Right after the doors had closed after Evelyn and Allon left the children to their own devices.
“Lord Alkena,” Evelyn said as she and Allon walked down the expansive corridor towards another area of the manor, “I have a somewhat presumptuous request to ask of you. One that you may consider to be most insulting.”
Allon tensed up slightly as he turned and listened to Evelyn’s words. Her speech had shifted to a formal enough tone that he knew she was asking something in a more official capacity. One not tied to their social standings, as Evelyn was of lower rank than him in regard to social class, but instead to the difference in power between them. Her, a Tier three True Hunter, and him, a Tier two Mage.
He also grew nervous as he noticed the distinct lack of her iconic black cat partner draped across her shoulders. The fact that he didn’t even notice Reya hadn’t left the room with them sent shivers up his spine, as he knew that that cat was dangerous enough to wipe out his entire manor without anyone ever noticing anything was happening until someone outside came to visit.
Allon and Evelyn stopped for a moment in the corridor. They fully turned towards one another. Allon with a respectful but wary look on his face, and Evelyn with sad eyes and a determined expression carved into her face.
“Yes, Huntress Eve, please voice your request. Nothing you would ask of me would be too presumptuous so as to be insulting to my house. That you would be concerned shows just how much you value me and my family.” Allon said, his own tone and speech also shifted to something much more formal than the friendly conversations they often had in the past.
“In that case, I must ask that you take me to your manor’s surveillance room.” Evelyn said in a hard and serious tone, fully understanding the implications of what she had just asked.
Allon did not reply right away. To ask for access to his manor’s surveillance room was to ask for access to every room and every visually accessible aspect of his home. This wasn’t just an invasion of privacy, this was setting oneself up for a complete and total breach of security, that would require him to revamp his entire guard rotation so as to keep his home secure.
He had no doubt that Evelyn would never reveal what she learned in the surveillance room, but to grant access to someone not spiritually sworn to his household was something that simply wasn’t done. Regardless of people’s stations in life.
Oh, any other True Hunters, one’s with official Imperial Writs of certification could demand the same thing, but most would not as it sowed district and resentment in the many nobles who enjoyed their power and authority in whatever capacity it might be.
Allon could definitely see why Evelyn was so concerned about being too presumptuous in her request. He was very tempted to deny her, which was well within his rights to do, as she was not officially certified, nor had she worded it as an order. But the memory of his child’s behavior during Ezekiel and Shari’s awakening still rang clear through his memory. That was not the son he thought he had raised. Worse yet, was Aldor’s mention of one of the lesser churches, and his subsequent refusal to answer any questions Allon or his wife had asked afterwards. The anger and behavior he displayed not a few minutes prior was also something of concern.
Ultimately, he decided that this request was one that he was willing to acquiesce to. Afterall, it wasn’t like he didn’t have backup rotation that the guards could change to, nor was it likely that Evelyn would request any information on any of the rooms outside of the children’s meeting room.
“Whilst I was wrong about your request not being too presumptuous,” Allon said after several moments of thought, “I will agree that your unspoken concerns are indeed valid, but I hope that you will not request control of our surveillance and will still allow me to direct our viewing of what those children are up to.”
Evelyn’s face immediately relaxed. She knew that Allon was uncomfortable with her request but was greatly relieved when he agreed to it.
“Of course, Lord Alkena, I would never ask for access to your more private areas of the manor. It’s just that my concerns have been bothering me for a while now, and I don’t want my baby getting hurt.
Not that I think that he is likely to get hurt, but he’s never been around other children, and whilst they’re not his own age, I’m worried he won’t know how to behave or that they’ll be too rough or-”
“Ahem!” Allon loudly cleared his throat in order to break Evelyn out of the worried ramblings she was falling into. He couldn’t help but smile as Evelyn’s true nature came back to the forefront as her serious and noble persona faded back into the background.
“Ah. Sorry.” Evelyn said as she sheepishly rubbed her hands together.
“It’s fine Evelyn, but if you could do me a favor?”
“Yes?”
“Please don’t call me Lord Alkena outside of formal occasions again. I’d really rather we stay on friendly terms.You and I both know how stuffy most nobles are.”
