Jun jumped slightly and looked around, checking for anything that might be out of place in the library. Very quickly he turned off the lights again, then cald his breathing before calling out:
"You may co in."
The two Preceptors who had been standing guard outside walked in. They stood just a few steps inside the library and bowed deeply toward the deep shadows where Jun sat below.
"Ancestor Jun," the man in the lead said. "We heard so screams earlier and wondered what was happening. We were concerned that—"
"It is none of your business," Jun interrupted. His voice was sharp and left no room for questions. "Do not concern yourself with my matters. Go back to your posts."
The male Preceptor swallowed his words. He had also wanted to ask about the young man who had just left but the Ancestor’s tone killed all such thoughts. He bowed deeper, then retreated out of the library, but not before covertly scanning the library out of the corner of his eyes.
The man closed the doors, then turned and faced his female companion, who eagerly looked at him and asked in a whisper as they moved away from the doors:
"So? Did you notice anything?"
"I could sense the residue of another presence in there," the man waited until they were well away from the doors before whispering back. "Aside from that young fellow and the Ancestor, there had been one more person in there, just like you said."
The woman leaned back with a look of victory in her eyes. "I told you so! I knew I was not wrong! The Ancestor has been seeing soone inside there secretly for weeks now!"
"Who do you think it could be?" the woman asked while she leaned in closer. "Soone from another house? Or maybe even an Archon?"
The man shook his head and was about to open his mouth to speak when a voice suddenly spoke from right behind them.
"Is Jun in?"
The voice was deep and carried a physical weight that sent both of them into a furious fright. They spun around and found a tall, old, yet very virile man standing just two steps behind them, looking at them with a blank expression.
The male Preceptor swallowed hard and his thoughts raced with fear. He wondered how long the man had been standing there and how much of their conversation he had heard.
"Ancestor—I an—Preceptor Thorne," the man stuttered. He bowed as naturally as he could despite his heart hamring in his chest. "Yes. The Ancestor is in."
The tall man, Thorne, was a spitting image of the portrait Finn had seen inside the library. He was the Thorne Family Ancestor himself. He gave a short nod and then strode past them toward the doors and swung them open without any announcent.
As the doors closed behind him, the two Preceptors burst into a flurry of panicked gesticulations. They looked at each other with wide eyes and pale faces. They knew the Thorne Family Ancestor had most certainly heard their gossip.
But what he was going to do with that knowledge now remained to be seen.
They could only hope anything that ca off of it would not be linked to them at the end of the day.
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anwhile, outside the grand building, Finn strolled across the wide marble courtyard with a lazy smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. He looked lost in his own thoughts, musing over all he’d just learned, when he suddenly heard his na being called from the other side of the lawn.
"Lord Errant!"
Finn looked up and saw Madoc and Osmund standing on the other side of the vast lawns. They were engaged in a conversation with the young Cade XV. The two Anaelle looked relieved to see Finn and they quickly exchanged cordial goodbyes with the young Sepulchre House scion before rushing over to et him.
Finn chuckled as they approached. "Ah. I think I forgot to see soone back in there. Let just—"
"Lord Errant!" The cry escaped Osmund before he even realized.
He caught himself too late and his face flushed with embarrassnt. Finn laughed at his expense and Madoc also smiled in tandem. The taller Anaelle had been equally distraught, but had quickly realized Finn was only ssing with them.
"Relax," Finn said while he cald his laughter. "I have seen what I needed to see. This city is more interesting than it looks on the surface... But for now, my work here is done."
Wordlessly, he called out for Ryuga, and the dragon imdiately erged from his shadows, hovering just above the grass. Finn leaped onto the Ryuga’s serpentine body first, while Madoc and Osmund got on behind him promptly.
Once they were settled, Finn took off into the skies straightaway, heading towards the residential district below while Cade XV stood on the lawn and watched them go.
The young scion remained silent, his eyes gleaming with a transparent greed as he watched Ryuga’s majestic soul form cut through the clouds. He had never seen such a creature and the desire to possess it was a physical ache in his chest.
With a slight movent of his hand a masked figure erged from behind one of the beautiful trees lining the courtyard. So sort of specialized servant dressed in dark leather and silent boots. The servant bowed on one knee and waited for his orders.
"Prepare my forward squad," Cade XV said. "I will be leaving on an expedition soon."
The servant grunted in response and was about to move to carry out the order when the young noble added one more thing:
"Oh, and also... summon my sister. Tell her I have a task for her... One that requires her particular talents."
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A/N: Don’t forget to vote with Power Stones and Golden Tickets. Also drop a review if you’re enjoying the story.
Special thanks to Preet_0 for the Inspiration Capsule gifts! 💪🍻
Cheers
Astrl
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