"Your Majesty?"

Rhyno did not answer the question instead he turned to Adidja.

"Go ahead"

"Yes your majesty, It's not that I believe Izia ordered it but instead one of them did it on his own"

Keshan knitted her brows but said nothing.

"This is just me speculating but look at person on the first document"

"Azrael?"

"Yes, Shahiem and I met him before when we went to the northern region, I can't say with a hundred percent certainty but I believe that he was more than likely the one that did it"

"Why?"

"During the time when we had traveled together I became a mentor of sorts for him teaching him how to control his powers among other stuff, throughout that entire time he'd always been trying to suppress his desire for carnage, this isn't exactly compelling evidence but compared to everyone else in the fort I'd bet on him"

"I see. So didn't you command Zhou to detain him?"

Rhyno shook his head.

"No"

Keshan got slightly angry at his response.

"What do you mean no? Do you know what all of this means?"

Even though she was angry and she was one of the two queens who ruled Gaza, Adidja was still king so unless he got upset Rhyno wasn't worried so he said nothing.

Adidja got up from his seat and walked up to the window.

His attention was fixed on a tree in the center of the garden. A fiery red color, the fruits were as tiny as cherries, what made it beautiful was that their were thousands of butterflies all over the tree, making it look something from a painting.

"Keshan, Do believe a son can inherit the sins of the father?"

When Keshan heard the question she wasn't sure how to reply because she didn't know why he would ask that or what it had to do with what was currently happening, but after thinking for a while she still answered.

"I don't think so, everyone is judged based on their own merits and actions"

Adidja didn’t turn but his smiling face could been seen in the reflection on the window.

"What? Don't you think so?"

Adidja shook his head.

"No I don't”

“Adi, what are you talking about”

“What has Alliance and so many others been doing for countless millions of years through conquest and empire? Through royalty and pass the crown onto their sons?”

Pausing for a moment as if trying to figure out his next words.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“You can inherit your fathers' estate by which you can also inherit your fathers' dept, in some societies across the chaos and multiverse you can even inherit your fathers' wives”

Turning to Keshan Adidja showed a playful smile.

“And you do inherit your fathers' sins individually or collectively, as a race or as an individual hence prejudice”

Keshan brows were still creased but she didn’t hesitate in her response.

"Maybe my point of view is too optimistic but I don't think Shahiem will be judged by your actions after all from the very beginning he's chosen a different path from you"

Adidja only smiled and pointed outside at the fruit tree he was staring at.

"When you, me and Sheba travelled across the multiverse and chaos plane before we even thought about creating a nation, we found a tree in some old ruin. You and Sheba loved the fruits it produced so much that I picked a few and brought them with me everywhere it wasn't until we left Alliance and I planted them here because this was the place I chose to be our home. So even though these very same fruit trees are worlds away from home they are still products of the ones from before no matter where they go, in the same way that Shahiem is a product of you and me, we are products of our ancestors that's why Alliance will never stop fighting us because as they say 'This is our land'. Hence I say 'I am me and before me, there was also me', some will see me as a traitor and disregard what I've created and Shahiem will have to bare that burned”

Once again Adidja paused, looking at the tattoos on his skin that seemed to tell a story before continuing.

“While others will see me as a visionary for having the strength to do what I did, so these sins of mine whether feat or failure will be Shahiems to inherit and believe me future generations will judge"

After saying that he didn't wait for Keshan to reply or even understand what he was talking about.

"Did you send a messenger to Alliance?"

"Yes your majesty, but I'm afraid that the person who ran off would've already told a different story from what we're going to tell"

Adidja didn’t look worried he just laugh.

"Hahaha, I know and knowing the relationship between us you can bet that the council is going to get involved. Start preparation and find some excuse to get Shahiem and My wives somewhere safe also......."

Saying up to this point Adidja took a deep breath.

"Recall everyone to the capital, if everything doesn't work out at least we'll be prepared for it."

"I understand"

Keshan seemed to be dazed trying to keep up with everything that was going on, Normally she would be in charge of situations like these but now she couldn’t even keep up. 

"Wait. We won't leave"

Adidja didn't say anything instead he turned to Rhyno and nodded to him.

When Rhyno left Adidjas face turned serious.

"Keshan I wasn't asking your opinion, you and Sheba will leave. I know neither of you likes the idea of running but still, I'm ordering you to as your king......and I'm begging you as your husband, please go"

Keshan could only nod reluctantly she knew why Adidja wanted them to leave.

Tears we’re already welling up in her eyes but she knew Adidja couldn’t afford any distractions.

..........................

While all of this was happening Azreal and the other had already left to finish off their mission.

The distance from the fort to their destination in Cornwall was less than a day away.

Everyone had left at sunrise so they didn't know anything about what happened back at the fort.

Azreal was his usual quiet self so no one thought much about it but Dustin was unusual quite so that was odd.

"Hey, Dustin you good?"

It was Reyner finally couldn’t take it so he called out but he got no response from Dustin who seem to be in a daze.

"Dustin!"

"Huh? What is it?"

Reyner's shout had brought him back to reality.

"What's up with you, you've been in a daze all morning"

"It's nothing I've just got a few things on my mind"

"Like what?"

"Uhmm it's nothing really"

Reyner didn't stop he continued to press.

"Come on, nothing? Is that the best you can do?"

"Look I don't want to talk about it......."

Dustin took a quick glance at Azreal but I didn't escape Reyner.

"It's something to do with the new guy? If it's something bad you have to tell me I don't want any surprises later on"

Finally, Dustin took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Fine when we get to Cornwall we'll talk"

"Okay, I'll wait until then."

With that Reyner went back to where Sadie is and whispered something in her ear then she took a quick glance at Azreal before nodding to Reyner.

When Dustin saw that he was slightly worried, He'd seen Azreal absorb the souls of his victims, it wasn't that he believed that Azreal would try to kill them but it wasn't like he didn't believe that Azreal would try to kill them.

The fact that they were stronger than Azreal helped to slightly lessen his worry but not by a lot.

'If we fought there’s no question that we could kill him....but am sure we’d follow behind him soon enough'