When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 28

The Plights of Older Men

"He was there, I could feel it!"

Gaulitier was fuming, angry that he had spent so much time in the open in the hopes that he could trap The Serpent. He had been positive that the man would not be able to ignore such an opportunity to bring him in.

Seemingly, however, he had.

"Either he wasn't there, or he is much brighter than you gave him credit for, Hans," Gellert replied.

"He was there!" Gaulitier reiterated. "I could feel his snakelike eyes on me. We were ready for him Gellert, twenty of our best lying in wait for him to try."

"Yet, he did no such thing."

"Because he's a snivelling coward!"

Hans thumped his fist atop Gellert's desk in frustration. The German despised when things did not go to plan.

"No, he is no coward," Gellert mumbled to himself. "He is cunning, Hans, and will not fall for such an elementary ruse. We must do better."

"What do you suggest?"

Gellert nodded thoughtfully.

"I will need to ponder the matter further, Hans. The Serpent is as slippery as his namesake, but he will not elude us. Leave it with me and join Perseus. I'm sure your expertise will be a welcome addition to his own efforts."

Gaulitier was not pleased to be kept waiting. He was not the most patient of men, but he spoke no further and took his leave of the room.

"What is it now?" Gellert sighed as another knock at the door disturbed him from his own work.

"Well, someone is not in a good mood."

Gellert frowned at the woman that entered his drawing room.

"And where have you been, Cassie?" he asked shortly.

He had been expecting her to return weeks ago to provide him with a report on her findings on who The Serpent might be but had heard nothing.

It wasn't unusual for Cassie to simply vanish for months at a time, but not when the task she was sent on was as pressing as this.

Slowly but surely, The Serpent was having an effect on his endeavours. His followers were wary of the Hit-Wizard, even those that were capable of handling themselves in such situations.

He was proving to be an enigma; the rumours being spread about him across the continent growing more and more absurd by the day.

Not that Gellert believed them, but others did, and that was enough to create small pockets of resistance that he would need to deal with.

The Serpent was becoming a beacon for others to look to, and he needed to be snuffed out.

"I have been home," Cassiopeia answered simply.

"Something I was aware of," Gellert returned irritably, "but you have been gone for the best part of three months. What have you discovered?"