Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92AGt3mltV
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsn5ASIt7X0
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TdaSbBXHX
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I20tHezkQ
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjsqNZp6Vm
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmVgcvuCXr
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vCvTpNrrK
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TrojrYJMd
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwp6QM72s4
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F40be0QKy
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYps7ZlUCtY
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAw6UAjW7M
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFbRuxURDC
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTbIDherIR
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUIiutzcCx
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQemJu9M5g
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiN82Jm7i7
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSZlttr5Gp
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyezPl6IwuD
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwwWo9QobI
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0QyNoMwCp
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIbXgoNojL
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hT3Kr9KPD
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB72hfTXSW
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDxYqlGNOX
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXvueiBlqR
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVqlRGZrI3
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuAhrp1Gxw
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMS35lSFHG
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY6sVWb4AV
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9SXUFSY7i
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQCMeZxaMw
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY9twAQxIu
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrvnaNDdZp
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrZ53MmICQ
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ue7Eu5No2
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYId6Mr9JVG
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvjNjFjLtf
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZKy6qJxm1
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyamW5epid
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrZzVnuhnF
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl3lpDGTON
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0y7wFtFzF
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbMXUwb4bq
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYznwmAwIjX
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3hch3dagO
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaFquSTpBy
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7kKmjNaY8
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyMOH40ViF
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQz8i2oDXW
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDgUeRM93r
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiGilkUKPY
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSet1L99Ad
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KDWX9Yupv
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDOAfzE1mw
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWRQ8o70XM
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OsDOVaVkh
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmXx9FEOxq
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxkkhvaahO
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NjDDrHyHI
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyijKATAF7
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLmqNCTO8S
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIykiqVktN
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNgd6pH6dj
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lQULLgTpT
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFUhmWywek
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DiwsfAYxx
Malcolm in his portrait.
