Chapter 27
If you’ve never133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mvba7N0pw
been inside the mind of a raven, you were missing out. They are one of the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtYD33SBL6
smartest birds in the world capable of remembering faces and understanding a133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtqpQM2Ntk
semblance of human speech. However, when Vander was inside, he understood133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooH5ujyffk
everything around him, knew what the bird knew, and could get into places he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVB6rE7Yfl
otherwise couldn’t. The only issue was if the consciousness of the creature he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1K5jEsKEi
was inhabiting decided to fight back, he could be forcibly shoved back into his133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVs8t8Lx6d
own body or, in a worst-case scenario, he could be lost forever. However it was133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8Vq32cyOG
a risk he needed to take and so far, the raven wasn’t fighting him though he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwceK2MSVg1
was angry. Vander had to promise him some food before he would finally settle133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fRayknb7j
down.
Vander flapped133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasuByWw7ee
his wings then jumped from the rooftop. He caught an air current to glid over133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkP0H0ePjRs
the heads of the gathered soldiers trying to keep the crowds back away from the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdUpqiubLj
crime scene. Some of them had taken their spears butts to the citizens to get133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljXJh7rfop
them to stay away, but that made some of them angry. It took one of the Blades133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpP7n1N0bSo
to come over to calm the crowd down before they calmed down enough, but they133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zIX9QVLI5
were still near the edge peering through just to see what was going on.
He found a perch133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JLp1CDXjR
on top of the house that would enable him to see his surroundings but also133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRVCNTULqu
listen to what was being said inside. He hopped forward, grabbing hold of the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjsiMvGp1m
siding with his talons, and peered over the edge looking into the house via the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay09p1yPDD
window above the door. If anyone looked above, they would have seen just his133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvnik99qhl
head and beady little eyes, but the occupants were too distracted by the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngXiGde5Wp
carnage he had left behind.
The blood had133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L4pBAiDWV
dried overnight, but the people inside walked over it as if it was. There was a133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUg5Ga3xkI
medic inside making sure the bodies were dead. It wasn’t Topal, but one of his133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25e39UUrFC
students that Vander didn’t recognize. He was carefully checking the bodies133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCAWgKLx0Y
then would nod to one of the soldiers who would then grab a buddy and together133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46qyeFA3Mj
the two of them would bring one of the bodies outside. Then they would bring a133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mdK1ky7YZ
tarp to place over the dead to hide them from the crowd. It happened six times133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMsir2qAFm
in total. Vander had to double take because he was sure that seven of them been133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFrzZXqBFJ
killed, but after double counting then peering back inside, there was indeed133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQJGGKg5NY
only six bodies. He would have to investigate that later.
He heard some of133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3rwTp7Ixv
the guards talking inside. “What a waste of life.” One muttered to themselves.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqRYqAYJCl
“What do you think happened here?”
“We don’t get133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59krXr9BMt
paid to ask questions.” That other snorted. But he looked around nervously133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvG4aONEpB
before whispering to his friend. “I bet it was that traitorous Blade that did133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAigyszkUib
this.” The other guard looked warily at his friend.
“How do you133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MATklWjZX
figure?”
“One of these133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEqOD1JZgr
people had their throat completely ripped out.” The other explained. “That’s133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8z4ilf457
not possible without a lot of strength. I’ve only ever seen animals do that and133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymDGxUgrB4
I don’t think a bear came into down, slaughtered six people, then left never to133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡri6BJI5d8H
be seen again.”
“I guess that133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMTOvtnKAF
makes sense.” The second guard didn’t sound convinced, however. “But why would133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppOGkKTVXy
he come here to kill these people? It makes no sense.”
“Like killing the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNryzd6g7m
King made sense?” the first guard spat. “The sooner we find this guy, the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QFrQHyd93
sooner we can bury him. Bastard deserves to hang for what he did.” Unknown to133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwqsFmRpfQ
all involved, they failed to notice a squad of Blades coming up behind them.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQGoFK7Qb8
Vander looked up to see Alexander coming with a few Blades Vander didn’t133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE0b2gfLqo
recognize. They were likely from one of the squads that came with the Warden’s.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDX3Gks2Wz0
He couldn’t help but wonder where the recruits went.
