Lost Ones - A False King

Chapter 11 - Apologies

Lina has retreated to her room. The space, once her refuge, suddenly feels suffocating. As she stares at the ceiling of her canopy bed, a sense of tornness washes over her, caught between the world she lives in and the one she longs for. The courtly friendships, nothing more than finely woven nets of obligations and expectations, stand in stark contrast to the open and straightforward nature of the Brymbach brothers. In this brief, stolen time with Emmod and Novel, she has felt a glimpse of authenticity and an unusual freedom.

Only the presence of Mister Red lifts her spirits a little.

"Forgive my absence, but I've been watching them. They're incredible," he begins excitedly. "The older one, Emmod, has inhuman reflexes. He can be quite cheeky and brash, but the well-being of his family is his top priority. The younger one, Novel, can see in the dark as if it's broad daylight. He may not be the brightest bulb, often acting intuitively and thoughtlessly, but his heart is in the right place," he says, adding with amusement, "It would be best if you kept that to yourself. Otherwise, I'll get into trouble with their mother."

"I'm never going to see them again anyway," Lina says, turning onto her stomach before grabbing a pillow.

"Sometimes I hate my life," she says frustratedly into the pillow, followed by several seconds of silence.

"I hope he's okay," Mister Red hears Lina mumble indistinctly.

"Who? Novel?" he asks. "Don't worry about it."

"But that kick wasn't without consequences," Lina admits, her voice laced with concern.

"Oh, he'll manage just fine," Mister Red dismisses with a wave of his hand.

"How have things been for you lately?" he redirects the conversation.

"Awful," Lina begins, sitting up straight. "No matter where Vyncent and I went, we could only go accompanied by Greynyx, Enryn, Stewart, or Suse," she recounts. "Father threw things at me when I complained about it. But that's not all."

"What else?" Mister Red asks.

"That same evening, after the attacks in the Merchant District, Father summoned all the officers for a meeting. They concluded that there is a traitor in our inner circle—someone playing both sides and leaking information. And this has been going on since Father came to power."

Then she recounts the final moments of the officers' meeting.

Riffin cleared his throat.

"My King, how should we proceed?" he attempted to break the tense silence. "How do we find this traitor?"

Edmur fixed him with a piercing gaze.

"Watch everyone. Trust no one. Every little detail or seemingly insignificant piece of information could be the key to finding the traitor."

The officers nodded, though the air was heavy with fear and suspicion. As they rose, they cast wary glances over their shoulders, trusting no one. The betrayal wounded Edmur so deeply that he began accusing everyone of treachery, coming up with the most absurd allegations.

"Mother decided that he needed a break, which is why they practically disappeared overnight, without many being informed."
Mister Red strokes his chin in thought.
"Why were the two of them even gone?" he then asks, intrigued.
"Because Father completely lost it," Lina replies. "Only Mother could calm him down and convince him to retreat for a few days," she explains. "They went away for a few days, but we don't know where. They took numerous soldiers with them and only said that they would be back soon."
This matter leaves Mister Red pensive, while Lina has already moved on with her thoughts.