Chapter 206: Insults At The Council Table
Lord Rowe pushed open the great oak doors of the council chamber, the chilly air of the room rushing over him as he stepped inside.
The chamber was circular, the stone walls decorated with banners of Camelot’s noble houses.
At the center stood the great roundtable, carved from blackwood and polished to a mirror sheen.
Around it, the nobles were already seated in their appointed places.
His chair, reserved for the Head of the Investigation Authority, stood empty.
He strode towards it, his boots echoing softly against the stone floor.
At the table’s head, the First Premier, Thomas Ramsay, presided over the session.
An imposing man with streaks of white in his hair and the steady eyes of a statesman, Ramsay nodded curtly as Rowe took his seat.
Other figures of power occupied their places.
Lord Kael, ever silent and hawk-eyed, Lord Krell, handsome and known for his barbed words, and Lord Regulus, a man whose voice carried as much weight in the council as his armies did on the battlefield.
The Premier’s voice broke the quiet. "Let us begin. Reports from the warfront."
A clerk handed scrolls to the table.
Lord Regulus spoke first. "The front is holding, but only just. Our forces are locked in stalemate. The demons have grown quiet these last weeks."
"That silence isn’t peace," Lord Kael said grimly. "It means they are preparing for another wave. Likely stronger than before."
The Premier nodded. "Then we must be ready. The third-year students from the Academy will be returning back soon. Their training is nearly complete. That means we’ll need a fresh wave of soldiers to plug the hole that will be left by their absence on the front."
There were murmurs of agreement, though some nobles shifted uneasily at the thought of sending more new soldiers into battle.
Yet no one disputed the necessity. Provisions were made, and orders recorded, everyone knowing it had to be done.
When that matter concluded, the Premier turned his gaze to Rowe. "Now, to the matter of the hybrids. Lord Rowe, your report."
Rowe rose to his feet, his hands pressing firmly against the table.
"My agents and I have pursued the matter tirelessly. We captured one of the abominations alive."
"Before its death, it provided us with information of value. Information that points us closer to the heart of the operation creating these creatures."
"Information?" Lord Krell leaned forward, his narrow eyes gleaming. "Then share it, Lord Rowe. If what you say is true, we should all know."
Rowe clenched his jaw. "Not yet. My agents must act before word spreads. The slightest leak could drive them deeper underground. I will not risk it."
Lord Krell’s lips curled. "How convenient. The hybrid dies under your watch, and now you sit here claiming revelations only you may hold. It smells... suspicious."
The room froze. Several nobles glanced between the two men, tension bristling in the air.
Rowe’s face darkened, his fists slamming onto the table with a thud that rattled inkpots.
"Suspicious?" His voice thundered, low and dangerous. "My daughter was murdered by these creatures. Tortured, defiled, and left for dead."
"And you," he jabbed a finger at Krell, his voice rising, "you dare sit there and insinuate that I would protect them?"
Krell stiffened but did not reply, though his eyes were sharp.
Rowe leaned across the table, his teeth bared in fury. "Say it to my face, Krell. Say it plainly."
"Accuse me, and I will answer here and now. I swear to you," his voice cracked with raw anger.
"I will burn their networks to ash, every one of them. I’ll see their corpses strung from the gates of the capital before I allow them to steal another child from us."
"Enough."
The Premier’s voice filled the air. He raised his hand, and silence fell.
"Lord Rowe," Ramsay said firmly, "your grief is understood, your dedication unquestioned. But this chamber will not descend into accusation and fury. Save your wrath for the true enemy."
Rowe’s chest heaved as he stood there, his glare still fixed on Krell.
Slowly, his shoulders eased, though his eyes remained hard as iron.
He gave a stiff nod, sinking back into his chair.
The Premier’s gaze swept the chamber. "Let us resume. The matter is grave, and Camelot needs unity, not division."
And so, the meeting continued.
The rest of the meeting passed in a haze for Rowe.
He heard words, saw lips moving, but none of it ever really penetrated his mind.
His thoughts kept circling back to Krell’s barbed accusation, the taste of fury bitter in his mouth.
He kept his expression locked, his eyes hard, and when the session adjourned, he was the first to rise.
Without giving anyone the chance to intercept him, he strode from the chamber, the echo of his boots on the stone floor announcing his refusal to linger.
Outside, his carriage was already waiting.
He climbed in, the door slamming shut behind him. The horses took off at his curt order, carrying him swiftly through the streets of Camelot.
He sat in silence, fists clenched against his knees, his mind replaying Krell’s words again and again.
Suspicious.
The insult rang louder each time, his grief and pride twisting into anger.
By the time he arrived at the Investigation Authority building, he was seething.
He dismounted without a word, the guards saluting as he passed. He marched down the familiar corridors until he reached his office, his thoughts still aflame.
Rowe sank into his chair, exhaling through his nose like a bull barely held in check.
Krell’s voice still rattled in his head, like a thorn he couldn’t pull free.
He gritted his teeth. He would prove him wrong. He would prove them all wrong.
That was when the door banged open.
Garret rushed in, his face filled with urgency. "My lord! The cloaked man, the one we’ve been tracking, he’s delivered Snake to us."
Rowe’s eyes widened, shock burning away the haze. He shot to his feet. "What did you say?"
Garret nodded quickly. "He teleported in, dumped Snake’s body, and teleported away. Snake’s in the courtyard. Alive, but... badly burned."
Rowe wasted no time. He stormed out of the office, his long strides devouring the distance.
When he emerged into the courtyard, his eyes fell on the figure sprawled across the stones.
Snake, his body scorched, yet still clinging to life.
"Detain him for questioning," Rowe barked immediately. "And bring a healer. Now!"