Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsr30HOem2
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUxgzDFAAy
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxESH8aIhw
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUITkhDgBHe
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZVDT5VRVi
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZG2d89gSw
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3vhhuUP7O
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ojrD7pqlS
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBINsCdvFVH
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRHz1TXRln
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpsazguy0i
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc91ISGf9Ga
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQdVFmKAFC
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVNuv6GVV6
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5TVGsDqrP
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgroWpTTT6z
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5iEhQarCK
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6qoe9MWRh
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu0jdSyrwz
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIyVhX4Z9s
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctl1RmP7VO
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBD4gW7Nkr
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeF41JTvone
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNkbtFhfap
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlG0PsJqCYX
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9M1J646vx
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATS3pAw0cN
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMmajKzzYb
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLE6xt9U9U
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpVApmlYY9
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhCEhBjjSL
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDCWdT6M9H
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnijEiWBix
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMtDZcEeql
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT5Dtn94v1
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhBbFhn90k
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzkwV8TbGn
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp89ayJAWgz
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcff3koaBY7
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjhxZCjAIV
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWEbPbqFDe
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvHcVxK4Dv
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYe1BcbUhP
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9o3Ivzc0SW
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy3jzPqBJn
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPCYWam8lr
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TFVphFsxP
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHXADw9THS
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvCOgYsYBr
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfa1uUDaW8
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSYMT61cjx
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmbM3Gm0DO
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1nvugTapM
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmk7Vlbs7R
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL38z6Mj0Bf
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0jGDSpMrG
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2L8E1YZ08s
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCEPyI0iZM
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKilIFPlJu
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ugy2zdMCK
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni8hHjYa1v
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXdomPApjN
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRWiVf2e2T
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLhqDthShP
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4O7D94GJe
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0KtvkrQti
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEBmp3pI7a
Malcolm in his portrait.
