The Arcane Rebellion- The Arcane Series #1

Chapter 37

Xavi

I stared at the documents in shock. How was this relevant?

"Is this some messed up joke?", I hissed and the knight stared at me silently before gesturing at the documents.

Before he could speak, he was interrupted by Layla. "What does my brother have to do with this?", Layla spat.

"Well, if you'd just let me speak...", the knight trailed off. "Read the causes of deaths. All of them. Tell me what they have in common. Go on.", he urged and I looked at Layla. She was already looking at me, caution evident on her face.

She started reading and I followed her example. I couldn't believe what I was reading. The autopsy reports all showed high levels of Neo Weeping Fade, one of the strongest poisons ever made. It's usually made in apothecaries since putting it onto the skin was soothing and healing, but lethal if consumed. The other way of making it is by adding Neo Flower sugar to tea made of Weeping moss.

This was news to me since the knights wouldn't let me do the autopsies in the Sanctuary. My shock must've reflected that on Layla's face as we both, in unison, looked at the knight.

"They got sick and died from whatever it was. Not poisoned.", Layla gritted through her teeth. I put a hand on her back, trying to comfort her. It felt warm to touch. Wet. She must've started bleeding again.

"That's what he wanted all of you to believe.", the knight said and Layla's nostrils flared in anger.

"Are you insinuating that my brother poisoned our father and the fathers of our friends?", she was clenching her jaw, so much I was afraid she might dislocate it or shatter her teeth.

He was lying, he must have been. Andy wouldn't do something like that. He loved his father, and the other leaders were some of his closest friends.

"Your words, not mine.", he shrugged. Layla lunged at him but I held her back. She started cussing at him, swinging and kicking.

To be quite frank, I wanted to do the same, but I knew I shouldn't. Assaulting a knight is punishable by death.

"What is the point of this. He's dead. There's no reason for you to lie about a dead man.", I said and the knight scoffed.

"Those are not lies, I can assure you. I can see she's just as bad at managing her anger as her brother, maybe even more so.", he calmly spoke and pointed to Layla, making her yell profanities at him.

"What makes you believe he killed them?", I asked the question I so much dreaded.

"That is a piece of information I am not allowed to disclose. He poisoned them. Believe it or don't. And, miss Lavellan...", he said, turning to Layla who was still fighting to get out of my grip. She stilled for a moment, but she was tense and her back was bleeding.

"Be careful. Don't trust just anyone, no matter how close they are to you.", he wisely said and she scoffed.

"Why should I trust you then?", she argued.

"Because, unlike you, I have some interesting information.", he argued back. Layla was breathing heavily, her nostrils flaring in even intervals as she glared at him.

"We'll be going, if that's all.", I quietly said, tightly holding Layla to my chest just in case she decided to attack him.

"You're free to go, no one is stopping you. But I do advise you to be careful, both of you. Expect the unexpected.", he spoke and I scoffed, dragging Layla with me towards the main road.

She jerked out of my grip and she would have fell if I hadn't caught her. She loudly groaned and for a moment looked as though she was contemplating going back and punching him. I felt the same.