A Scion's Duty, The Grand Game, Book 6: A Dark Fantasy LitRPG Adventure by Tom Elliot

Author:Tom Elliot [Elliot, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blooming Bull
Published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 410: Ambushed in the Dark

Day Thirty in Draven’s Reach

All eyes in the room were on me, and along the edges, I sensed the guards jerk into belated movement.

“Back,” the marshal snapped. “Hold your positions.”

Thank you, Elron. Once more, the marshal was showing me more trust than warranted. “Ready Ghost?”

“I am,” she replied serenely, keeping pace beside me.

“What is the meaning of this?” Carnien demanded shrilly as I advanced on the councilors with naked blade in hand. Lorn and Stormhammer, perhaps knowing me better, said nothing, but they, too, looked concerned.

Reaching the oak council table, I didn’t stop and instead leaped atop it while Ghost flowed around. “I’ve had just enough of this nonsense,” I said, strolling leisurely across the table. “Elron and I didn’t work so hard just to replace one tinpot dictator with another.”

Stopping in front of Carnien, I held the tip of ebonheart at his throat.

“What are you doing?” he cried stridently. “You can’t threaten me, it’s illegal!”

“Of course I can,” I replied lightly. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not from New Haven, nor am I bound by its laws.” Ghost completed her half-circuit around the table, and coming to a halt behind the councilor, rested her head atop his shoulder.

Carnien shrieked. “Lorn! Stormhammer!” he gasped. “You can’t let him do this. Help me!”

Orc and dwarf stayed silent.

I smiled. “No one is coming to rescue you, Carnien. It’s just you and me.” Leaning forward, I rested an elbow on one knee. “The marshal told me something quite interesting just now. Do you want to know what?”

“No!” he screamed.

“He tells me he thinks you had Sienna killed,” I said, paying him no mind. “And you know what?” I asked, my expression growing colder, “I believe him. Tell me, Carnien, did you murder the high lord?”

“No!” he yelped. “There’s no proof. The marshal himself told you so.”

Ignoring the councilor once more, I turned to Ghost. “Is he telling the truth?” I asked loud enough that even the most hard-of-hearing guard couldn’t fail to hear me.

In an unmistakable gesture of denial, Ghost sat on her haunches and shook her massive head.

“Well, there you go,” I said, turning back to Carnien. “Ghost just read your mind, and she thinks you’re lying.”

“What? No! Impossible,” he sputtered.

I pressed the black blade deeper into his throat. “I want every last detail. Or I promise you, you won’t live to see tomorrow.”

✵　✵　✵

Where Ghost’s word alone might not have been enough to convince the skeptics, I knew a confession from Carnien’s own mouth might, which is why I pushed him for the details.

It took some time and a few more salacious revelations of Carnien’s thoughts by Ghost before the new high lord finally cracked and spilled everything.

It made for a gory tale, but in the end, it turned out to be a story as old as time.

Carnien had wanted power for himself and, seeing an opportunity, had grasped it, not caring what happened in the process or who got hurt. There was no conspiracy, nor were any possessed involved—as I half-feared there might be—and no treachery beyond his own.

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