Alex looked like133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINq4KUVfRF
shit. His eyes were sunken in, and he had allowed his beard to grow long and133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLI8wl2mCc
thick. His clothes were unkept, despite Blade regulation, but his eyes were133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbkhO9gfgL
still sharp. He had come in at the tail end of the guard’s conversation, so he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RErAWHZBv
let himself be known by growling right behind them.
“If you two have133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS0vshob7E
time to gossip, you have time to stand investigate the house.” He spoke.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76bYjiMx81
Normally his size and demeanor were enough to get most men to do what he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMvrZknV80
wanted, but that didn’t seem to work here.
“You’re not in133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBCHfT54Vc
charge of us, Blade.” The first guard hissed. The way he said it made Vander133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtVTu7UUOv
angry. It appears he wasn’t the only one as the Blades with Alex went for their133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsprP8Bs2n
swords. They stayed their hand once Alex motioned for them to stop. “We don’t133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0jiD0NvpX
take orders from those who let the King die.”
“You’ll take133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVzRWnuk7N
orders from me whether you like it or not.” Alex’s voice was calm, but he was133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvDnAeGRqT
seconds away from violently lashing out. Vander could tell based on how he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZZ2E0MhWg
clenched his hand. “Until the King decrees otherwise you will help us find133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylb3Mm8Mq4
Vander and bring him in.”
“Our General says133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQvU4PDcVU
otherwise.” The second guard said. “We are only here as per our duty, but after133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9ODf68m2S
the bodies are taken out, you’re on your own.”
“Coward.” One of133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMpjB20WIt
the Blade’s spat. At that insult, the two guards drew their weapons as did the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKPNPAh4o1
guards who were supposed to be keeping the crowd back.
“That wasn’t very133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABwGw5Ix5F
smart of you.” The first guard growled. “You’re surrounded and outnumbered.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZytXbw25X
What’s another dead Blade in the grand scheme of things?”
“Enough of this.”133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWXP6orV6F
Alex’s voice bellowed out. He turned towards the Blade who let his emotions get133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPte3xpDDeI
the better of him. “Apologize so we can get on with our days.”
“But…” Alex’s133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8rATDlLRR
glare dried the excuse in the poor man’s throat. He lowered his head, but not133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn9Y3U8ojm
his eyes, and muttered a quick apology. Knowing better than to start a scene,133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6ezr19Icz
the guard accepted it, but kept his eyes firmly rooted on Alex as he sheathed133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Uf0Bx52A3
his Blade.
“You have minutes133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigAJ6NNovZ
to get what you need the clear out.” The guard said. “This is our133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjen99pNAM
investigation, not yours.”
“I understand, we133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvNi8H7kkI
will be quick.” Nodding to the others, they dispersed. Some of them headed133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kiGg9Xsqk
inside to look around while two of them checked the dead bodies. Alex stayed133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hlS2hcIRi
outside surveying the crowd. Suddenly Vander was very happy that he had picked133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxQ88qSWKR
the raven to take over instead of going into the crowd himself. He knew that no133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFIzqzZBfO
matter the disguise, Alex would be able to tell who he was.
One of the Blades133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjByCpr40Jb
outside called over to Alex. He quicky rushed over. Vander could catch some133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvpaAk9VO8
words of that passed between the two of them. They commented about one of them133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr30A6sQyyM
having their throat ripped out, which Alex admitted was likely Vander’s doing.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLuwHhNGKk
However, the intriguing part was when the two of them discovered snake tattoos133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqnXoK0QLy
on all their arms. Alex nodded to himself before stepping away calling the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruSHFB4DFj
guards back to take the bodies away. He then went inside to see what the others133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOej7Yw5a0
may or may not have found.
