Chapter 58

Chapter 58:

LYRIC

“Thank you,” I whimpered, and he pulled me into a hug.

After a while, we disengaged as he made an important point.

“First things first, you have to stay as hidden as possible, Ly. I was super glad when you told me about the job at TCH, but you can’t keep drawing attention to yourself by doing things others can’t p>

My heart sank. I’d seen this coming. I just didn’t think I’d really hear it.

“Only Siphons can do things others can’t. And if you keep doing this, you’ll draw attention to yourself until someone who knows what you are figures you out. It won’t be long before the Executioners find you. You have to avoid trouble as much as you can. Alright p>

I sniffled as I nodded. It was going to be so hard. Here I was, happy that I’d gotten a job and was going to save lives. How unfortunate that my gift turned out to be a curse.

JARIS

I should have been here yesterday, but due to unforeseen circumstances, my trip was delayed.

I walked into the Central Palace and met with Luca at the entrance. He was happy to have me there and led me inside, followed by some other men who had been waiting.

We talked briefly on our way until we reached the prison gates where the men from the delivery agency were locked up.

The men looked pale and exhausted, shifting uncomfortably when they saw me.

“Which of them is the Manager?” I asked Luca while keeping my gaze fixed on the men.

“The one at the far end,” Luca pointed at him.

“Bring him to the interrogation room p>

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I didn’t miss the fear that crossed the man’s face. He must have felt like the most unlucky man in the world.

I walked away toward the interrogation room, and seconds later, the large man was brought in to face me.

He was placed on the chair opposite mine. Although I was standing, I intended to make this quick.

“Now, listen,” I rolled up my sleeves. “I intend to make this as quick as possible. You’re human, which means it’d be more than easy to break you. I don’t even have to do much, and there’s a high chance you might not survive it p>

The large man shuddered uncomfortably in his seat. He looked like someone who was bossy on a normal day, yet here he was, chained and trembling in the presence of another.

Quite pathetic.

“Please, we’ve told them everything we know. Honestly, if I could turn back the hands of time, I never would’ve given that cocksucker a job.” He was as angry as he was scared.

“Which brings us to the question,” I took my seat. “When you were leaving, didn’t you notice you were short of one member? I don’t know about you, but I’m missing someone p>

“We—We did, but not at the moment. We didn’t notice he was missing from the truck before we left. We only realized it when we hit the road.” I waited for him to continue.

“And p>

“I’m—I’m sorry, it may sound unprofessional, but I decided not to care. We thought, maybe, he must’ve been in a restroom when we left and got stuck behind. But we figured he’d find his way out p>

I nodded, despite the rage seething in my blood. If only they’d made sure, we wouldn’t be here.

“Like I said,” I tsked. “Too convenient for him p>

I started with the torture, dragging some ugly cries out of him. But he didn’t release any more information.

It took him passing out to get me to stop, then I realized he was telling the truth. It also made sense because they were a big agency. They wouldn’t intentionally help someone kill the King and not try to run, at least. They must’ve been used.

Besides, an assassin with a mission as powerful as that would be smart enough to deceive people like that.

“So, what do we do next?” Luca asked as we both walked out of the interrogation room. “If we can’t get the answers out of these guys, the murderer will walk free p>

I was still bothered by something else. How did the assassin leave the palace?

I stopped walking and turned to him. “Can I watch the footage again? I need to check something p>

A few minutes later, I was seated in the security office, going through all the footage surrounding the time of the King’s death.

The assassin never came to the Palace until he arrived with those men.

So, how did he leave?

I had a hint.

I went to the footage of the day of the King’s funeral and checked the surroundings. It took me a long time, but in the end, I got my answer.

“There he is!” Luca exclaimed beside me. “The asshole left during the funeral! When everyone was distracted and away from the Palace p>

I glanced at him in surprise. Luca was a sixty-year-old man who had always been modest. Hearing him use words like ‘asshole’ was new to me.

In the footage, the assassin knew he stood a higher chance of being caught if he tried to leave right after he murdered the king. So, he hid somewhere in the palace while nobody suspected there was even an assassin inside. Then, he waited for the day of the funeral when everyone’s attention was on the funeral hall. It was easier sneaking out then. The son of a bitch knew what he was doing.

“He must have been feeding and drinking during his stay here,” I murmured as I watched more footage.

Unfortunately, there were no cameras inside the main palace. King Thaddeus always felt like it was an invasion of privacy, so only the surroundings had cameras to see who went in and out.

“Do you think someone might have been feeding him? Helping him?” Luca asked.

“Possibly. Or, late at night, he’d crawl to the kitchen to steal food p>

I clenched my jaw as I studied him climbing over the fence on the night of the funeral. He was still very careful to protect his face from the camera.

“I have a feeling this guy must have had some sort of experience with how the cameras were set up, where to hide without being seen, and how to get food and drinks. A novice within these walls would’ve been caught. This guy must be something else p>

I nodded in agreement. Luca had never been more accurate.

Our assassin was no stranger within these walls. So, there was a good chance King Thaddeus had been staring into the familiar face of his assassin when he was killed.

Luca and I spoke some more on the topic, deciding to carry out further investigations and sweep the city for our guy.

When I left and was in the backseat of my car, headed home, I made a call I hadn’t made in years. A call that always unnerved me whenever I had to make it.

The issue of the assassin and how familiar he looked was making me uneasy. I just needed to be very sure.

The woman picked up just as the call was about to end. “Alpha Jaris. Greetings.” As always, her tone was clipped.

“Margaret. You know why I’m calling. Is he still there?” I demanded.

“Yes, of course. He’s still locked up and asleep.” After a heartbeat, she added, “You know you have nothing to worry about. Your brother is not getting out of here p>