179 Conspiracy Theory (1/2)

The grin plastered on Darah's face at my embarrassment quickly evaporated because she'd arrived bearing grim news.

She strode into the room while the other two followed in her wake, and while she sat on the comfy couch in front of me, Thors closed the doors and locked us in.

\”The hashashin is dead,\” Darah reported. \”Someone killed him while he was being held in the dungeons…\”

The implications of those words made all silly thoughts of girls vanish from my mind because that only meant one thing.

\”There's a traitor in the palace…\” I said, giving voice to what we were all thinking.

The uncomfortable silence that followed was all the proof I needed. After all, who else could have gone into the dungeon to silence the assassin if not someone from the Trickster Pavilion. But that led to more questions and, honestly, too many people to consider.

Although the Patriarch was beloved by many, there were also a lot of higher-ranking officials in both the court and the army who didn't believe a cripple should be leading us. Never mind that the cripple had lit the fire that began our continued and successful expansion of the central region, or that Auranos himself proved to be a leader whose inner strength surpassed his mortal body. His weakening figure irked many. It was the biggest reason why Great General Garm had so many supporters in court.

\”That's why they went after Aura more than Auranos…\” I realized. \”The current heir to the patriarch's seat…\”

I turned my gaze on Aura for the first time. She was sitting next to Darah and was gazing back at me with a look that was half curious and half anxious.

\”Our enemies believe my brother will die soon…\” her voice was heavy with annoyance. \”They do not know how strong he truly is.\”

Although the rest of us in the room agreed with her about his strength, we also knew that he was slowly wasting away and the night would come when Aura would have to take his place.

\”But who would have the resources to hire so many assassins, including a hashashin?\” Thors asked.

\”Hashashins do not kill for gold,\” Darah argued. \”They kill because they seek to reshape the Fayne…\” she turned her knowing gaze on her niece. \”Because the target given to them is one who could alter the shape they seek to create.\”

\”Great… assassins with illusions of grandeur,\” I scowled.

\”The question stands… who could afford them and who could benefit from them,\” Thors proposed.

We all knew who would benefit the most from the death of the Patriarch's family but as he was currently stuck in the Westmarch preparing for the next war, there was a chance he wasn't involved this time. Or if he was, then he had an agent here in court that did his bidding. This conclusion led me and probably everyone else to only one person.

The dark looks we exchanged told me we were all thinking of the same fairy.

\”Whoever said anything about doing it openly?\” Darah asked with a raised eyebrow.

\”Assassins aren't exactly open rebellion,\” I added.

More silence ensued.

Just thinking that a chancellor, one of the two top officials in court, was responsible for the attempted assassination of the princess and the other guests of the Patriarch was a big, big problem.

\”We'll need proof,\” Darah said, breaking the long silence.

\”Which is where you come in, Dean,\” Thors added.

\”I can't move in court,\” I began.

Both of them were looking pointedly back at me.

I sighed. \”You don't want me here in court, do you?\”

\”Why would I need you and your gift here when I've got enough agents watching over the place?\” Darah chided. \”Use that big brain you like to flaunt around, boy.\”

Only Darah could turn a compliment into something to ridicule.

I sighed again. \”You want me in the west with Garm's army finding proof for this conspiracy theory.\”

Darah's Grin would have been infectious if she wasn't about to ask me to do something dangerous.

\”Thors,\” she called. \”Give him the memo.\”

A slightly apologetic looking Thors pulled out a scroll from behind him and tossed it toward me.

I unfurled it, read its contents, and then sighed a third time.

\”You guys realize the Foolhardies racked enough victories to already part of the next campaign right?\” I reminded them. \”I don't see a need for this drastic measure.\”

Ashley's curious face beside me prompted me to pass her the scroll, and she read its contents out loud.

\”Per order of the Patriarch… Five-Hundred Man Commander Dean Dapper is hereby assigned to…\” Ashley's eyes widened as she continued to read, \”as adjutant for Great General Garm under the capacity of strategic advisor…\”

She turned her wide-eyed stare my way just as she tossed me back the scroll.

\”Talk about throwing you into the lion's den,\” Ashley chuckled.

\”You realize wherever I go you guys follow, right?\” I corrected her.

\”Garm's not going to be looking at my mug every night so I'm pretty sure I'm safe,\” Ashley countered.

I sighed a fourth time, one much heavier than the last. \”It puts me right in his line of sight... but it might get me close enough to gather evidence...\”