Flower

Chapter - 16

CHAPTER 16

(ICARUS'S POV)

As I enter Father's office the next day, I notice the serious look on his face. “Sit down,” he says as I take a seat in front of me.

“We've identified the bandits that attacked you. It seems your speculation about assassins pretending to be bandits was correct. My men were scouring through the records of the underworld when this filth came up,” my brows furrow at his words as my muscles stiffen, “We've only gotten our hands on the leader. Would you like to interrogate him yourself?”

I smile with glee, the dark look in my eyes a stark contrast to my smile, “Mind leading me there?”

He sees the determination in my eyes and gets up, leading me towards the dungeon and into a dark cellar where the assassin is being held. Seeing his face brings back the memories of that day. The day my friend sacrificed his life for mine.

I calm down and take a seat in front of the Assassin, he has been beaten to a pulp already. “Who was it?” He looks at me quizzically.

“Who ordered you to kill the Crown Prince?” I lean forward, my elbows resting on my knees, “Do not even dream about lying,” I whisper as I grip his head.

“I…I don't remember,” he stutters out nervously. “Wasn't being beaten to a pulp not enough to make you confess?” I spit out angrily.

“I truly don't remember,” it's a blatant lie. I can notice the fear of being caught in his eyes. I let go of his head and got up, looking at my father I said, “Why don't we bring out the Rack to jog his memory?”

Father leads me out of the cellar and looks at me seriously, “We have stopped using the rack a long time ago. It's an inhumane torture.”

“Father, do you really wish to sympathise with the ones trying to end your bloodline?” I look him into the eye, seeing my unwavering attitude, he sighs and agrees. I signal the guards to bring out the machine.

They fasten his arms and legs on the four corners of the structure. I instruct the two guards to get in position and put the mechanism in action.

“You still have time to confess,” I snap my fingers and the guards turn the roller a little, the assassin lets out a long painstaking scream.

As the rollers keep moving, his struggles and screams become louder. “If you confess now, your limbs might not dislocate,” I say calmly. The sight of his muscles straining and the pressure being put on his bones is satisfying, but we can't overdo it. We need the names of the real culprits.

“L…lord Lei and Siegel…a…and, there was a man in a cloak. He called himself Raven. H..he was the one that reached out to me first,” he blurts out, not being able to handle the pressure any longer. I instruct the guards to get him off the rack and send him back to his cellar.

I turn to Father, “Now you know who to grab for information on Raven,” I say calmly as I turn around and return to my office.

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It's been two days since the ball. I'm sitting in my office, watching the sunset when I hear a knock on my door, “Come in,” Damien walks in with his usual stoic look and bows, “Your Highness, I have retrieved information on Lord Atticus.”

“Tell me everything you know,” I straighten my back and look up at him seriously.

“He's said to be just like the previous Lords, ruling his estate with an iron fist. Despite his irascible temper, the House of Atticus continues to grow under his rule. Behind that arrogance and pride, there's a man that can back it up. His Majesty has been growing wary of his influence over the court,” I listen intently and ask, “But…how is he as a man?”

Damien takes a deep breath and speaks, “While I was investigating the premises, I heard some guards talking about how they heard screams from the Lord's office on the night of the ball. And by the way they were discussing it, it sounded as if it wasn't the first time. Well it's not new for nobles to torture their servants,” he says as I delve into my thoughts, my thoughts going back to the events of the evening of the Ball. The way he gripped her wrist did not seem affectionate.

The unsettling blank look in her eyes as if she's tired, could he be the reason for her wanting to hide?

I snap out of thoughts and look up at Damien again, “Do you have the blueprint of the Atticus Residence?”

“I do, but may I know why you're so interested in the business of House Atticus suddenly?” he asks me cautiously. “It is one of the oldest families in the Empire, naturally I'd like to keep information on them,” I responded calmly, “Do let me know if you find any other information. You may leave now.”

I lean back in my chair as he leaves, closing my eyes and thinking about all he said. That's when it all clicked. The hesitation and fear in Lily's eyes, her overly cautious attitude, the way he gripped and dragged her out and guards hearing screams that very night. Could that vile monster be abusing his wife?

I jolt up from my chair and pace around, thinking up ways to know about her wellbeing. Writing a letter to her gets ruled out if she's really being abused. He might see it first and her situation can worsen. It pains me to think that she might have gotten hurt because of my approach.

I try to come up with more ways, yet none comes to mind. After pacing around for a while, my eyes fall on the blueprint of the Atticus Residence.

This is the only way…

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