Evelyn couldn’t help but let out a small snort as she and Allon chuckled at the thought of noble behavior.
“Alright, come along now. We’ll be able to check the surveillance room quickly if we hurry.” Allon said as he started down the corridor once again. Evelyn moved to follow as they made their way towards the center of the manor.
As they reached one of the more private areas of the manor, Evelyn noticed that the guards were much more vigilant in their awareness of what was happening around them. The fact that there were also far fewer decorations and other items on display was also something that she noted with interest. For as long as she and Warren had been close friends with Allon and Sherra, neither she nor her husband had been this far into the manor before. Usually only staying in the public areas, or on occasion the personal areas. Not the private areas reserved for family and sworn retainers and servants.
There were several instances where Allon waved down a couple of the guards that had approached, their eyes filled with concern and wariness as they got closer, whilst not taking their eyes off Evelyn, or their hands off their swords.
There was even one instance where Allon waved his hands in a unique pattern. Evelyn recognized it as one of the more complex methods of checking for mental contamination or coercion. Such hand signs and secret codes were not uncommon for nobles to use as a means of security.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Finally, after walking a fair distance from the playroom, Allon and Evelyn reached the surveillance room. Upon which Allon frowned, before stopping a few feet away from a pair of guards standing in front of a large steel door. Curious as to what was wrong, Evelyn was about to speak up when Allon spoke first.
“Where are Regis and Marks?” He said as he faced the two guards in front of himself and Evelyn. “I know for a fact that they were scheduled to guard this room today, as I am the one who arranged the guard shifts, so tell me where they are, and who are you?”
Evelyn tensed as she heard Allon ask who these guards were. Given how far in the manor they were, none of the guards in the area should be unknown to Allon. But at the same time both of these guards were clearly employed by the Alkena family.
“Regis and Marks requested we cover their shift, Lord Alkena. They are currently in the infirmary after suffering from a bout of food poisoning. Nothing too serious, from what we were told. But bad enough that they were told to get as much bed rest as possible lest they be out of commission for even longer.” The guard on the left said in response.
“I see, well, I will be checking your stories later, when I go to speak with Regis and Marks in person.” Allon said with doubt clear in his voice. “For now, I need access to the surveillance room, so if you would stand aside.”
Allon moved his hands in shoo-ing motion as he gestured to the guards to move aside.
The two looked towards each other as they shifted nervously. They then glanced towards Evelyn before speaking up.
“Sir. We’ve been told that this room is off limits to anyone not previously approved prior to their visit to the manor, by both yourself, Lady Alkena, and guard Captain Argent.” The same guard as before said as he shifted to a defensive stance.
“Now who told you that?” Allon said as he waved his hands and fingers in a complex manner. “As head of this household, I am in fact capable of granting entry to private areas of my home should I wish. The approval you speak of is a courtesy towards the guards so that we do not alway bring surprises into this home. Evelyn is a good and longtime friend of both myself and my wife. One who is familiar with many of our personal guards. Not just our household guards.”
The two guards shifted into a more offensive stance as they glared at Allon and Evelyn.
“Sir. I’m sorry, but I believe you are being affected by psychological magic. Please stand back from the woman and we’ll get this sorted out.”The guard on the right spoke up this time. He began moving forward with the intent to apprehend Evelyn.
“For the Ancient's sake.” Allon said in exasperation as he reached into his chest and pulled out a whistle, bringing up to his lips as quickly as possible.
The two guards’ eyes widened, and they immediately dashed forwards. This time going for Allon and Evelyn both. They didn't get far, however, as they both let out grunts of pain as they found themselves seemingly slammed into an invisible wall. However, rather than fall to the ground, they found themselves unable to move at all as the fell what seemed to be ropes wrapping around their limbs.
“What-!?” The guards called out before immediately being silenced as their own shadows wrapped around their mouths, cutting off anything they were intending to say. Noticing that Evelyn was gazing at them with a disparaging look, both of their faces turned red with rage as they realized that Evelyn was the one holding them in place.
