COBALT: The Sovereign's Stratagem (Book Two)

Chapter 6: The Hunters (Part 4/4)

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Happy update day~

Get ready for some Team Ra

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          Vera sat in ponderment. She knew she had been cleansing her hands at the water enchantments for far too long, and likely looked as though she was admiring her reflection to anyone that entered the bathroom. It was fine, most nobles born to Latos would be tranced by simpler things. The green dress she had suffered herself into was definitely lighter on decorations, but it would still do the trick.

          Sora's plan had a good foundation, and married well to some refining touches. The biggest obstacle to their success was now the sheer delicacy of timing it right. She pulled the liquid curse out of her pocket, making sure she was alone before carefully peeling off the label. Where Sora had found such a potent spell was a question for another time, but if their target suddenly changed his story in court, the Council would reassess him for enchantments - and the plan would go up in smoke.

          There was a solution though. She slipped another vial from her pocket, different, but nearly the same size at a glance. A heartbeat enchantment swiped from the chemical enchantments closet during class. It was the same shade of purple, easy to be mistaken for the curse Sora had given her. She discretely plastered the label on it. If all went to plan, everyone except Vera would be none the wiser, and she would be up one liquid curse to do with as she pleased.

          She fixed her appearance when her sender buzzed, smiling as Sora's voice pooled through.

          "Team Ra, target has left the cafeteria, do you copy?"

          "What?"

           Sora's snicker came through the orb, quickly reminding Vera of why she was avoiding her in the first place. "Paddleblade is done eating lunch and I don't see any Council spoofs tailing him." 

          "Talk normal, you're not Káel. I'm on my way," Vera replied, deciding on dealing with the name she'd come up with later. She left the bathroom, checking her right to make sure Mr. Hazel had obeyed her orders. 

          He was still waiting. Vacant confusion making up the bulk of his expression, with a hint of discomfort having been ordered to wait outside a woman's washroom for several minutes. Still, the one good privilege she had as a daughter of Acadrius was that representative or not, any mudhead employed by her father had to obey her every command.

          She accepted his bow before snapping her fingers. "Follow me." She stopped as he tailed her a few feet behind, letting the disappointment stab right into the confused man. Young faced and meticulous with his glossy brown hair, he certainly wasn't a soldier by his looks - which was rare for her father. "At my side, you're not a guard."

          He quickly came to her side, awkwardly trying to match her brisk pace. 

          She sighed when he didn't strike conversation first. A diplomat was off the list too. "So, what occupies you back in Listillvice? I don't recall a Hazel being employed to the royal court."

          He stiffened at the forward question. "I am a tutor my lady."

          Vera hummed. Tutors were seldom hired by her parents nowadays. Both her and Mariel's education had been outsourced to Cobalt, and her brother had grown out of a requirement for lessons long ago. "Specific. I have a bit of a bias against tutors, you'll have to tell me about how you ended up here. It sounds like it would be an interesting tale."