Chapter 29
Council meetings were always the101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74uUoMV8HK
same. Those in attendance always complained about not making enough money off101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPHkXsBciR
taxes or whatever business ventures they were bankrolling even though a good101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZQ5uA8sQL
majority of the population, both inside and outside the city walls, were101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJGwPhq5Xd
struggling. Between the guards forcing those to give them bribes to the101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytIManMLQv
ever-increasing prices, more and more people find their pockets dwindling and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDSLctgcFS
unable to pay for even the most basic of necessities. But that wasn’t even the101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvIC2eCZGO
worst part.
Now that Malcolm had been buried101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47BxP6PABe
in the crypt, several of them were discussing how to remove Cuvera from his101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpnnE8OIbT
seat as King and elect someone else. There was staunch opposition to this of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2klX2D8pNz
course, but those in favor were quite persuasive.
“He is still too young,” Anna101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsYIwYOiIx
Jilena argued. “And he just lost his father after he married a foreign101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0TRJkhcyU
princess. We don’t need her whispering in his ear while he is vulnerable.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDqI2jmlm7
Peyton never much cared for her. All she cared about was expanding her family’s101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBWadRU8hW
influence within the city. Her husband was a general, her eldest son was101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqLJSizWud
following him, and the youngest likely would have replaced her in twenty years101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxihMG3vWd
if he hadn’t been killed.
Jeffery’s death was a sacrifice to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLZAE8VLIs
get the council, especially Anna, to force Vander into a corner to make him101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC1dLcoa7F
more in a hurry to clear his name by exposing the Serpents. However, in an101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4c9R3AwhX
unforeseen circumstance, she had ordered a hit on his head going against101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghwGIqLwol
Cuvera’s wishes. Once he found out he was furious and ordered it to be stopped,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWAyoElyGS
but she went behind his back to keep it up.
“We all agreed to the terms of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRa7DomfMd
peace term, Jilena.” Simeon Steele said, his deep voice quieted down the table,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5neksZTcuW
but only for a moment. “And from what I’ve seen of her so far, she is more than101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWmEQDmhby
qualified to help him run this city.”
“And he is grieving.” Katherine101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn27WbuADCn
Burnet, one of the oldest council members, said. “He had just lost his father101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIYdeujTdx
to murder, by his best friend no less. So, excuse him for taking some time to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupca85XKX0
come to terms with it.”
“And I Iost my son,” Anna hissed.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrkbtRvHYF
“Yet I am here doing something productive with my time and not grieving.”
Peyton chuckled quietly to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fVM1QKHIJ
himself. That wasn’t the slam on the King as she thought it was. In fact, that101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4LnlJuPIQ
reflected more on her than it did anyone else. Anna wasn’t someone he would101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNum4GUZ8k3
have considered warm, but she hadn’t even taken the week to properly grieve.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yDR6Klo6F
Instead, she got right to using Jeffery’s death as a political tool to bring101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvbLYKwPPE
people to her cause. It was brilliant, but he would have respected her more if101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybzm4OXlgn
she wasn’t such a bitch.
“Maybe you should.” Bryce Kolmijr,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxV7aL2Lub
the head of the smithing alliance that stretched the entire country, said.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjayPeVetoR
Everyone turned to look at him. He was one of the more levelheaded members of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvpAl60LDb
the council. He rarely talked, preferring to listen to gather intelligence101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPKb4TIW1U
before voting, so today was such a rare outburst from him.
“What did you say?” Anna’s voice101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T0i5MO6zd
took on a dangerous tone. Bryce wasn’t phased in the slightest. He took her101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrCmi4U9PZ
glared head on, giving her a small smile.
“Your son has been in the ground101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzFt8jf5nZ
for many months now.” He knew he had to tread carefully. “Yet you haven’t taken101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgytxyxXmU4
a break to be with your family. Almost as if you care more about appearances101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lvhS2BXpZ
than your family.”
“How dare you.” She went to lunge101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuABAbAVTTa
over the table, but the brewing master Samuel Mills wrapped his arms around her101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL6eI6ZiRf
waist keeping her rooted. Sighing, Peyton knew it was time for him to step in.
