKr
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYTfv5pLBB
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf4122Ww6E
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTeiGNQmtC
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlEtgcpbHU
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYEkr9ctVA
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeuBMPAygs
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT3FTs3DcS
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0L1urkXU2
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrXKDr4FYw
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpCv9S6VjX
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj1rd9wKAA
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItPtNyp0ff
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFODzLpQa8
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1hQL9BhTM
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw32cPTmdLt
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9Meq7ZEuI
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKIOnUwyS7
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggTDp6UIZw
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYaauD4iNN
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY8W2EHhnc
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC92Rj2bvc
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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