Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8M84rX4NB
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0tfCAe4mL
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqR6jvKKRR
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqMiukydea
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFjAAa4DnA
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8anNYp9bLZ
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53qKeDWHKP
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IVHsWfjIF
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqlTJQCuYL
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CIwYb13lx
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AmvDyCJT5
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrQort8gDa
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcyIsjP31m
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKjP3BAgPg
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof7b29BcC9
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUTauItW6y
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr70MoUnJZ
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bGESUocGn
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkwKrLTgws
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0E2jrWQYD
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEYOU6f2Hy
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLWBp3gd8e
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmB0nhCPJY
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepOiUPfF6g
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9X18tWnrl
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63TpaZKk9d
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBIjXhfCuZ
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRANUitloG8
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdIbt6BmNB
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZvjjBNDU0
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NLIaEU6Ng
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNvf8Tv2gv
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZfFJvXd85
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdStjTpvR5
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESArDVX5jT
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWjKvs47JA
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqtKPlfERx
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNa2JW3gos
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5ofL17YP0
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLtZ8coDVd
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb4oUbNSFo
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEOikaPXRo
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFDUSKBU27
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bd5fqFUwZ
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FI6R7COgU
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rEUF2etJH
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EBDllC3dp
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe98Tn7sMXR
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kehdWpU7o
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLGOaAdD17
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTsYXqUY6O
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0iCSXNsdJ
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4e6j5VtxZ
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpzkjGuIb1
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YASh5leMC
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tlfIp7sHo
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHWYIitI7e
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oYdsK5Pg3
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe1nqLwiSY
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4rfPNmQd9
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKgW4KyJNn
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11jqPqlXxf
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3ss1nZgHc
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6AooFsiv7
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuik0o1DDJ
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyvakBPWnl
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXvJGHr5P3
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCp4EqJJtys
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6Xe8x7vK4
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KErSdYl5s
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8xadunYvR
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIUxxrxsbS
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FokZgQg58
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36KseaM7oY
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAdweZlNs2
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXSa3xCMN5
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbvfaZpVlR
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkoLojXHRC
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XzWvw4cfT
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTeWGIO5JZ
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlzAjrJ0PI
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFgUQYwx9b
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPs13x760W
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucc5tQ7GT9
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBznTlVJiw
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwBMADMPHQ
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPqsYrWXSX
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6mzl2cmix
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0u4FO6lqc
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqIwAvhewI
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluduAZO626
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSZN8zLaLx
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEdAdjuWgS
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDPuQ7gcWq
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUywQ8XhYwl
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvopo7rvEF
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLntMiDOlng
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjisfHUwwYk
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacoqCpLKwG
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIc5J78dLr
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkHeNUNuin
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK8kMycUIb
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLI0jtxTXh
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYx4lbdFLl
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrTSRGD241
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCGlWiG2mS
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOCqzT6ELz
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKdVAB5OQB
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYA86giC1v1
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFONlpIGxvS
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWk1Vhv7SOa
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeMRAeZ374
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVWcgihJhr
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyO25xzxz9
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early112Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCS6dnuC2u
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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