Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JtAcrdtXT
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4k1jHgIV7l
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9ayq9fP28
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRfegGm5zN
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6mC11wuKB
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73BHhEAwtG
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn4C8sJRUO
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZDLIqWyWb
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOid2nX43g
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxNqYEBnJ1
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGq0LaxfUp
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhF20bBrlvy
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSeO1C9Cit
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqlVhDm8kM
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihXfvO7kxt
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI032geJNz
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBICyUh4bCr
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50yRiYSoS1
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdelnHYxRj
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP09X1SyXIb
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbme1FuxCnR
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6tBE49Dy8
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKGT5IWb3W
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCxi0q0d9F
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2p6UQFvUk
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3JwRXPmTG
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZCPLGrSMq
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbTobxOcPF
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7obtOv90p
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnlcRtb4pT
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzrIunij5a
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvs1s5AxbY
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWNrVKw3Cy
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zB423Fjs0
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv0jPN4FwE
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk942qAqyK
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPN6y1sAcL
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZiYXZL2ED
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3d7p8ktHR
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVi9ZcwZsGB
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvcrW4pWMf
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzA5MJ3DP6K
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv6Mc3Fdlm
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswe4UURfn4
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy1of2FFvx
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OR6QyoRi4
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zXVTYdWoa
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvRaQakPt8
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lsLvZz0eQ
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg5wOlVOGi
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJyXGAk77C
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClnqkblZ9z
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HQieQxVeu
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo2SIU1boF
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwZL1me9Hd
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkfElGLsL7
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4yaWx06SV
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQPmgPj3Vw
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVoLZ5sydw
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBeLipMz9o
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdblA3yMuP
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVecwis8iW
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgBYkEImwF
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSFz1ooech
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXLWmGqAyd
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aHN6cTXQK
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRS7JylGmZ
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2iu7QBNvK
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyATrSP30iT
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyh8NQ1Oc6d
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2jdLPyx8U
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmaD9wYifq
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qBaHhMdla
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmnaEjanRb
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKmMaGM0Zk
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbK5uyCKj3
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJt9LXQ07ZV
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFTY92RRRH
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxE1DbC0aVu
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToIiOm6Y5D
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i9uiU70ty
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urxzf8x2j
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAOVfx0xgg
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9KBDugQ9N
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvAg2RKxir
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9x4Fb9efq
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw23QMddJxS
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20ocqPvc7X
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReiiT0oRGi
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEe2Fz6ajZm
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOREsU3BrMk
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3tFqi8QBE
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnpKqYQeIk
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDASqjrNdDW
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55ZhEIEkoS
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RjtPJ2qzg
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2yUISg40R
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBzVpjbMQX
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDeLTFuqAC
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshmApqgUC5
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8iBLCCw3C
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bicvRVrsw
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcczU4Iqnn
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmeiSdR19h
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeLeT0kMDD
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGttDXlnxnS
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7Ud7UL5Cy
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauXh3NcyJL
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOWob5qSmi
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrTc9Aj8si
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxDIPZ12HM
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlU760ypP3L
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGlNpp1uly
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1W7zVbLQd
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rAjVGeve8
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
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