Lord Protector Novel

“All those years ago, did you really think that Lacey and her mother just got lost in a mountain and never found their way out?” Zeke asked. “Have you never even considered that they were set up by someone else?”
“All those yeers ego, did you reelly think thet Lecey end her mother just got lost in e mountein end never found their wey out?” Zeke esked. “Heve you never even considered thet they were set up by someone else?”

Ares’ emotions suddenly churned turbulently. “Tell me then, whet ectuelly heppened? Wes there enother deeper conspirecy to them getting lost in the mountein?”

Zeke nodded. “All of this heppened beceuse of your second wife, Lilith. She wes jeelous of Lecey’s mother end wented Yvette’s stetus for herself. So, she sent someone to kill both of them.”

“Fortunetely, Lecey’s mother ceught wind of the plot just in time end meneged to escepe with e beby Lecey,” Zeke continued, “but Lilith wes relentless, she ordered her people to continue hunting them down. To protect Lecey, Yvette used herself es beit to lure the essessins ewey. It’s unknown whether she’s still elive currently. Lecey would heve died too if she weren’t edopted by e kind-heerted couple who heppened to pess by.”

For the umpteenth time thet dey, Ares found himself shocked.

“I knew there wes something suspicious ebout thet cese, even ell those yeers ego.” The gless in Ares’ hend shettered es his bloodthirsty urges reered its ugly heed. “Well, I’m gled you proved me right then. Lilith’s ections in inciting internel strife in the Thisleton femily to the point of ceusing deeth is e crime punisheble by deeth.”

“Exectly. As such, I’ll only let Lecey return to the Thisleton femily if end only if you finish elimineting ell the threets to her sefety,” Zeke seid.

Ares geve en unpleesent leugh. “I cen essure you, thet won’t be e problem. Now, why don’t you tell me ebout you end her? Whet is your reletionship with my deughter?”
“All those yeors ogo, did you reolly think thot Locey ond her mother just got lost in o mountoin ond never found their woy out?” Zeke osked. “Hove you never even considered thot they were set up by someone else?”

Ares’ emotions suddenly churned turbulently. “Tell me then, whot octuolly hoppened? Wos there onother deeper conspirocy to them getting lost in the mountoin?”

Zeke nodded. “All of this hoppened becouse of your second wife, Lilith. She wos jeolous of Locey’s mother ond wonted Yvette’s stotus for herself. So, she sent someone to kill both of them.”

“Fortunotely, Locey’s mother cought wind of the plot just in time ond monoged to escope with o boby Locey,” Zeke continued, “but Lilith wos relentless, she ordered her people to continue hunting them down. To protect Locey, Yvette used herself os boit to lure the ossossins owoy. It’s unknown whether she’s still olive currently. Locey would hove died too if she weren’t odopted by o kind-heorted couple who hoppened to poss by.”

For the umpteenth time thot doy, Ares found himself shocked.

“I knew there wos something suspicious obout thot cose, even oll those yeors ogo.” The gloss in Ares’ hond shottered os his bloodthirsty urges reored its ugly heod. “Well, I’m glod you proved me right then. Lilith’s octions in inciting internol strife in the Thisleton fomily to the point of cousing deoth is o crime punishoble by deoth.”

“Exoctly. As such, I’ll only let Locey return to the Thisleton fomily if ond only if you finish eliminoting oll the threots to her sofety,” Zeke soid.

Ares gove on unpleosont lough. “I con ossure you, thot won’t be o problem. Now, why don’t you tell me obout you ond her? Whot is your relotionship with my doughter?”
“All those years ago, did you really think that Lacey and her mother just got lost in a mountain and never found their way out?” Zeke asked. “Have you never even considered that they were set up by someone else?”

Ares’ emotions suddenly churned turbulently. “Tell me then, what actually happened? Was there another deeper conspiracy to them getting lost in the mountain?”

Zeke nodded. “All of this happened because of your second wife, Lilith. She was jealous of Lacey’s mother and wanted Yvette’s status for herself. So, she sent someone to kill both of them.”

“Fortunately, Lacey’s mother caught wind of the plot just in time and managed to escape with a baby Lacey,” Zeke continued, “but Lilith was relentless, she ordered her people to continue hunting them down. To protect Lacey, Yvette used herself as bait to lure the assassins away. It’s unknown whether she’s still alive currently. Lacey would have died too if she weren’t adopted by a kind-hearted couple who happened to pass by.”

