The Scent of Illusion (Published under IMMAC)

Chapter 35: A Gap that Still Exists

Trigger warning: May contain sensitive topics such as death, sex, profanity, suicide, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, mental health, sexuality, etc. There might be depictions or references to sexual harassment. Please be guided accordingly and read at your own risk.

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The calm that had settled over Drakwald after the rain had completely vanished by noon and even more as the afternoon rolled in. Every guard and soldier was asked to have their hands on deck as they tried to figure out what was the reason behind the attack.

But Malloy had a lingering thought, "It's the potion."

He knew that they were still looking for it, desperate to continue what they had started. As much as that information was vital and could help their cause, it would cause panic and most of their suggestions would be for them to just give the potion back, which was not an option at all.

As Malloy led the meeting, Eli listened in right at the side. His observant eyes wandered the room, searching for any reaction that would pique his interest. But almost everyone had the same expression etched on their faces―anger. Their nostrils flared as they shouted as if that was enough to prove their points and assert some kind of dominance.

"There is no way that I'll hire another help from Blood Rage. For all we know, they're spying on us and feeding information to the mastermind," one said.

While Malloy nodded, agreeing to the possibility, Eli knew that he had to talk to his father about it later on. It would not be ideal to try and argue Blood Rage's case with the majority of Grey Shadow's important people judging everyone's words. And Eli was not going to start some argument that he knew he could not win, not when he was the only one in the room who would ever stand up for Blood Rage's rights...or maybe just a chosen number of members only.

"Maybe we need to attack them, too. They probably think that we're just letting them do what they want and leave them unpunished. We just buried one of their own, they should be afraid." There was a sinister tone that coated her words as a wicked smirk tugged on her lips.

Malloy, on the other hand, was nodding. A huge part of him was thinking of the same thing, knowing that they had been dismissive of the past attacks but it was time to do something to show Blood Rage who was still the strongest pack in Drakwald. Maybe they had forgotten their place and were starting to stir something in the hopes of having a chance to have the potion in their hands once again.

For the rest of the meeting, almost everyone agreed to clear Grey Shadow of any Blood Rage members even as servants. To them, it felt safer. And while Malloy agreed to it, he was hesitant considering the nature of his household, especially one servant.

With a sigh, Malloy dismissed the meeting and headed to his office with Eli following right behind his father.

As the door was locked, Eli knew that they were finally in the confines of Malloy's office and were, thus, free from judging eyes and ears. They were in a far safer space, where Eli could voice out his concerns that he could not utter in the meeting.

"You weren't considering their suggestion about clearing out all the servants, right?" Eli asked as he settled on the chair in front of Malloy's desk. There was a sense of concert surrounding his question which somehow triggered Malloy, who had been trying to stay calm for the entire duration of the meeting.

Taking a deep breath, Malloy sat down on his seat and narrowed his eyes at his son. "I would but I really can't considering your sister's friend and yours, too, right?" Whatever warmth he had with Emilia surely did not exist with Eli, mostly because there was still the lingering question of where he spent the night with Aurora. And as much as Malloy did not want to doubt his son's loyalty, he was not sure about a lot of things lately.

Pressing his lips together, Eli nodded. He knew that he was caught in that one since he was guilty of having Aurora with him which really would make that a difficult move for them to make. "So are you considering the counterattack more? Should we really attack them?" he asked, gauging his father's response.

"Do you think we still have the luxury to play it off as observing their next actions?" Malloy asked, his voice firm and slightly thick with sarcasm. "It's not the first attack, Eli. A guard is in critical condition. One of ours is in critical condition because of who? Blood Rage." He uttered every word clearly, obviously making a point with every single beat of his words. There was frustration knotted in every syllable, seeping through his gritted teeth.

"What if we ask for Aurora's help instead? What if she has anything that we can connect with what you know?" Eli asked, his voice a bit of a bright tone. Ever since the previous night, he had more faith in Aurora as he had seen a side of her that he never had until that night

But Malloy was not thrilled with the idea at all. Furrowing his brows even more, almost as if his brows were about to touch, he glared daggers at Eli. "How dare you even suggest that?" he exclaimed, a low growl dangling at the end of it. "Are you even sure that she knows nothing about the potion? Are you that naïve, Eli?" Malloy added, voice growing louder.

Eli was not even able to say anything when Malloy slammed his hands on his desk, making a loud booming sound that echoed within the walls. "Didn't you hear them? Didn't you hear how angry they are? Do you think I'm in the position to put your friends first when the pack is asking for protection?" Malloy's voice was firm yet it was like he was begging for some kind of understanding from Eli, something that was essential in the current situation.

"Is violence really the only way to solve this feud?" Laced in his words were both concern and the hope that it would not end in blood, that there was still a way to make a peaceful end or a truce.

"They started the violence. We're just going to return the favor," Malloy stated.

And with that, the older man started to go through the folders that needed his attention. It was a clear enough signal for the younger one to know that the conversation was over and that there was no way that Malloy was going to ask for any of Blood Rage's help.

Eli's lips parted as if to say something but it seemed like his father really did not want to continue their conversation as Malloy roughly flipped through the papers without even lifting a gaze for his son. Taking that as a sign, Eli left the room and was welcomed by the cold silence that filled the halls.

As he aimlessly walked, Eli started to think if he should head home or not. A part of him was still infuriated with all the violence that was possibly going to ensue but a part of him wanted to calm down. Both of them began to click with each other, and it was suddenly clear what he could do.

With large strides, Eli headed to the training room which was surprisingly empty. Considering the time, everyone was probably headed home or maybe to the pub. But for Eli, it was ideal since he did want to be alone at the moment. He let his thoughts wander a bit as he started to stretch.

But once he started to face the dummy used for hand-to-hand combat training, he closed his eyes and cleared his head. It was all about calculated movements, the way his fist would land on the thick leather, and the way he swung his leg to execute a proper kick. The number of times that he had to pull up the dummy was proof that he had a lot of training under his belt.

It became more than exercise but a way to relieve stress and let off some steam. Training became some sort of meditation that took his mind off of the frustrations and the pressure that circled his life. It turned into a healthier alternative to deal with the demons that lurked at the back of his mind.

With every punch and every kick, he felt the stress melt away, most of it anyway.

His head was clear and he felt relaxed, but everything fell silent as someone walked inside the training room with a loud stomp.