Ultima Ratio

Chapter 49: Family Reunion

The first surprise was that they were uncuffed and led into the castle without further issues. Next, they were shown to an extravagant room with multiple windows, positioned at the front of the castle and only on the second floor. Third, the guards didn't take any of their weapons, or even search them in any way, before they left them to wait in the room alone.

"I sense it too," Danya muttered when she stepped alongside Akira. Her words were ominous—until she kept talking. "But oh well. What can we do about it now?"

Akira frowned at her carefree tone as she surveyed the room. "Just keep a lookout, please."

Normally, the vibrant red room would appear gaudy in any other setting, but the castle made it seem both gaudy and elegant. It could fit at least a hundred people within the round space, likely in one of the castle's turrets. The floor and wallpaper had red-on-red patterns, while the wall decor, including two fireplaces, and ceiling were white with gold accents. Eight shining chandeliers hung from above, circled around a central pillar with a red leather chair surrounding its base. Red velvet curtains framed the windows and the view of the Saint-Lawrence River.

"So was this your playroom as a kid?" Danya asked as she stuck her head in one of the unlit fireplaces to squint up the chimney, her fake red hair akin to an ignited flame.

"Well," Elodie snapped, then paused in thought. "Maybe one of them."

"It's a little much, innit?" Jivan grumbled, examining their reflection in one of the mirrors adorning the length of the central pillar.

Just then, the door banged open. Four guards marched in, these with full head gear, and approached Elodie by the large windows.

"Hand," the guard in the front demanded, holding up their own palm.

Elodie drew her hands towards her chest. "May I ask what for?"

She couldn't, judging by the way the guard grabbed her wrist themselves, then clipped a small silver contraption onto one of her fingertips. Elodie winced and hissed immediately, sending Navin surging towards them.

"Easy there," Danya warned, jumping in front of him with her hands hovering over his arms, ready to grab him.

The guards stared at the pair warily, likely thinking there was no way the petite Danya could hold back a man of Navin's towering stature. But when Navin stayed put, they turned back to Elodie. After a few more seconds, the guards took the contraption and left without a word, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"I'm okay," Elodie said when Navin approached her immediately after, and both examined her assaulted finger. "They just took some blood, probably for a DNA test."

The squad kept quiet after that, not able to communicate when they likely had an unseen audience. In the silence, Jivan repeatedly toured the room to examine the decor, occasionally shooting suspicious glances at Elodie as she gazed out the window. Navin leaned against a wall beside her, head down and arms crossed; Quyen held a similar stance beside one of the fireplaces, but her eyes darted between the windows and doors.

As for Akira, she paced circles around the room until Danya grabbed her arm and pulled her down to sit with her on the red leather chair in the center of the room.

Half an hour later, the well-dressed man from before entered with six others in equally extravagant fashion.

"I deeply apologize for all of this, Your Highness," the man said with another low bow, and his entourage followed suit. "In uncertain times like these, we have to be careful."

"I understand," Elodie said. "Am I able to see my mother? Or perhaps the rest of my family? As you can imagine, I miss them all greatly."

"Of course, Your Highness. Please, follow me."