Chapter 224: Everyone Is Planning Something

[The Next Day — Thalryn — House Veyrhold]

Snow-covered mountains stretched endlessly beyond the manor windows; cold winds swept across the cliffs, and inside House Veyrhold, the atmosphere remained heavy. Several imperial scouts knelt before Duke Aren, their faces exhausted and dust and snow still clung to their cloaks.

"We followed every possible route, Your Grace." One scout lowered his head further. "We searched the eastern border, we searched the western crossing, and we even questioned merchants and caravans traveling between kingdoms."

Silence.

"And?" Duke Aren’s voice remained calm, too calm.

The scouts exchanged uneasy glances, and then finally one lowered his head. "...We found nothing."

Silence, a heavy silence. The fireplace crackled softly, and Duke Aren slowly closed his eyes. Days...more days and still no trace of Levin.

The child he had spent years protecting and the child who was now somewhere beyond the borders of multiple kingdoms, alone. The thought exhausted him.

Slowly the Duke rubbed his forehead as his voice came quieter. "...Days keep passing, and I still cannot find my son."

Nobody answered because nobody knew what to say, and the Duke opened his eyes, saying, "This cannot continue; keep searching."

Immediately all scouts straightened.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"And send more riders toward the southern routes. If Levin crossed into another empire...I want to know which one as soon as possible."

The scouts bowed deeply. "As you command."

And just like that they departed. The room finally became quiet again, only for the manor doors to open moments later.

CREAK.

The butler entered, holding a black envelope. Immediately Duke Aren recognized it: the black wax seal, the silver serpent crest and the royal insignia of Zahryssar.

The Duke stared and then sighed tiredly. "...Another one?"

The butler nodded. "Yes, Your Grace."

Duke Aren leaned back. "Another warning demanding I present myself before the new Malik."

The butler nodded again. "It appears so."

The Duke looked toward the window, beyond the mountains, beyond the snow, and beyond the kingdoms, and quietly he muttered, "...Do I have no choice but to leave and search for my son myself?"

"The Zahryssar knights will capture and present you to New Malik forcefully, my lord. They are looking for a chance for you to step out of Thalryn. And the rumors about the new Malik don’t sound good. We have heard that he ordered execution for every single attendant who served Lord Levin."

Duke sighed and then suddenly—

"I agree...he is the nastiest silver serpent Zahryssar ever witnessed." A voice echoed beside him.

The Duke blinked and slowly turned his head and immediately froze because somehow without him noticing, Zyvera was already sitting beside him, holding an entire plate of colorful macarons.

CRUNCH.

Another disappeared.

"I wonder how they labeled him as ’true Malik.’ The public is truly deaf and blind," Zyvera mumbled casually.

"When did you—" Duke paused because he was already worried enough about his son and continued, "Do you need anything, Lady Zyevra?"

"No, I am just here to tell the Duke that...I can find Malika."

Silence.

The Duke blinked. Zyvera blinked back, and then she casually held the plate toward him. "The pistachio ones are really good. You want one?"

The Duke stared, then stared harder, and then sighed. "No."

Zyvera immediately smiled as she grabbed another. "Good, more for me."

CRUNCH.

The Duke then asked. "...What did you just say?"

Zyvera pointed at herself proudly. "I said I can find Malika."

Another bite.

CRUNCH.

The Duke slowly lowered his hand. "...You can?"

"Probably."

"Probably?"

Zyvera nodded. "Seventy percent; ninety if he isn’t dead."

The Duke nearly developed a headache. Zyvera happily continued eating. "As thieves...we have connections. Lots of connections."

The Duke slowly turned. "...Connections where?"

Zyvera shrugged. "Everywhere."

Silence.

The Duke stared. "...Everywhere?"

She nodded proudly. "Everywhere."

Then she pointed toward the black Zahryssar letter, and she grinned proudly, saying. "Kings have armies, nobles have spies, but thieves? We know everyone’s business."

The Duke froze and then immediately asked, "Why did you not tell me this before?"

Zyvera blinked, then blinked again, as though the answer were obvious. "Because that’s a terrible thief."

Silence.

"What?"

She nodded seriously. "If I reveal all my secrets immediately...then I’m unemployed."

The Duke stared, the butler stared, and even the servants nearby stared. Meanwhile, Zyvera happily ate another macaron, completely unbothered, and the Duke finally asked.

"...Will you truly find my son?"

For the first time her expression became serious: no jokes, no teasing, only confidence. "Yeah."

A simple answer, but strangely it carried certainty. The Duke studied her quietly and then slowly nodded. "Then...Do it."

Immediately Zyvera raised a thumb; a bright grin appeared. "Consider it done."