Vander couldn’t133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4ubcGrKaK
really tell what was being said inside. They were talking low to one another133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvE6fdrWaeT
while looking at a scroll that they discovered shoved inside the table. Vander133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6SMtWYI6J
shifted slightly to get a better view. It looked like a map of the city, but it133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mriO7Cuo7
wasn’t anything that he recognized. He would need to get his talons on that133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSXS4VfDQD
scroll, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He would have to try to133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmQOpiRuBj
take it from his friend at some point in time. Vander heard a squawk coming133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBwtPlZe8K
from behind him. He turned around to see a large, angry raven flapping behind133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwcPb1ziu6
him. He was instantly filled with fear from the raven he was inhabiting. He133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFMuXGHBUn
guessed the two of them had an issue before which caused the raven, he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXnGTZaT5N
inhabited to flee afraid.
As the other133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdEJaZrTtT
raven attacked, Vander pushed himself out of the body and back into his own.133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCzdzRhP4D
The sudden jolt to being back in a human being, on the ground, caused him to133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FDFG0MF8E
violently throw himself over so he could vomit onto the cobblestone instead of133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFkG4uQ7aM
onto his clothing. He looked up to see the two birds entwined in a death grip133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoCqgs5svF
violently stabbing and clawing at each other. The smaller one he had been apart133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaehNRSmf6k
from was losing, but his pride didn’t allow him to quit. He had to do133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NGqkREqGm
something, so he grabbed a rock.
He popped out133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1V045tCQOs
from behind his hiding spot then launched the rock at the bigger bird. With a133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6pIxPU1zH
cry, the big raven fell to the ground stunned, possibly dead. The sudden rock133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjavr52hGYj
being thrown combined with the dropped bird causing some members of the crowd133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ugwerbNkM
to turn towards him. Some were confused, but a couple recognized him.
“It’s the King133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHfihswHTT
killer!” one of them shouted, pointing at him. Some of the guards began133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbaw6CX4Qw
shouting to pass, but the crowd pushed forward.
“Someone grab133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOJUGBNRy3
him!” Two citizens lunged forward, but Vander jumped backwards. He grabbed a133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcirs0jdfDA
box then threw it at someone who had broken through hitting them right in the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsaxQ96TSA
face. Vander backed up towards the wall then jumped up, grabbing the top with133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhGSXKRQo0
his hand to haul himself over. Before he disappeared, he locked eyes with Alex133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UjoI7vsjj
before disappearing.
He heard shouting133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorIlcBSlBG
coming from behind him, but he wasted no time running back towards the gate133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrAKb87v5S
which would lead him into Lower Eluvia. He just had to make it there before he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BoSx6wBmW
was caught then everything would be okay. What he didn’t realize though was133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLMT6oqCbK
that the road he was running down intersected with the road that mob was coming133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vk7byWIXp
down. He heard them running towards him, which caused him to run as fast as he133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMx2G3j6Hc9
could. Tragically he ended up running into another group of guards who had133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfpE34zt4R
heard the commotion.
“Well look who we133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8rjlG9uBj
have here?” One of them grinned. A metal fist came flying towards Vander’s133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPPsdjddih
face. It hit his jaw sending waves of pain throughout his mouth, likely133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMFqUhRck4
knocking a couple of teeth loose. He fell to the ground, but scrambled133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDbV2tQ1Ak
backwards as the guards drew their swords.
“Did you know133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx9wGp4sTK
there is a bounty on your head?” one asked with an evil glint in his eyes. “The133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqYh6JQXtt
Jilena family has offered quite the reward for your head.” Vander looked at the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0inUqgULfP
group confused. He didn’t know why the Jilena family cared so much about the133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszqcfk8LyH
king’s murder that they would go against Cuvera’s wishes. He didn’t have to133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iA9WqXDx7
wonder long as the guards were apparently quite chatty.
“They are blaming133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneghMtxSua
you for the death of their youngest son.” Vander’s blood ran cold. Jeffery was133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQefzbO0rlJ
dead? But he had let him go, there was no reason for him to be killed.
“I had no reason133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckGju5Eohg
to kill him.” Vander argued.
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“Rumor has it133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjl3akQWMOZ
that he tried to stop you, so you ran him through.” The guard shrugged. “Makes133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wpqhBlQfd
no difference to me. With the money we will finally be able to retire in133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGIOkc0tV3
peace.” Vander scooted backwards as the guards lunged towards him with their133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbkNgXy6UJ
swords readied to skewer him.
