Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 361: Deal(2)

Chapter 361: Deal(2)

Lucius shuddered under the weight of the man's gaze. It was unsettlingly neutral, devoid of malice yet coldly detached, like the normal eyes of a farmer surveying his livestock, deciding which pig to slaughter as soon as the winter's chill arrives, making use of the cold and the absence of flies and insects.

He knew almost nothing about the man. Their only interaction had been the brief instructions he'd been given before his departure, delivered in a clipped, dispassionate tone that revealed nothing of the speaker's nature. Lucius had since tried to piece together some understanding of him, some shred of context to anchor his growing unease. Was he a trusted confidant of the prince?Was he recruited like them , and it just happened that he was actually good at the job? Unlike them?

The questions came as quickly as they were dismissed. Lucius had more pressing concerns, the foremost being the gnawing sense that this man was here to decide their fate.

Was he right? Could it be true that Alpheo had sent this man not to rescue them, but to ensure their silence? It was a chilling thought, one that wrapped itself around Lucius like a suffocating cloak.

Could the prince truly prefer us dead? he wondered, the words echoing in his mind like a prayer uttered in desperation. The thought was unbearable, but Lucius couldn't ignore the mounting evidence that his life, and Marcus's, might be in more danger than they currently were