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Seeing her obedient response, Salvador felt a rare sense of relief. At least she wasn’t like Rafael, who had become quite a troublemaker. Salvador could tolerate him for now, but when the time came, he would enjoy correcting the man’s arrogance.
His expression softened as he said, “The queen dowager misses you. When you have the chance, go visit her.”
Sophie nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty. I will visit the queen dowager with my mother-in-law on my next day off.”
Salvador gave a slight nod, his gaze drifting over Sophie once more. Though she wore her formal attire, the elegance of her features was still evident. A fleeting memory of a past thought stirred in him, but he quickly suppressed it.
As king, certain things were simply beyond his reach.
“Alright. You’re dismissed,” he said, dismissing the thought with a wave of his hand.
“I will take my leave, Your Majesty,” Sophie bowed, then turned to leave.
As she walked out of the royal study, Blake stopped her at the end of the corridor. “Sophie,” he called, his voice carrying with a touch of urgency.
Sophie stepped back, raising her eyes to meet his. She noticed the eyes of several people upon them and felt the weight of their scrutiny. She furrowed her brow slightly, her expression distant.
“Is there something you need, Deputy Commander Jaffe?”
Blake studied her for a moment, a then said in a low voice, “There’s something wish to warn you about, Commander Devin. His Majesty knows you’re behind the Garrison Unit’s plans, and he has his own arrangements for it. I suggest you focus on your duties and avoid upsetting His Majesty. If you’re not careful, it might be you who suffers the consequences.”
Sophie’s expression remained unchanged, her gaze steady and unflinching.
“Thank you for the advice, Deputy Commander Jaffe,” she replied calmly.
Blake blinked, somewhat surprised by her lack of reaction. “You knew about it already?”
“I would never presume to guess His Majesty’s intentions. If that’s all, I must take my leave.” She stepped around him, preparing to walk away.
Blake called after her, his voice tinged with frustration. “There’s no need to distance yourself like this.
I’m only offering some friendly advice with no ulterior motives.”
Sophie didn’t answer, continuing on her way.
Blake paused, then quickly moved to block her path.
Sophie stopped, clearly annoyed now, her eyes lifting to meet his once more. “If you have something to say, say it directly. There’s no need to hide behind false concern.”
Blake hesitated; he opened his mouth, but then paused, his words coming out haltingly.
“I… I was wondering if you know how Westhaven intends to deal with Freya. Could you…could you tell me?”
Sophie glanced at him with a cool, dispassionate look.
“I don’t know,” she answered flatly, then turned on her heel, walking away with purposeful strides.
Blake lowered his gaze. He didn’t try to follow her this time.
Since Freya had been taken away by Westhaven’s envoys, Blake had been tormented by nightmares every night. He dreamed of her being tortured, her flesh slowly carved away, each strip of skin torn from her body while her blood surged like a tidal wave and drowned him.
Even in the daylight, when he was on duty, he would sometimes hear her voice. Sometimes it was a cry for help, other times a bitter accusation of betrayal, and at times, the sound of her agonized screams.
He felt like he was losing his mind.
His guilt weighed heavily on him, yet part of him still believed he had done the right thing. The internal conflict had worn him down, leaving him exhausted, mentally and physically drained.
He knew his position as deputy commander was more of a title than a real responsibility. The king never assigned him any duties. Day after day, he wandered the halls, his mind unsettled. At home, there was no peace either. Viola’s constant complaints, Serena’s goading to seek justice for her from the Marquis of Ironridge-it all gnawed at him.
No matter where Blake was, he couldn’t find solace. He longed for someone to confide in, someone to share his frustrations with-but he had no friends left. No one wanted anything to do with him anymore.
However, Sophie knew the truth. Freya was still alive. There had been word from Skywing Spire. Lisandra was still trapped in Fawnrun City.
When Leroy returned to Fawnrun City, he had taken command of the military. Although he hadn’t attacked immediately, he had stationed the troops and refused to retreat. He was calculating and weighing his options.
After the negotiation with Starhaven, he understood the situation was more complex than he had originally thought. To go to war would mean a lack of supplies-food, weapons, and horses. To hold back would anger the king, who had issued secret orders he could not ignore.
Yet, the decision of whether to fight or not wasn’t his to make. Lisandra would handle the negotiations with the generals. His role was simply to follow whatever path the situation demanded.
Meanwhile, Lisandra had no time for Freya. Freya was locked away, her fate uncertain. As for Zeke and the others, they had been executed before the journey even began. Their heads were now a grim trophy brought back to Fawnrun City.
That evening, after finishing her discussion with Max, Sophie walked out of the Capital Guard headquarters, only to find Rafael’s carriage waiting at the door.
He sat in the carriage, lifting the curtain and smiling at her. “Tomorrow’s a rest day. Today, we’ll go pick up Ryan before Lord Klein gets his hands on him.”
It had been days since Sophie had last seen Ryan, and she missed him dearly. Without hesitation, she climbed into the carriage.
The weather was beginning to turn warm. Rafael removed her heavy cloak and handed her a paper bag. “I picked up some crispy yellow pastries for you. They’re fresh-eat them while they’re still warm.”
The tempting fragrance filled the air, but Sophie neatly wrapped the paper bag back up. “I’ll save it for Ryan. He loves these.”
“Of course, I bought some for him too,” Rafael replied, unwrapping the bag again. “This one’s for you-eat it while it’s still crisp.”
The scent was irresistible, and Sophie couldn’t help but take a bite. The crunchy exterior gave way to a soft, fragrant sweet filling, rich and flavorful with every bite.
She continued nibbling for a few moments before remembering to ask, “Have you had any?”
“I ate mine when I bought them. Now, hurry up and eat,” Rafael said with a small grin. He reached over and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, wiping away the golden crumbs. “Ist good?”
“It’s delicious,” Sophie replied, savoring another bite. The flavor lingered as she continued, her voice muffled by the treat, “You’re out so early today. Have you finished your cases?”
“I handed it over to Matthew. This morning, I went to the Supreme Court to check in, then went out to handle some matters. Luckily, I finished everything just in time to pick you up.”
Sophie, aware of the ongoing investigation, asked, “How’s it progressing?”
Rafael gave a relaxed smile. “Slowly but surely.”
The pace was slow because they had already gathered some information some backed by evidence, some not. The king had only asked Rafael to assist, so he was subtly guiding lan, letting the latter gather the evidence. As for the cases that were already backed by proof, Rafael would release them when the time was right.
The investigation into Yuvan’s private army was Rafael’s main focus. While Yuvan didn’t have many connections in the capital, the people who had once rallied behind Eleanor now kept their distance after his fall. It was better to leave that for lan to investigate.
Sophie took another bite of the crispy pastry, then said, “Blake stopped me in the palace today and asked if I knew anything about Freya’s current situation.”