"It's her fault. All of it!!!" Lord Edward fumed, his voice cracking with fury, his hands clenched into tight fists as he glared across the room at Darius, who returned the glare with icy, unwavering intensity.
"We all know it's no one's fault but us," Lord Volkov interjected, his voice steady, cutting through the heated silence. He turned his gaze towards the other Lords. "But especially you Lords." His eyes moved deliberately over Lord Barret, Henry, Daniel, and Edward, pausing a moment longer on Lord Edward, whose anger was still palpable.
"Especially his," Sebastian spoke, his voice sharp and filled with a simmering resentment. All eyes shifted towards the person he pointed to—Edward. But Darius had already been watching him, his gaze intense and unwavering.
"What do you mean by that?" Leroy, who had been leaning casually against the wall, straightened and stepped forward, his posture becoming rigid as he moved toward the center of the room. His voice was laced with danger, but there was also a cold curiosity, as though he was expecting something significant to unfold.
"Like Lord Varosh and Lord Daniel," Sebastian began, his tone edged with bitterness. "My father was approached by the dark witch too. She was in our manor, and if I were to guess correctly, my father didn't agree at first. As you all know, he was on the side of the Queen of Lunareth. He, like everyone here, sought peace." His eyes narrowed, focusing on each Lord in turn. "But the witch promised him something he had always desired: a way to uncurse my mother. That's why he agreed."
A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone processed Sebastian's words.
"He's the one who got Princess Evelyn captured and taken to the witch," Sebastian continued, his voice growing quieter, more subdued. "As some of us may know , Princess Evelyn had always been interested in solving , and in mysteries. It was also one of her greatest wishes to meet my mother. My father had denied her multiple times from seeing my mother, but eventually, he agreed. And that's when they took her. I don't know what happened after that, but I know this: Lord Varosh, Lord Daniel, and my father were all approached by the witch."
As his words sank in, the room shifted uneasily. Some eyes turned to Lord Edward, while others focused on the still-quiet Lord Daniel.
Lord Volkov broke the silence, his calm voice a contrast to the tension hanging in the air. "Lord Daniel," he said, his gaze shifting to the drunk Lord, who appeared disoriented as he tried to remain seated. "What did you do? Did you give access to that witch?"
The quiet that followed was palpable, and for a moment, it seemed as though no one dared to speak. But then, in a flash of movement, Lord Volkov moved with an inhuman speed, his form almost a blur. A chair clattered to the ground as Lord Daniel was knocked backward, his legs sprawled out on the floor. Lord Volkov stood over him, his eyes cold and merciless.
"What did you do?!" Volkov demanded again, his voice low, dangerous. "Did you help her? Did you betray us all?"
Lord Daniel opened his mouth, but no words came out. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, and his face grew pale as he trembled beneath Volkov's gaze. It was clear he was struggling with something, torn between guilt and fear, but before he could answer, a calm voice rang out, stopping the chaos in its tracks.
"Everyone, hold your horses," Lord Cade's voice resounded through the room as he entered. He walked slowly, deliberately, his steps measured as if to assert control over the situation. Elara followed behind him, her face eerily expressionless, but those who looked closely could see the flicker of panic in her eyes, hidden beneath a mask of calm.
"There is no need to panic," Lord Cade continued, sitting in a chair opposite Given, who had been itching to rise and approach the Queen. "We can resolve this as adults. We don't need to lose our heads.
What I'm grasping here is that everyone in this room has made mistakes. Everyone seeks peace, but we're not on the same side." Lord Cade glanced around at the Lords with a penetrating stare.
"You got that right, Mi'lord," Lord Henry spoke, his voice mocking yet tinged with bitterness. "One of the reasons for that might be because you've always wanted to divide us."
"I apologize for the past," Lord Cade said, his tone shifting as he glanced around at the room. "But now, we need to focus on the matter at hand. Let's all lay out what we know about the witch, Hilda, and the former King Theron. If anyone here knows what their plans were, it's time to put it all on the table. What we're dealing with is grave, serious, and shrouded in mystery. But if we come together, we can solve it."