After a few hours, everyone urged her to eat, drink, or at least rest, but Luna did not budge. Nurses and doctors came through the double doors, but no one acknowledged them. Even though the sun had begun to set, Luna remained staring at the double doors, waiting for Gerwulf to emerge. She was so focused that she didn't notice Shinaki stood next to her.

"Lord Solomon has called. Everyone is already at the meeting and waiting for you." Luna did not acknowledge her as she continued to stare at the door. "I have been asked to stand guard in your place. If anything happens, I will tell you right away." Shinaki said the last part softly.

"Right away. Even if we are in the meeting, you tell me right away if anything happens."

"Understood, Ibino escort her to Lord Solomon." Another female eastern knight beside Shinaki saluted and led Luna to a floor above. The knight opened a door for her where everyone else was waiting. As she entered, Luna found the only seat not taken was the one directly facing Solomon.

"Does anyone want anything before we start?" Solomon said as Luna sat down next to Baldric, who was holding Ada’s head while Tinkerton-G rode on his shoulder.

"Is it going to be like last time?" Luna looked at him. "Are you going to drug us again?"

"No. That level of trickery was a rare lapse of judgement. We are beyond that."

Everyone looked at the two of them. Max folded his arms as he waited for someone to talk.

Solomon looked at everyone and cleared his throat. "Look at us. The founding four are together again. This is a very rare reunion. I suppose you all have thousands of questions and I would be happy to answer them all, provided you answer mine as well afterwards. I will let you all start. Ask away."

"What are you planning this time, Solomon." Baldric was the first to speak. "What’s with all this? Suddenly we are all friends and working side by side again?"

"Consider this my apology for how I handled the situation back in Zicaster. I was rattled, frightened, and desperate. As a father, Baldric, I was hoping you more than anyone would understand the desperation and pain when your family is taken from you."

"Did you order the death of all those children? Of all those people that had nothing to do with this?" Luna glared at Solomon.

"Come now, Lunabeth, Did you really think I could order such an act?"

Solomon did not even need to answer, as the truth was already known to all of them. Every single person in the room knew that Solomon was dangerous, but even the Shadowman has lines he does not cross.

"Alexander’s spies told us that the syndicate was behind those actions. You are telling me you did not order them?" Max said

"A false truth, Maxene. Yes, the syndicate was behind it, but not me. This is why I am humbling myself now. I have been betrayed and the Syndicate has all but splintered. That devil Maurius was behind Oichi’s abduction all along. He was working with Eric and no doubt working with Silvus and the extremist factions of bounty hunters. I have put my trust in the wrong people and now I am paying the price."

"Why would they suddenly have the nerve to betray you?" Luna looked at him, unconvinced that the Shadowman could be betrayed.

"I fear it is due to my connection with all of you, especially you Lunabeth. Before Oichi and I were betrayed, Maurius came to our abode and endorsed Asterion’s contract to hunt you two down using Syndicate resources. Naturally, I declined under the guise of us staying neutral in state affairs, but deep down, Maurius and the other Syndicate leaders knew that I was declining to get involved as I was protecting you all."

Solomon breathed out heavily.

"They put up a brilliant charade that had me fooled completely. I panicked, especially because Oichi was pregnant, but looking back, I was so naïve and gullible. I realized it far too late, and the cowards fled before I could capture them, while also convincing half the Syndicate to join in their foolish ambition.

It was then when Fenia and Alexander contacted me about what was going on within the ranks of the Brotherhood, as well as how Treese Batts had rallied the contenders and freelancers to side with Silvus. I convinced Fenia to give me a chance to talk with Alexander, and I offered still loyal syndicate members to act as spies and infiltrate the extremist ranks. Filias has done remarkably well as the new syndicate spymaster and his men were the ones updating me on the movements of Treese and Silvus."

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"So wait." Max said to Solomon. "The spies in the extremist faction, those were yours?"

"Yes. Alexander and I came to an agreement. We knew that working together was the only way we had a chance of countering their efforts. We need to, as you say, even the field, especially since Maurius and Eric have joined forces with those animals. Even though Alexander and I have never seen eye to eye, as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"How many of the syndicate members switched sides then?" Baldric asked.

"Too many, they have been empowered with the idea that Silvus and Ablan will grant them rewards or amnesty for their contributions, no doubt, especially now that Ablan is all but occupied by Silvus."

"Did you find… Oichi yet?" Luna asked.