One of the guards dropped their sword and a gust of wind picked it up and blew it towards Evelyn’s head. It was immediately stopped by a shadow that crept out from her hair and wrapped around it. The sword was then warped and broken apart as the shadow twisted and squeezed.
Allon blew the whistle before the other guard could do anything. A moment later a dozen more guards came running down the hall. Allon lowered his hands and held them behind his back, gesturing with his fingers in several complex forms.
Seeing that their lord wasn’t in any trouble from Evelyn and recognizing her as Allon’s friend and guest. The new guards instead moved around to surround the two guards being held by strips of shadows.
“Lord Alkena,” One of the guards said after they had approached. This one with a different colored sash bound around his arm than the others.
“Harry,” Allon said, “Tell me, are Regis and Marks laid out in the infirmary with food poisoning right now?” He asked with a flat tone of voice.
“...Not that I’m aware of. I believe they were overseeing a shipment of relics that are being prepared for the auction next week.” Harry said with a questioning tone.
“Interesting. Who gave them those orders? I know for a fact that they were assigned to guard the surveillance room today.”
“I believe they received a note this morning with your sigil. Young master Aldor gave it to them this morning before breakfast at the barracks outside.” Harry explained.
Allon marched forwards as soon as he heard this. Holding his hand up to the metal door and activating the sigils emblazoned upon it. The door immediately melded into the walls as a dark and empty room was revealed to everyone standing in the hall.
“THAT LITTLE BRAT!” Allon yelled as he saw that the surveillance room had been disabled. “Evelyn, do as you wish to those two traitors before you start lashing out. Just don’t kill them, as I need to get some answers from them as soon as possible. I need to get the viewing crystals back in place before we can do anything with this.”
Evelyn took Allon’ words to heart, and immediately slammed the two bound guards into the ground, cracking their armor and more than a couple of bones.
“... I think there might be one answer we can get right now, Allon.” Evelyn said as she paused in her beating.
“Feel free to get it if you can.” Allon replied.
Evelyn gently retracted her shadows from the guards’ mouths. Allowing them to take some deeper breaths, which caused them some more pain, but a much-needed breather.
“The Church of Light is nothing more than a disgrace to the Ancient of Light and are just as bad as the Cruor they fight.” Evelyn said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
The newly arrived guards and Allon looked at Evelyn in confusion for a moment, but it was the reaction of the two injured guards that surprised them.
“You wretched whore!” One of the guards screamed up at her.
“Your soul shall be purged in the purifying Light of Radiance. Your abominable shadows will be shattered, and your body burned in a holy fire!” The other hollered just as loudly.
They couldn’t say much more as Evelyn chose to lift them up before slamming their head into the ground, knocking them unconscious. She then retracted her shadows, allowing the other guards to take hold of the traitorous guardsmen.
“Well. Now we know where their loyalties actually lie.” Evelyn said with a chipper sarcastic tone.
“Indeed.” Allon said as he moved a couple more crystals within the surveillance room. A low hum ran through the room as the gemstones on the wall began to light up. Images appearing on small crystal screens sitting throughout the room.
One screen in particular grabbed their attention. The screen with the room where Ezekiel and the other children were meant to be playing.
A screen that showed Ezekiel dodging blasts of sand and stone being thrown around by Alys as Aldor stood in the background with smoking fists, and Peni was just finishing up with helping Everett recover.
Turning from the screen, Aldor grabbed the crystal recording that particular room, but left a display on the screen. He didn’t want anyone else removing this before he could show his wife and they could punish Aldor later.
“Evelyn, I promise you, my son will not get away with this. Harry, I want you and these five to stay here and ensure that no one but myself enters this room from this point forward. The others will bring those two with me-” Allon stopped as the screen showed Alys on the ground, and Aldor released a large burst fire at Ezekiel, who just barely managed to jump out of the way.
Nothing else was said as Allon and Evelyn rushed out the door and ran back to the playroom as fast as they could. Size of the guards dragging the two unconscious bodies behind them.
The surveillance room, now empty, was sealed shut as the steel on the walls melted back into position. Harry and the other guards taking up stances around the door and along the walls. As their master dashed through the manor to stop his idiot son.