CRUNCH.

Another macaron disappeared, and then she stood and she grabbed three more from the plate. "Now...I shall begin this very important mission."

The Duke narrowed his eyes. "What mission?"

Zyvera smiled shamelessly. "Finding Malika and stealing the kitchen’s remaining macarons before Raviel gets them."

Then she vanished out the door, leaving behind stunned silence, and for the first time in many days, Duke Aren found himself smiling faintly.

Perhaps...Just perhaps.

There was finally a chance of finding Levin.

***

[Zahryssar — House Karzath — Evening]

Evening shadows stretched across House Karzath. The crimson sun was slowly sinking beyond the black deserts of Zahryssar, and inside the estate, Lady Arinaya’s patience was slowly disappearing.

She stood beside the open window, arms folded and eyes fixed upon the distant road leading toward Silthara Palace.

"Did Ravehan return?" Her voice was calm.

Immediately the maid lowered her head. "No, my lady, not yet."

Silence followed, and the evening winds moved softly through the curtains. Arinaya’s brows slowly furrowed.

"...He should have returned by now." Her voice lowered, almost to herself. "The new Malik has no reason to keep him any longer, so why hasn’t he sent him back?"

The maid wisely remained silent because whenever Lady Arinaya started talking to herself, it usually meant she was one step away from causing trouble.

A great deal of trouble. Arinaya turned away from the window as she moved towards her desk. "I’ll write another letter. If Slyvarakh has forgotten basic courtesy, perhaps I should remind him. Ravehan does not belong in that palace."

Immediately another voice entered the room. "And do you truly believe he will listen to you?"

Arinaya stopped, then slowly closed her eyes. "...Must you appear everywhere?"

She didn’t even need to look because only one person spoke with that particular mixture of boredom and annoyance.

Rakhane. The man leaned lazily against the doorway, one eye hidden beneath the familiar patch, arms folded and expression unreadable.

Arinaya finally looked at him, then sighed dramatically.

"Please. Find someone else to torment today." Rakhane blinked as she continued. "I have enough worries already."

Silence, and then unexpectedly Rakhane pushed himself away from the doorway. "I’ll write the letter."

Arinaya froze, the maid froze, and even the servant dusting a nearby table froze, and there was a very long and heavy silence.

Rakhane frowned. "...Why is everyone staring at me?"

Arinaya blinked, then blinked again, slowly and carefully. "...What did you just say?"

Rakhane sighed. "I said I’ll write the letter. The Malik will have no choice but to send him back; I am a high ensign, after all."

Silence; even the room itself seemed confused, and the maid slowly looked toward Arinaya. Arinaya slowly looked toward the maid. Then both women looked back toward Rakhane, as though witnessing some ancient miracle or perhaps a terrible curse.

Finally, Arinaya spoke. "...You’re being unusually helpful."

Rakhane immediately looked offended. "How rude. I am always helpful."

The maid almost choked, and Arinaya stared harder, then slowly...very slowly...she placed a hand against her forehead.

"I need a physician."

The maid immediately nodded and whispered carefully. "Yes, my lady...Perhaps a priest as well."

Silence.

Arinaya looked toward her, and the maid immediately continued. "What if he is possessed? Or cursed? Or replaced?"

Meanwhile Rakhane stared, then stared harder. "...Replaced?"

The maid immediately lowered her head. "I apologize, my lord."

And then Arinaya stared harder, and she pointed weakly toward him. "This behavior is highly suspicious."

Silence.

Then unexpectedly, Rakhane laughed, a genuine laugh, rare and dangerous because whenever Rakhane laughed, someone usually suffered afterward.

"Both of you are unbearable." Rakhane turned toward the door, already regretting everything. "I should have remained silent; that would’ve been less alarming." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The maid nodded and Arinaya nodded too. "Far less alarming."

Rakhane stopped walking, then slowly looked over his shoulder. "...I hate this family."

And immediately walking away, the maid released a breath.

"My lady..." She looked toward the disappearing figure. "...Should I truly call a priest?"

Arinaya stared at the hallway where her brother had vanished. The amusement slowly faded from her expression because beneath the humor something still felt strange. Rakhane never involved himself in Arinaya’s problems.

Never.

Yet lately he had, far more than usual, and somehow that worried her more than Slyvarakh’s letters did.

"No," Arinaya finally answered, then quietly added, "Keep watching him."

The maid blinked. "Watching him?"

Arinaya nodded, eyes narrowing slightly. "Whenever my brother starts acting like a caring serpent...it usually means he is planning something."

And somewhere deep inside House Karzath, for reasons even Arinaya couldn’t explain, she had a feeling Rakhane was already moving pieces nobody else had noticed.