Darkest Hours (MGL series Book 2)

Chapter 41

Who was the person that he trusts so much, enough to go through with the ritual?

"Had any leads, Son?" Madonna was jerked back from her trance when he heard the hoarse throaty voice of Alder.

The warrior men Lucius was sparring with were not there. Lucius was in a long robe as Alder walked to him.

Madonna inched back to the shadows of the curtains as she focused on the conversation.

"I had sent one of my special acquaintances over to look for any traces behind the attacks. He shall be here with some details in two days." Lucius answered like a filial son. His tone was polite and his words sounded serious.

Madonna bent down from her hiding place to watch both the men from the small pillars of the wall.

Alder nodded his head curtly while his eyes trailed over Lucius who was cleaning his sword.

"If you have to suspect someone, then who shall you?" Alder, although, worded it as a part of normal inquiry one would do with a general, his tone was another story.

He tried except could not hide the suspicion in his tone fully but Lucius paid no heed to it. Madonna wondered what it that made Alder had suspicion on Lucius was.

The only living person who knew of their motives against Alder was the general who was in comatose. If Alder was not there at the place of attacks, General was not conscious, the other chiefs and soldiers who saw them were dead, then what made him doubt Lucius.

Madonna saw Lucius shrugging at his father before answering assertively, "Rest assured, I still has my guard against mother. It might not be that she was behind the attacks but her sudden involvement in our lives is absolutely not usual." Madonna's lips turned upwards as Lucius expressed his qualms on Orla as always.

If Alder was testing Lucius, then Lucius was not backing away as well. He was giving Alder all the more reason to be suspicious of him by pointing a finger towards Orla because the whole of Emor manor know of Alder's growing faith on his wife.

Surprisingly, after Alder faced disappointment on the attack on west troop, he did not blame Orla for giving the idea of ensnaring the attackers with bait.

Alder did thought that there may be a spy among them however, he doubted every other person other than Orla. He thought Orla was genuine in helping him with the trap as it was them who asked her for an idea.

"Your mother had seen great pain and lonesomeness, son. She just got here after keeping us protected for years. I was also furious on the person who was obliquely the cause of Alys death however; Orla did not know that would happen." Alder affirmed.

She could hear the definitive trust he had on Orla which choked a snicker out of Madonna.

How wonderful of Alder to trust the very woman who was right on to destroy him beyond resurrection.

"I am still surprised at the influence you hold on the army you made. All these long years, I did not even know of what had been doing with the likes of your friends while I was spent on looking after the region." Madonna could see the raise of an eyebrow on Alder.

She was stunned herself at the sudden statement from Lucius. Why was he saying that?

"I had to take down the evil one who was the reason for breaking the Emors, who was behind our misery. Also, the last of the energy left in me, I spent on influencing the soldiers." In the name of the Almighty, what great person he was to think of ending the evil.

Such a loyal spouse and a father; all if they didn't knew of him!

"That was very well; father and I really do appreciate your affection towards us. I just do not wish to see you hurt." Lucius said in a pained voice, "Also, I suspect the amount of influence you have on the warriors."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alder questioned as he patted Lucius back, giving him the tumbler of water.

Lucius nodded in gratitude whilst he drank his water. "There could be spies in your warriors as well, Father. You have your control on their minds and as a warlock, you have your magic or not, one cannot be influenced for a longer time. At one point the magic and the control wears off whatsoever. Isn't that the basic norms we follow as magic wielders?" Lucius enlightened putting Alder in thoughts.

Madonna then empathized what Lucius was attempting on. He was making a way to make his warriors fight amongst themselves.

There were few more of the strong warriors whose previous tribes disagreed to take them down. He had rejected the alliance Madonna had offer with the fear of having to pay the price later. So it was only better when they fight among themselves.

"They were in the absolute spell of my control. It is not likely for them to be out of it." Alder spoke but the hesitation in his words was clear. He has started to think of what Lucius had mentioned.

"You are Alder Emor, one of the greatest warlocks the humanity has seen, yet someone outsmarted you and stripped you of your magic, father. Seeing at the things in that manner, it is possible for the influence to wear off. You asked me whom I suspect, then as a recently chosen general of the army, I suggest you to keep an eye on your own warriors, father."

Lucius nodded lightly and left Alder to mull over what he said. If he was not wrong, Alder would be suspecting the people that Lucius lead to in the next couple of days.

It was just two more days that the whole fiasco would either end on a good note or on their death note for Lucius and tribe.

~*~*~*~*~*~

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