"No. Filias and the Lotuses were scouring every city and town on the eastern side of Aelmion, but they could not find even a trace. The cowards seem to have vanished from the face of Pandora, but sooner or later they will have to surface. Especially now that you are so close to the Silvus northern border, they will be throwing everything to stop you from crossing to Aspana."

When no one had any more questions, Solomon cleared his throat again. "I believe it is my turn to ask. Lunabeth, Baldric, What is your plan with Princess Elizabeth?"

"We intend to deliver her to Aspana." Luna answered.

"And what do you expect to happen after that? A reward from the Iron Chancellor? Amnesty? Diplomatic support for Defiance?"

"Nothing. I promised Elizabeth I would deliver her to the Iron Chancellor and then find Princess Alicia."

"Really? I am to believe this is out of the kindness of your heart, Lunabeth? No reward? No monetary intention?"

"Well, I don’t fully agree with the no reward." Baldric cut in. "But that is generally our intention, Solomon."

"And how will you two bring her there, especially with the Silvus border and the walled sea standing between you and Aspana?" Solomon pressed.

"That part confuses me too. How exactly are you going to do that?" Ada said.

"We intend to drive up to the coast and, from there, board a ferry to cross to the walled sea." Luna answered.

Solomon shook his head.

"That is your plan? Is that it?! To just drive up to the northern border and be expected to be welcomed by Aspana with open arms? You do know that Silvus has been spreading false accusations that you were the one behind the abduction of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Alicia? That is the reason they are justifying diplomatically why Silvus is currently occupying Ablan. Not to mention you have an extensive criminal history, Lunabeth."

"Don’t tell me the iron chancellor believes that?" Baldric folded his arms.

"The world is in disarray, Baldric. Aspana and especially Braenarim, are in chaos right now, so anything Silvus says is believable. Did you really think you could just walk all the way up to Aspana unchallenged? What if the iron guards find you? Or worse, the Blood stalkers?! Did you really think it was that easy?"

"It was not like we could go to anyone for help, Solomon!" Luna stood up so quickly that the chair she sat on fell to the floor.

"Did you know that the enforcers you hired killed Ketil and everyone in the convoy that Elizabeth was in?! Who would I have trusted after that?! I did not even know if you could be trusted by then! We didn't even know she was the princess back then! We only found out after Silvus sent soldiers to kill us! That was before we met you in Zicaster! What were we supposed to do then?! We were in the middle of Silvus and all our communication can be tracked!"

"Answer my next question then. Filias spies told us you two accepted a contract to hunt Princess Alicia and Elizabeth in exchange for one hundred pure cha ingots. And then, once you delivered Elizabeth and got the reward, you abducted her straight from under Asterion himself and even struck down the crown prince. Is this true?"

Luna snorted Why am I suddenly the bad guy here?

"Yeah, it’s true. What of it?"

"What of it?!" Solomon stood up and roared, his voice vibrated throughout the room. "That is all you have to say?! What were you thinking taking a state contract and then assaulting the crown prince of Silvus?!"

"Solomon I was the one who-" Baldric tried to reason, but Luna bellowed back at Solomon.

"Do you really think I will ever work with Silvus! Yes we took the contract just so we can rob him blind! And it was not enough! Did you know that he planned to rape her?! A seven year old girl?! Did your spies tell you that?! What I did to him was not enough and I wish I could have killed him instead!"

"Admirable sense of morality, but do not think you are absolved from your idiocy! You took the contract! You are still to blame! Did you not even think of the consequences afterwards?! You are a council shadow! You represent Ablan and its people! What did you think would happen when he found out! Ablan is under Silvus rule and thousands of people died in that invasion! People died because of your myopic vision! No matter what you justify, all this blood is on your hands Luna!"

“Leave her alone!” Baldric stood up and blocked her from Solomon. “You want someone to blame for all this?! Blame me! She did not do anything! I was the one who took the contract! I was the one who planned everything! Blame me for everything! Ablan, Oichi, blame me but leave her the hell alone! You only know one side of the story when you don’t know what she has been through, so back off Solomon before I shoot you in the head!”

"I am tired of you always defending her! Don’t you…"

Solomon stopped when he saw Luna crying. She wiped her eyes furiously as tears continued to run down her face.

"I never wanted this." Luna said. "Any of this, I never wanted any of this to happen."

Everyone watched as she forced herself to stop crying, but she can’t. Her tears felt as though they burned her cheeks as she broke down in front of everyone.