Veronica's Fallacy

28.

-HER-

I waited outside Fiona's office, fidgeting. I was mentally rehearsing everything I would tell her about my findings so far. There wasn't much to be said yet.

All I had gathered so far was that Victor was alive, and he had been mingling with some Underlords before going missing. However, I didn't have anything to show for such claims. For now, I was choosing to trust Grim's claims. I didn't have any other choice.

However, facing Fiona with only this limited information made me nervous. I wondered how she would react to it, especially to her brother's claim to be involved with the Underlords outside his work. I wondered if she was aware of it. Was it the reason why she told me to look at the Underlords?

I was mulling over it when I got called inside. I stepped into her familiar office— the dark old mahogany walls that seemed to be closing upon me, making me feel claustrophobic. She sat behind her massive table, her presence unmistakable.

"So glad to see you again, Veronica," she beamed at me. Her eyes said otherwise. I greeted her formally and took the seat while being watched by her hawk-like eyes. "Tell me what you've been up to lately," she smiled menacingly.

"I've found some leads, Fiona," I replied and added without wasting a second, "Victor is alive,"

"And where is he?" She asked, maintaining that intimidating smile on her face. I clenched my fists under the table.

"Not anything on that yet, but I've found some other pretty interesting things about him," I stated. She cocked an eyebrow at me, something flickering in her eyes. I expected her to be somewhat excited at the news, but she looked grimly unbothered.

"Is that so?" She asked with a hint of challenge in her voice.

"Victor was in touch with the Underlords before the disappearance," I told her. "And it had nothing to do with his work,"

"What proof do you have for your claims?" She asked, sitting back. This is where it troubled me. I didn't have anything to back my claims.

"I don't have anything to show for my claims yet, but I've confirmed it with an Underlord," I replied hesitantly. Even though Fiona had been the one who suggested (or rather threatened) me to work with an Underlord, I didn't like admitting it to her. It only proved to her that she could pressure me into anything. But it was too late already to think about that.

"And you trust them?" She asked, tilting her head and studying me with scrutinising eyes that always made me uncomfortable. The sickly, sweet smile with which she had greeted me was gone. Now, it was her cold, stern face.

I swallowed.

"I'm choosing to trust the Underlord for now. I don't have any other option," I told her, and she smiled menacingly.

"What did you have to pay?" She asked, making my breath hitch. "I know it's not money,"

There was no way I would let her know about my deal with Grim. It'd be too dangerous for my work... too dangerous for me. Seeing the menacing look on Fiona's face, it was the first time the gravity of the situation dawned upon me. If she ever learned that I was an Underlord's mate, then...

I shut down the thought and focused on Fiona instead. Though it didn't help. The seeds of fear had been sown deep into my mind.

"Confidentiality was part of it," I told her, and her eyes sharpened.

"You're trusting the Underlord far too much," She commented, leaning forward. "I'm having doubts,"

"This is our last option to find Victor," I reminded her, "I'm trying to be optimistic about it,"

She cocked an eyebrow and said darkly, "I'd like to see how long your optimism lasts when the Underlord decides to fuck you over,"

~

"You head about the Rothledge, didn't you?" Derrek, one of my colleagues, asked me while I was completing paperwork for other pending cases. I had a lot of work pending. Thanks to Fiona, I always had a lot of work pending.

"Er...no?" I replied hesitantly. I haven't been up to date with the council politics lately. Not a good thing to be aloof in such cases but the last few weeks had been tough for me. I was too preoccupied with Victor's case and the situation with a certain Underlord to have paid attention to such things. "What is it this time? One of their members stirring up shit?" I chuckled, trying to sound casual, but the look that Derrek shot made me stop.

"What is it?" I asked grimly this time.

"One of their members has gone missing," Derrek replied, leaning in to whisper, "Especially the one who was supposed to be appointed the next Council advisor," I straightened up.

Another high-ranking Council member was missing, and it was none other than a Rothledge. The same house Victor Stein belonged to. Rothledges were the most prominent descendants of Horrace— the brother of Solomon, the heir. It had been a long time since the houses of Horrace had been trying to gain more power in the Inner Circle of the Council, which was still predominantly ruled by Somolon's descendants, specifically The Conthalls. They were the most powerful house in the Council of Ergon.

The Conthalls had ruled over most of the paranormal creatures in this realm for centuries till now. The Head of the Council had always been someone from the house Conthall. Once in a while, there was someone from Rosennor's house, the other half of Solomon's descendants, but their reigns had been pretty much brief so far.

However, lately, the descendants of Horrace had been trying to extend their influence into the Council's Inner Circle. I, too, came from one of the houses called Murlow, which were descendants of Horrace, though my house wasn't special. But the recent activities of the Rothledges had me intrigued like the rest of the council.

"When did that happen?" I asked.

"Last week," Derrek informed me, "He was supposed to go to one of the council meetings, but when he didn't show up, someone went to see him at his place, and he wasn't there. His place was ransacked, and many important Council documents had gone missing along with his devices. It's a hot matter,"

"Damn, who's looking into this case?" I asked.

"Someone in the Ranks of the Inner Circle. A Conthall without a doubt," He said, "But I don't have a good feeling about it," He quickly added, giving me a knowing look. I knew what he meant by that.

For a long time, the house of Conthalls and Rothledges had been on unpleasant terms. They didn't get along well as much, and the recent amendments to the council rules might be why. The Conthalls now barred Rothledges from specific important council meetings and had a few of the Rothledges step down from their ranks of The Inner Circle. Things were heated between the children of Solomon and Horrace.

"Thanks for letting me know," I told Derrek.

"What about your case, though? I came here to talk to you because I heard you're also looking for a missing Rothledge. It's Stein, isn't it?" He asked, and it was one of the reasons why I chose my words carefully while talking to Derrek. He loved to talk, sometimes too much for his good. It often made me wonder how he hadn't been caught in some office politics yet. Maybe it had something to do with him being one of Fiona's favourites. Even more dangerous.

"Yeah, I've been the one handling his case. So far, nothing," I decided to tell him, "It's like he disappeared into thin air,"

Derrek chuckled, but there was nothing humorous in it.

"I have a feeling a lot more Council members are going to disappear into thin air soon," He joked, but I had a feeling that his words would soon come true.

~

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