Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cod6vPWyL
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWaOcXzRrN
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO5HzJOuvJ
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUFTacUYqh
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjqPBnSOOW
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32HZMqKQej
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAq78JHxJ2
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCttC3Zoe4k
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMJgPuukrF
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfO8Kh8VTd
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ7Vi9IrIg
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfzjjFP9wx
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yUvNIJvd7
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3v3F5cN4V
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xzQebJzwC
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmgt67jym2
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMAvZweJ8l
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdN33GHnJo
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzvhvgqJSX
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBU1o2cztGa
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cM0lu2LfM
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgyJvIgdyr
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX4RFlTg6M
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y0HViX0Mw
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4wyPZZBHz
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYAFinrJ8k
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8rdlxYWRe
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPK6jpfFPit
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtCALIjoUD
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6cQ1V17ut
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9VYyO9zul
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn148aw8d9p
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVPiA1iFQ5
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMHRCDMc4U
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7s8CyAqOjY
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8ijF53DZ8
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhS2uv6HIGf
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapDWA1G2sp
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVQhk6gBGK
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuODb9DnqQM
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp3l1t6GRJ
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjW1r0v2G9F
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3XYB4p2Xv
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMLgDjWA7j
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SbYWuFrUO
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gbIY3HNnH
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9wvZ7UP6u
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxroHy628AQ
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYNQfEx9CP
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXfFsdsqyG
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtHry3sTdY
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfQhb7lafV
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHfcbHo5YX
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wVKdGhSJG
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX9ZVYfced
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzdmZ0QHMz
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtkpqYB7fc
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQffeGPiPE
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX9py1hpn8
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZ63KFRuWc
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FEyK48lb5
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleQ2giGRl3
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfUbYCuBHY
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8d9sHwj7d
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6N9o1ElssL
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayO7eTxh30
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i9ZmsVR5Z
Malcolm in his portrait.
