Rafael knew Leroy was an impulsive and reckless man.
The trap had been easily defused, and Icarus had been captured on the spot. Now, Leroy would doubt Harvey and wonder if this was all part of a joint scheme.
However, Rafael saw Leroy's mouth open and then immediately close. That indicated that while Leroy was rash, he wasn't foolish.
However, Rafael wasn't disappointed and ordered, "Matthew, continue the interrogation."
After giving his command to Matthew, he turned to Michael. "Take Mr. Stellwyn back to Concord Lodge and report this matter to Grand Princess Lisandra."
"Understood!" Michael responded, then turned to Leroy. "Mr. Stellwyn, please follow me."
Leroy glanced at Icarus, then adjusted the sleeve pocket where the king's edict was kept, signaling for Icarus to remain silent.
Seeing the motion, Icarus' heart sank. He realized he had been discarded like a pawn. He had been caught on the spot, with no room to evade responsibility. Still, he couldn't let Westhaven's negotiation fail because of him. There was no choice left—he would have to bear this burden alone.
As Leroy left the Supreme Court, he felt a coldness creeping through his limbs. His heart seemed frozen in his chest.
Where had things gone wrong? Had there been an ambush? Or had it been just the three of them?
Looking at the whip marks on Icarus' body, it was clear he had been attacked by only one person. When Michael arrived at Glimmering Tower, he angrily claimed that a dozen men had surrounded three people, which meant the Hell Monarch and his party might not have prepared in advance.
Could Icarus and the suicide soldiers have simply been overpowered?
That conclusion was hard to accept. If it had truly been just three people, it would have had to be the coachman, the maid, and the Hell Monarch's wife. Even without the suicide soldiers, that combination couldn't possibly defeat Icarus.
No, the Capital Guard had arrived just in time. It suggested that they might have been prepared ahead of time. Had the Capital Guard been the ones to beat Icarus?
But that didn't make sense, either. Leroy had already investigated the Capital Guard and Royal Guard. Few of them were highly skilled. From the marks on Icarus' body, it was clear he had been in a dire situation before the Capital Guard even arrived.
Amos' heart sank—had Icarus failed?
He hurried to the main hall of Concord Lodge. As soon as he entered, he saw Lisandra sitting on the main seat with a frosty expression. The Starhaven deputy commander had already left. Leroy sat beside her, looking dazed and as if struck by a heavy blow.
"Mr. Stellwyn, what happened?" Amos asked, his voice trembling.
Leroy lifted his gaze, his voice low and gritted as he hissed, "We were fooled! Prince Harvey can't be trusted. Commander Icarus failed and was captured."
"What? We were tricked?" Amos was stunned. "Even if it was a trap, wasn't Commander Icarus supposed to escape? How could he have been captured?"
"I saw him." Leroy slammed his fist on the armrest, furious. "He was brought to the Supreme Court. His entire body was covered in whip marks. It was Prince Harvey. It has to be him! That scoundrel—I'll kill him!"
Lisandra remained cold and composed, and her gaze was fixed on them. Her expression was indifferent as she asked calmly, "At this point, are you still blaming Prince Harvey? Where's your brain? I warned you all not to underestimate women. Did you investigate Lady Carissa? Did you send people out without thinking? Does someone like Icarus even matter to Lady Carissa?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Her Graceful War Song
What happens to the other chapters, I've been waiting to read more of this story, the character's and the screening are fantastic, very intriguing story...
Next chapter please, what's happening...
Very captivating novel....
Both content and context are very intriguing, the writer style of pulling out characters in their unique ways are profound,I have recommended this book because it's very captivating...