The Hidden King

Chapter 31

Annia's countenance subtly shifted as she fixed her gaze on Ethan. "Indeed," she mused, her thoughts weighing heavily.

Ethan pressed on, "Recently, I dispatched an associate to the River Realm to inquire about our acquaintance, James. Turns out, he's resurfaced, and his sudden affluence is rather peculiar, wouldn't you agree?"

Annia's demeanor soured further as she cast a frigid stare at Ethan. "What bearing does this have on me? I have no acquaintances within those factions."

"Perhaps not directly, but I daresay your lieutenant, Burke, is well acquainted with him. Individuals like James have often been linked to Burke."

Burke, in truth, was not Thomas's progeny; merely the offspring of one of Thomas's fallen comrades—a fact known to many in the River Realm, yet one that Ethan was privy to more intimately.

Annia's vexation escalated. She suddenly found herself yearning to rid herself of the young man before her. His overbearing confidence grated on her, and she was loath to have Burke, who loomed behind her, feel threatened. "Should you persist with such unfounded conjecture, I shall entertain it no further. Kindly depart at once!" Annia commanded, signaling for Burke to usher Ethan out.

Stepping forward from behind her, Burke eschewed a direct approach to Ethan. Instead, he made his way to a small cabinet at the room's periphery, retrieving a bottle of wine. After pouring a glass, he approached Ethan and extended it, assuming a silent stance behind him, head bowed.

Accepting the glass, Ethan's grin widened. Taking a sip, he reclined in his chair. At this juncture, he found the shifting hues of Annia's complexion and her blatant astonishment to be the most palatable.

"Heh, how did he sway you?" Annia's voice was as frigid as a glacial gale.

Meanwhile, Liam and Heidi occupied a secluded corner of the tavern, their countenances riddled with melancholy as they silently imbibed. A deposed priestess and an interim leader bereft of faith. "Pardon my impertinence, but are we not displaying undue passivity?" Heidi murmured, her discontent evident.

Liam quaffed a hearty gulp of his libation. "Indeed, it was simpler when our endeavors were confined to battle. Assuming leadership...well, it imposes constraints on one's efficacy."

"Would you consider joining forces with us?" Heidi's eyes sparkled with fervor.

"For what purpose?" Liam inquired.

"To assist us in apprehending these malefactors."

"And whom do you propose we apprehend? We lack substantiated evidence."

"What if we were to begin with Kenny? I possess a credible witness!" Heidi affirmed resolutely.

A flicker of excitement danced in Liam's eyes. He had endured restraint for far too long. When the clarion call resounded, valiant warriors would surge forth.

As Gabriel proceeded to the council chamber, he couldn't ignore the wary glances and hushed murmurs of the pedestrians. His suspicions deepened when he glimpsed his guards, who looked perplexed, evidently unaware of the unfolding situation. Upon arriving at the chamber, Gabriel was shocked to find all the elders present except himself. A sense of foreboding engulfed him as he realized the tide had turned against him. Indeed, he found himself surrounded, his guards disarmed by his fellow elders.

"You have forfeited your status as an elder," declared the others icily, their gazes piercing. "Embezzling the city's funds—a betrayal of the highest order. And attempting to manipulate the elders into voting for your son as leader behind our backs. How naive! We refuse to consort with such a man."