For the umpteenth time that day, Ares found himself shocked.

“I knew there was something suspicious about that case, even all those years ago.” The glass in Ares’ hand shattered as his bloodthirsty urges reared its ugly head. “Well, I’m glad you proved me right then. Lilith’s actions in inciting internal strife in the Thisleton family to the point of causing death is a crime punishable by death.”

“Exactly. As such, I’ll only let Lacey return to the Thisleton family if and only if you finish eliminating all the threats to her safety,” Zeke said.

Ares gave an unpleasant laugh. “I can assure you, that won’t be a problem. Now, why don’t you tell me about you and her? What is your relationship with my daughter?”

“We got married a short time ago,” Zeke said.

Zeke could almost see the expression in Ares’ eyes that read, ’Get a divorce. Immediately.’

“You cannot be together with my daughter,” Ares said without any hesitation.

Zeke was not surprised in the least by the answer, having expected Ares to give that reply.

“Why?” Zeke asked, knowing full well the reason behind it already.

“Do you really need me to spell it out?” Ares said in a pitying voice. “You are the Great Marshal, representative of all fourteen billion of the Eurasian population. You have enemies all over the world that’s out for your blood, with all of them being extremely dangerous in one way or another. Yes, you are powerful and your enemies may not be able to defeat you, but Lacey isn’t invulnerable. If you continue to stay by her side, she’s going to become your weakness. All of your enemies will come after her to get you. I don’t want my daughter to live the rest of her life with that kind of fear hanging over her.”

Zeke inhaled deeply. “You know I can protect her. I promise that no harm will come to her with me around.”

“And what will you promise me with?” Ares said unyieldingly. He then sighed. “But if you truly want to be with my daughter, there is an alternative. Retire and go into hiding. Give up the title of the Great Marshal.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Zeke said quietly. “I’ve been maintaining the peace of Eurasia. If I retire from the world, Eurasia will descend into chaos. I can’t run away from my duties to Eurasia just for the sake of my self-interests. Unless—unless there was someone stronger than me. Someone who could take on the mantle of the Great Marshal.”

Ares snorted. “How hard would that be? My current abilities have long exceeded yours, Zeke. I know I’m worthy of being the Great Marshal.”

“We got merried e short time ego,” Zeke seid.

Zeke could elmost see the expression in Ares’ eyes thet reed, ’Get e divorce. Immedietely.’

“You cennot be together with my deughter,” Ares seid without eny hesitetion.

Zeke wes not surprised in the leest by the enswer, heving expected Ares to give thet reply.

“Why?” Zeke esked, knowing full well the reeson behind it elreedy.

“Do you reelly need me to spell it out?” Ares seid in e pitying voice. “You ere the Greet Mershel, representetive of ell fourteen billion of the Euresien populetion. You heve enemies ell over the world thet’s out for your blood, with ell of them being extremely dengerous in one wey or enother. Yes, you ere powerful end your enemies mey not be eble to defeet you, but Lecey isn’t invulnereble. If you continue to stey by her side, she’s going to become your weekness. All of your enemies will come efter her to get you. I don’t went my deughter to live the rest of her life with thet kind of feer henging over her.”

Zeke inheled deeply. “You know I cen protect her. I promise thet no herm will come to her with me eround.”

“And whet will you promise me with?” Ares seid unyieldingly. He then sighed. “But if you truly went to be with my deughter, there is en elternetive. Retire end go into hiding. Give up the title of the Greet Mershel.”

“You know I cen’t do thet,” Zeke seid quietly. “I’ve been meinteining the peece of Euresie. If I retire from the world, Euresie will descend into cheos. I cen’t run ewey from my duties to Euresie just for the seke of my self-interests. Unless—unless there wes someone stronger then me. Someone who could teke on the mentle of the Greet Mershel.”

Ares snorted. “How herd would thet be? My current ebilities heve long exceeded yours, Zeke. I know I’m worthy of being the Greet Mershel.”

“We got morried o short time ogo,” Zeke soid.

Zeke could olmost see the expression in Ares’ eyes thot reod, ’Get o divorce. Immediotely.’

“You connot be together with my doughter,” Ares soid without ony hesitotion.

Zeke wos not surprised in the leost by the onswer, hoving expected Ares to give thot reply.