𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 2 Chapter 97 ALEXANDER
By the time he stepped into the room with her as the only occupant, Jaylah's eyes were already on him. He hadn't even had time to sit down across from her before she was saying, "You killed the High Priest."
Alexander eyed the cup before him. "You didn't poison this, did you?"
"I should have." Her lip curled, revealing a flash of white teeth. "You killed him and made it look like a suicide so only I would be able to see through it."
"Did I? A feat like that should be impossible." The look on her face told him she severely regretted not spiking his tea. "Even if I did, it's nothing you can pin on me."
"I am aware, thank you. I could always have you killed regardless of whether you legally deserved it or not."
"And risk your engagement? Come on." He lifted his cup to his lips. It didn't taste any different. "You seemed to do fine without the High Priest present. Better without him, even."
"I know. I felt your attention on me long after I crowned myself. It seemed you were much too busy sitting there with your jaw hanging open to fend off any of those women you claim throw themselves at you. Funny how I did not see any."
"Funny how I see one now."
"You did not deny my first statement."
His fingertips clutching the teacup's rim like a wineglass, Alexander leaned back. "Of course I was looking to you. I always do. And you did not deny mine."
Jaylah's hand paused in its reach for the sugar. "Is that meant to intimidate me or seduce me?"
"Take your pick."
"Both are revolting."
It was so easy for them to fall into this repartee. "Did you call me here for a reason or did you just want to flirt with me over tea? Because as enjoyable as this is, if you woke me up so early for nothing—"
"Yes, poor cranky mercenary, there is a reason. Your slaver-catching business."
Alexander sobered at the subject change. His slaver-catching business. The only thing that was keeping him afloat in those dark, dark waters of his mind.
"I had Antinoch look into the areas in which there have been the most recordings of slave trade deals. Illegal, of course, which is why it took such a long time to uncover. So far, I was only able to uncover one man's name: Tripolou. Evidently he catches children. The younger, the better. He has evaded capture for years; his slippery nature made law enforcement give up on ever bringing him in. But you will. And I will help you do it."
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Alexander walked through a dark street in Asklapolis, which was an hour's walk west of Naxaros. If he concentrated, he could barely hear the crash of the ocean in the distance. This was a harbor town that thrived off of fishing, though it was not modest as that title may suggest. From the amount of packing plants he passed on his way to the center of the city, it appeared this place was where half of Oceana's seafood originated from. On a treacherous hill to the left, a hundred homes were perched, glowing like fireflies as their inhabitants readied themselves for bed. Those were the homes of the rich, far from the smell of salmon that stuck to the city streets like paste. And where there were rich people, there were poor ones too.