“Quiet down, all of you.” Anna101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvNaTv4nwQ
opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from him dried her retort in101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFQ9YiXRoh
her throat. She slapped Mill’s arm to let her go then she sat in her chair and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoRxOfDdql
folded her arms over her chest. “Bryce, I expect an apology to the Jilena101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXBIvMXn5m
family once this is done. What she does is her business, and you have no idea101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6ZHPdpK59
what’s going on in her private life.”
“I understand.” While he knew that101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXDAzq7ttC
Bryce would apologize, he wouldn’t mean it. He hated the Jilena family with a101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYjA5axdu5
passion for reasons known only to him. However, it would have to do.
“Has there been any leads101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD3SmHlFsz
involving the Green Serpents?” Peyton addressed them, specifically Katherine101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZBxz817QH
who, despite her age, had a cunning spy network that was rivaled only by Ross101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W2mVja751
in the lower district.
“No,” she said. “They have since101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuI75cgulH
gone underground. My people haven’t been able to find anything about them.”
“That’s concerning.” Another101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeXyArRm3Z
council member frowned. “They got away with the poisoning and murder of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfUJJtDLPb
Malcolm, and we can’t find them?”
“There is no proof that Vander101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDfzb758FK
worked with the Serpents on the assassination.” Bryce spoke up. “This is purely101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dERpvdi3R
conjecture.”
“It’s an educated guess.” Visc101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfGwT0578H
said. Peyton wondered when the rat would speak up. He was being oddly quiet101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVpmBd8edC
during the whole back and forth. “The Serpents were behind the poisoning, that101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcBInyx7vC
has been confirmed by Topal, however Vander knew an awful lot about the poison.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgzGpVjPV8
It’s a little suspect is it not?”
“Plus, he wasn’t in the city when101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGvRZdx8Ek
it happened.” Lucas Brattle, someone on Jilena’s side of things, said. “He101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHnZ9SNvhO
could have snuck in, poisoned the King, then framed someone else for it to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcHPH0t8nU
avoid suspicion.”
“That’s a lot of speculation101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1RBP3oJnF
without any proof.” Mills slammed his hand on the table. “I will prefer to hold101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dkBP5akVY
my judgement until I hear his side of things. There were of course two people101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3bNcAb5JM
in the room when the King died, we aren’t sure who did it.” He glared up at101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROt5pRQ4an
Peyton. Peyton grinned inwardly to himself. Mills had always been a bright one101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRTuWb1rwW
and never much cared for the King’s advisor. If only he knew how close, he was101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31wZqlFg87
to the truth.
“I suggest you hold the traitorous101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmviK77JTj
tongue of yours.” Visc stood up, though it did nothing to make him look101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCp12HbuI43
intimidating. “Lord Cranton had been Malcolm’s friend since they were children,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJl6lMZhbC
how dare you imply he was behind the murder.”
“And Vander had been part of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXbrGMgDRi
Malcolm’s family since he was but a child.” Bryce fired back. “Yet you had no101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQR42r7K4CL
problem assuming the worse about him.” Before anything could get going again,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwRGVLaHhO
there was a knock on the chamber door.
“Enter.” Peyton shouted. The doors101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqWkFscNpD
were pushed open by the two guards allowing Leon Visc to enter the room.
If he was being honest, Peyton101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Uphmt4P32
hated both Leon and his father. Both kissed the ass of whoever would give them101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5vXjpTQzf
the most power and they had no loyalty to anyone except themselves. Peyton had101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNI8qE02zp
watched Leon grow up to be spoiled child, picking fights with Vander and when101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ik9ImAe7R
he lost, went crying to his father to fix things. He had been jealous of101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFs9rHVFOo
Vander, so much so that he was willing to ruin a happy union due to it. The101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08BjvYxTVb
country would be better off without those two in it, but he would have to deal101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sIYr0FrFN
with that later.
Leon bowed before the table.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbxNu9OttS
“Greetings council, I come with news.” He had grown into his new role poorly.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSmbm86UXh
Using his power as head, not Commander, to flex his fight and fill his squad101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY40EHEStO
with people who would obey him without question. The Blades were supposed to be101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhV6hF9EouX
independent of the council, protecting only the King and his family, but Leon101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3fnDZJYPl
sold their services to anyone who would pay.
“What is it?” Peyton asked.
