Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ahyrZEpKM
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUK3hjWJVh
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10Ww3CcetU
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKs8ryZJOJ
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mQIEs2xLe
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkjCGzF9LI
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwusKnlaRgk
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbX0Saxb8R
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9SEudXjy4
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgvbDKYuuE
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHF0laVFGiq
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvogr4w0vY
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWHeY1rdHE
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5wTe0dzlF
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq0tWtGTs5
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJxQgqy3uR
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LncGXv0b0
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0Ctde0PeX
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRmi1OloWF
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcyl9mycQ9
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcLKdpKsXu
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V36lZ5Jky
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONG0lnnX9p
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVDhEPyRA4
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDPs4FWwsz
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGW2NV1TNM
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDp1XO9IAo8
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7bFFzCOGu
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaZuZqZk74
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwanXKlUeY6
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZyf4CwJ71
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDMvs9x9br
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiJVTAiEJX
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTND9gei0L
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmNRpwhCVt
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPAXwB7WpQ
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKULlxGLhPo
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡie10IC5JLR
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIMZth9QjA
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfj6GhTBid
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PeBBQktxQ
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjeqSMAUn2
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1kYuKI0j0
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGONKdYC1em
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKyhW54xu6
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa7xYWRLuj
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7pt03YX5p
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnTn7fJ82F
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ialjYAX2Z
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIaEOfCN10
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NjmNwOypw
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HLc2we6nw
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUqp8PCk8w
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn6pUbNmRM
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoUMExV7ff
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfbOd3XdbS
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNU1j3D0J1z
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp0COBd7Sc
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9AwtR71KX
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh5PlszaDi
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsAnBIwzjE
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89U9GWUp6o
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YWNq3MHRl
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnU8OsvLph
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTxipSsSm2
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3BCr3RBVN
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnRSKMjuEt
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wX5bQtPbc
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdzBqH04fp
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEt4MspoeHX
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiboAcPjPDp
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjr8oxmYhz
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAvyUMFaNG
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteTjeX42yu
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYea9XsLfSh
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxWw6ekMtL
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R7fqrDXUY
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cGsjBonzU
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfJA6rjoGa
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWWmNdfe9t
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTpcLlntRQ
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8X9MerDZwL
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMuQhckQAe
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtWxyHPSQM
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT19BMSmGP
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugrII1lB18
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj0FyeLAC0
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBVcEHaQ2I
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZprHS36GA
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgZsOtodtx
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZmLC6qX79
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQEsEsdfuw
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8F3n6OZaZ
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xzGun8jYn
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBCbBu7kXc
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRpWt8WMjl
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGN3rkwikg
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvy9DuJV1u
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgywGeWlKnB
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49qo7oinML
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRAeXQdgq6
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKcPk77qWN
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xCAzE8a0H
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbkevusjoD
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2Ii6Lr6LY
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO49NaFO3UQ
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemDqQN1hHZ
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdx55gAnOX
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl0yyuzGvA
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKFRsoB8tT
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTVkmsnvjA
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKbTGWV8Uf
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnxkeLb8XN
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGQd7k9FIG
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP9bwcItRI
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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