The Dark Side of Fate

117 Into Action

-Leo-

I wasn't the only person shocked by Joan's words. The rest of the people in the hall were surprised too. Had we not caught her, she would have remained silent. She was despicable. 1 "How do you know this? Do you attend their meetings? Where does it take place? How do you communicate?" I asked her, hoping to get information that would help me rescue Casper and all the people kidnapped in the East. As things were, the East was vulnerable, and time was going. Any information would help.

Joan shook her head and looked at me. Her eyes were swollen. The silver cuffs on her wrist had stopped her from healing.

"So, how did you get the information?" I asked her, and her lips were quivering. She did not want to say it; the only reason she didn’t want to say it was that it could get her into more trouble.

"If you do not give us the source of the information, it won't be seen as credible," I said, and she began to weep.

She looked at Leah and then at the lords. There was shame in her demeanour, and I braced myself for more shocking revelations.

"This financial issue has been a strain on my family. It was why Leah's father went missing. I believe he ran away so he wouldn't have to pay the debts. I have been trying to find other ways to keep up with our lifestyle," She said, and I did not have time for this.

"The source, Joan," I ordered her, tired of her roundabout approach. She was prevaricating on the matter, and time was of the essence.

"There is a member of the cult named Igor Stepanov. He is Yuri's cousin.

He is also in the inner caucus. Many people do not know because he appears to be neutral most of the time, but he is a strong believer in Yuri's values, and Yuri trusts him a lot. He gives me a lot of money to go on a trip with him," She confessed, which was a subtle way of revealing her affairs.

"He pays you for a good time?" Devin asked, simplifying her words, and she shook her head. She was ashamed.

"Not really, we are dating, but we aren't exclusive, and he helps me financially. He was the one I planned to join on Cain's island this evening. The reason I told His Majesty I was travelling.

Well, he came to Lucland last yesterday.

It was a sudden visit, and I had to go and see him. I am coming from his hotel. I heard him discussing the Brighton attack on the phone this morning when he thought I was sleeping,* Joan said, and I was ecstatic about the news.

"Hotel name now!" I asked.

I wanted to pick this bastard up if he was still there. We needed to question him. I suspect he had a hand in the attack last night. I was glad the broadcast was stopped before this, or he would have discovered he was caught.

"He isn't at the hotel anymore; he is leaving for Cains might have left already. He asked me to join him, but now that he must have seen I have been arrested, he won't be expecting me anymore. He is a cautious man." Joan said.

"Do you know his other addresses?" I asked her, and she shook her head.

"I have two cousins called Ighor. One of them staying in Hayland," Erik said, and I looked at him. He shrugged.

"Ighor comes across as a neutral party. He is my cousin. We see his Luis Ivanov. Neutral and peaceful. He planned not to take sides; now I know he was lying." Erik said and stood up.

"Igor isn't supposed to be on any team, so I am surprised he is on Yuri's team now," He clarified.

seem to like how he put the question, but she had no

now. We met at Yuri's house in

It is either him or the other one. If it is the Ighor in Hayland, we can catch him, but the other one has been missing for years." Erik

I took of him when we were hugging, so all you will see is his back. I took

for me," Erik said, and

he got to the picture

I know how Yuri found out about AgK32,’ he gritted his teeth. He was enraged. It was so intense that I knew there

it all now," I told

confessed, and I ran my

I asked him, feeling impatient, and he bowed his

me mobilise some Stepanovs to join my warriors based on my discussion with you, Leo. I told him that if the King gave us what we wanted, we could use the army to push Yuri back for peace's

him to help us gather a Stepanov Army to help us push back. What were the odds that he would know

bastard, we need to

but the

now dismissed," I said, and

a brutal, aggressive attack by these people," I warned the nobles, and they began to move faster than they

Bryce asked me, and I looked up at Sylvester and Tamia where they were. They were both standing, and there

the prisoners in the underground prison, for now," I said, unable

to the top of the building to board the helicopter. We moved quickly, and some of us were making phone calls. There was

I bet he had no clue of

up with Yuri; we would have fallen into

to reach mother?" Sylvester asked Dominic,

called him?" David

for him to call back,"

will ask him to call me when he returns. I have told his son Donald to start evacuating the people

as white as a sheet. Their

can successfully abduct your mother?" Tamia

the location of our children from them. I say we move the children," Linda

don't," Amelia

never give up her grandchildren, and Jake would never do anything that will hurt Stepanie. They will die first

now, they will be exposed. I say we catch Ighor and send troops

tracing out the people that were

will be our only safe passage to the South if war ensues between Yuri and

initially, only that he forgot to add the west to the number. The West was already taken with Sean on his side and Stepanovs

is right,"

skipped Brighton all this while. I suspected it was because they were saving it for last so the King would not be alerted. If they had taken Brighton, it would affect Lady Stephanie, and King Sylvester would get into the matter. I believe they saved it for

If we plan on getting our troops to the South, we must pass through Brighton because it shares a border with Greenville. Moving our troops from the east to Greenville will be long and leave room for ambush because Greenville is in the southwest, and we will have to pass through the southeast to get there if we move from the East.