“The house in the eastern district101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNNeqd28UM
that had been broken into and the occupants murdered was discovered to be a101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHH7hrlzdr
Green Serpents hideout.” He explained. “It looked like a savage animal had101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJ2MrqxvCO
slaughtered everyone inside.”
“Green Serpents?” Peyton and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQYiGqZ85u
Katherine exchanged glances. “I thought there was no trace of them here at101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNzf53wzTx
all?”
“They had proper paperwork, so no101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ094RZpP63g
one questioned them. We are going through their house to see what they might101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGNCnNsmho
have been up to, but that’s not the important part.” Leon was practically101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6Od29GDHL
jumping up and down with excitement.
“Spill it, man.” Viggo snapped.
“We found Vander.” Leon grinned. A101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMJ5RToH0t
collective gasp rang out from the council. “Someone recognized him in the crowd101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2t8vg1fHc
looking as we took out the dead bodies, but Alexander convinced them that it101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBLeEfZKFp
wasn’t him, so they let him go. But one of my people told me as soon as he101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWYNsW8C9j
arrived back.”
“So, you didn’t see if for101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dMW2hgslH
yourself?” Bryce asked. “Then how do you know?”
“My man followed Alex as he101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70kz5Q0scI
slipped away from the scene.” Leon explained. “He followed him to the Orange101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEWqWSWTHM
Fox, one of Vander’s hideouts. If he is in the city, he would be there.”
“I thought we checked there during101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ3E0UnEqI
the manhunt?” Anna asked.
“No,” Katherine said. “We don’t101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmBuBhAo3K
mess with the Lower King’s domain he doesn’t mess with ours. That’s the way it101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogZQZJDVdM
has always been.”
“And that was our first mistake,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3094bENcU
trusting a conman to be truthful with us.” Anna snapped back. “Leon, gather101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vdPFREJi2
your men and bring him here. If he resists, do what you must, but don’t kill101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIoHe7JBxx
him, we need him alive.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Leon101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXTmvwFHlE
grinned.
Peyton frowned. It was too early101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uIJPqy2G5
for this to be happening, but he had no choice now. It was out of his hands.
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehOQwXaDm3
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcf51T0M2dF
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8Y6PgK37t
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ544S3GDlDV
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDduXHbLseJ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RGWAK9yGX
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrHJb1MOAv
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74wN7gJlZk
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH43WXvAyrS
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84HSqfsSSr
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6z3F5dxV6q
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCF7hUebAZl
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK8GQaSfcR
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKh9sNfSYa
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DMBzliDfl
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCT3mILJEk
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUpJ5J7GPD
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRKjJp6QcX
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmF991ow4l
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZ8eyMEdHv
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvORx9Ls1K
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2hdma1pOV
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwETPFSJs6
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PfyLfilSy
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgFFA8dDaJ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUXkt89bao
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3ijAjDcVw
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MFcpxkJSp
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY3Ah2T6LW
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXfnqc3Azz
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfchs5glFT
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1UPWMJOGC
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ULpzBr4Q9
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKhfAYJyXk
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBUaX15GI8
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ3H3DrkF0
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5hDL0id0n
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbg0iHEMXv
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ8VYefCRW
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeeTWxoPFs
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlaZ36d5F0
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3vDrZzEoh
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV9saLvMgQ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymI2dmS0dj
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0qMT1Tbt8
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDtGH7JkiV
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QnXfpIKJw
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4A7lP5bkL
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR7jGUYyRF
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6P1UrNxZJ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOnmzwIeB5
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rLAbLrKHG
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvp3bR468j
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VggJB9AHF
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPDXoQRFzQ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2ctlxD5pi
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf3sKZaTpt
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOo3t0ICZs
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNRvtJtAuB
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJuzA4lpxE
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPc1Z1FJW2H
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87e5gtOjKr
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA6OroOIbc
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xMc1xIfNh
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ImrQNypy5
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBPtl0eusN
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmVuB6hedH
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDP8clZUw3
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaCRYcb3Z6
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnskXhqUyr4
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIUtfLB9qw
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDECuk86Pb9
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnAZz3QVDX
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5fKv8vqGJ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1pa8n49On
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqVKzIFRUR
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPBYIdaI31
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡye2Hsc3CgG
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApUynR3tH9
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnOSiTais9
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWo6UqXDgf
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9kfjiSBS0
ns13.59.2.97da2
