"One of the privileges of becoming a Hermes VIP is that you are entitled to face to face meetings with our agents, however to become one you have to sign a Genesis Contract that states that you will never reveal the existence of the VIP rank to anyone."
"And yet you are?" Thasinia pointed out.
"That's because I am not a VIP member but a member of Hermes and so I am under a different Genesis Contract, I won't go into the details of it since I am not allowed, however understand that I am allowed to talk about it if I get permission from the leader of Hermes."
"The leader?" Tanelia said surprised.
"Do not ask me who they are my queen, as I will be forced to lie to you." Penelo requested before continuing.
"Now as a fairly high member of Hermes I can use their services just like any VIP can, however the agent of Hermes working for me won't know my true identity and just think of me as another VIP."
"Why would Hermes recruit an unloved minister's wife?" Thasinia asked.
Panelo looked at Thasinia before simply replying.
"Who better to report on a powerful minister's actions and plans than an unloved wife that he does not even consider a threat."
The women nodded in agreement to this logic.
"Then why risk revealing yourself to us?" Tanelia asked.
"Because of princess Alea." Penelo replied.
"Alea? What does she have to do with this?" Tanelia asked, confused.
"Her happiness has everything to do with this"Penelo began to explain.
"While most people are trying to decide if John Michaels being the date of three different women, two of which being princesses of different races was true or just some ploy they had cooked up for some reason."
"To the discerning eye it was painfully obvious that Princess Alea truly loves John Michaels, while several of the other women around him at the banquet also have feelings for him."
"Because of this I am inclined to believe that he may very well be dating at least Princess Alea if not the others also."
"Our organization has no information on this John Michaels since he just popped up out of nowhere a week ago when he started living here in the palace."
"Because of this and the fact that one of my conditions for joining Hermes was that I would never betray the royal family, I determined it necessary to report this information to you as soon as possible because John Michaels life is on the line."
"His life is on the line?" Alexia asked with a frown.
"Indeed, as you will soon hear, those men are putting plans in motion to assassinate him if an opportunity arises."
There was silence for a moment before Saida asked.
"Why the sudden change of heart towards the throne and royal family, you have never shown any try respect towards her majesty before?"
Penelo turned to Saida and replied.
"As I told her majesty on the call earlier, we all have our roles to play when being watched, since my traitor of a husband and son hate the royal family and only act nice while they try to make her fall in love with my son, I am expected to feel the same and if I showed my true loyalty towards the royal family my husband would no doubt find a reason to eliminate me, as it stands I still serve a purpose of arm candy for him at social events." Penelo finished the last part with venom and hatred in her voice before continuing.
"I have always been loyal to the royal family just like my birth family, however they did not realize the true nature of the Petvalur family when they married me off to them, I guess the promise of more power and money blinded them." Penelo spat.
There was silence again before Tanelia asked.
"Do you know what they have planned for my daughter?"
"More or less what I'm sure you yourself expect my queen."
"Aiduin has no love for princess Alea, he is just trying to win her heart so that he can become king consort when she takes the throne in the future, when that happens he will no doubt use her like Elashor uses me as arm candy while he sleeps around with his favorite toy of the moment."
"Aiduin has never loved any women, he just rotates between those who entertain him or are useful to him for the moment before he tosses them away and moves onto the next."
All the women showed dark looks at this even though they kind of expected the answer.
"It seems princess Alea is in the same situation as princess Adria and Sarah Lapis." Panelo stated.
"You know this how?" Alexia asked with a dark look.
"It's in the recording, this can't come as a surprise to you empress Alexia, from the files we have on you, princess Adria and Sarah Lapis it is apparent you are all smart women, though Sarah Lapis is dumb when it comes to men."
Alexia did not reply and just nodded.
"Very well how about we hear this recording of yours and you tell us what you want in return." Tanelia suggested.
"While the part about John Michaels I am doing for free as it supports the royal family and my future queen princess Alea, the part about pride rock comes with a price." Panelo said once again, making Alexia frown.
"What do you want?" Alexia asked.
"Assistance in leaving my husband and safe harbor as he is sure to come after me." Panelo replied.
"I thought your job was to pass on information regarding him to Hermes, can you just leave him?" Thasinia asked.
"I can, my contract length with Hermes to pass on information regarding him was fifty years, I have almost doubled that length of time and so I am well within my right to leave him, I have endured as much of the two of them as I can."
Alexia thought for a moment before nodding and saying.
"Very well if your information proves useful I am willing to provide for you back in Eclipse City."
Panelo chuckled before replying.
"With all do respect empress Alexia, while I want away from my husband and son, I do not want to leave my homeland as I still think I can prove useful to my queen."
"Alright then, if Alexia approves of the information you have for her then I will allow you to live here in the palace and you will work directly under me in information gathering, does that satisfy you?"
"It does, but please bear in mind that while you are my queen I can not reveal Hermes secrets to you without permission from the leader or my life is forfeit."
"Very well then let us hear this recording." Tanelia ordered.
"Yes my queen." Panelo said before using her access band and playing the recording the elf had given her before to all those in the room.
As the recording played the women listened to the information regarding the six men's plan to hinder John in Genesis and if an opportunity arises eliminate him altogether.
After Elashor and Aiduin left the conversation shifted to pride rock where the women heard about the progress of Daniel and Jordan's group along with the fact they had a few plans on how to finally secure the capture point and they Clifford wanted it done in a week.
They also got confirmation that they had hired groups to ambush Adria's team.
When the recording got to the point about the men enjoying themselves Panelo stopped the recording.
There was silence in the room as the women mulled over the recording until Alexia asked.
"Saida is John still in the palace?"
Before Saida could reply a new voice said.
"He is with those five girls."
Following which Oldest floated in through the wall.
"WHAT THE!" Panelo shouted in surprise as she jumped to her feet preparing to cast magic.
"Oh, we have a guest." Oldest said.
"Lady Penelo please calm down, grandmother could you at least inform us before you come floating in." Tanelia asked with a sigh.
"Grandmother." Said with doubt before realization dawned and she bowed deeply saying.
"Honored ancestor, it is an honor to meet you."
"Hooo." Oldest said with a smile looking at Panelo before asking.
"Tanelia won't you introduce us?"
"Of course, Lady Panelo meet my grandmother Elmyra, Grandmother this is Lady Panelo Petvalur."
"I see, a pleasure to meet you, Lady Panelo." Oldest said.
"The honor is mine." Panelo replied with joy.
"Wait, isn't Petvalur the name of that troublesome minister?" Oldest asked.
"It is grandmother, though it would seem Lady Panelo is on our side." Tanelia replied before informing Oldest about everything they had just discussed.
"Interesting, Tanelia, we must make sure to protect John at all costs." Oldest said before looking at Alexia, Chirax and Sakoto and saying with a grin.
"You three should assist as well, after all we are all family now."