Chapter 165 The witch hunt
The guards dragged the Team leader Andrew into the dinning room and Melissa stood up as they dropped him at their feet. Everyone was silent and the entire room stared down at him. The man glanced up and immediately knew he had been caught.
Even though Melissa was a little tired from the entire day's work, the prospect of the culprit trying any games however, strengthened her. She knew it was him the moment Joyce had explained her episodes in the prison earlier.
While they were trying to get the feeds from the security cams, Melissa had noticed a different kind of aura in the room. It was one that matched someone who actually had an innate ability but she shrugged it off. It wasn't really a crime to have such an ability and it might be a hassle if people knew so she understood why the person might want to hide it.
However when the team leader had gotten in a fight with Joyce he'd mistakenly flared a bit of his aura for whatever reason. So she identified him as the one who had the ability. It wasn't until Joyce was explaining that Melissa realized why his aura had flared. He'd actively used his ability on someone in the room at that moment.
He had the ability to manipulate people's actions like they were puppets on a string. He could subtly tell them things to do and nudge them in the directions he wanted. He knelt before her with a straight face as Melissa used her aura to define his ability and understand it.
“You are guilty of sabotaging the security feed cameras on an act of terrorism was incited towards the kingdom. You have also been found guilty of using your innate abilities to take on the psychic and motor components of an innocent person. Are you guilty of these crimes?” Melissa declared.
The man raised her head to Melissa and smiled. He smiled bit by bit before then he went all cynical with laughter. Everyone let him laugh and didn't even reply at all. Though Melissa could feel that they were all on high alert. In fact Avalors had his claws out and his eyes were glowing with low snarls emanating from him.
“You all think you still hold power?” He asked. “You don't know how near your doom is,” he cackled again in laughter. “Before the clock strikes zero a catastrophe beyond your own comprehension will erupt from within Dunham,” he said. “You will watch as the Oracle divines punishment on those who are not willing to comply. His wrath will descend on you from the heavens and the powers of the seven hells will let loose and consume all you hold dear.”
“A very awkward way of describing a mutiny,” Richard said and Melissa bit back a chuckle.
“A failed mutiny at that,” the Infernal said. He spoke for the first time since they arrived. “Your majesty, I can retrieve some information from him but there is a probability he will die if I use the technique,” he said.
Melissa glanced at the man and smiled. “Do it,”, she said and gritted her teeth. She still hated killing people. But she knew it was a child's fantasy to fight a war where no one dies and she knew she would give her life willingly if it meant good so she was absolutely ready to sacrifice anyone if need be. Though she knew her readiness would falter if she really needed to sacrifice her friends.
She watched as the Infernal grabbed the boy's head and sunk his fangs into his neck. Even though they'd discussed this in the meeting earlier, Melissa still jolted as she saw the man's teeth sink into the neck.
The Infernal jerked and removed his fangs. His eyes went white as he stared blankly into space. Andrew had started to bleed what would seem like black blood. The infernal just stared into the far distance, like he was looking beyond the four walls of the castle. After a while he came back and his eyes became normal.
“What do you see?” Melissa asked him.
He smiled. “I know them all and their names,” he said.
Melissa smiled and then called every council member on her phone. There is a sudden emergency meeting and they were all to meet her in the throne room. Hance was given a badge immediately and it gave him temporary rights to give orders as king of dunham. The badge initiated what was called a Family Alliance.
It brought two nations under one banner and it made it so that two kings ruled two kingdoms together without either being above each other. It was indeed just a badge of trust but it also meant that the king of one kingdom can give orders in another kingdom.
Hance received the badge and went in another direction, taking with him Avalors, Arya and Beatrice. They were off to complete another part of the plan. Candice and Vanessa had also followed them though the two maids were gaslighted a little so as not to reveal too much to them they were still a hundred percent in. And added to those were a handful of Sentinels that they took along with them.
Before Beateice left, she gave Melissa a tight hug that almost broke her back. “Do not die,” she said before turning away with the others and disappearing into the dead of the night.
Melissa stood together with Richard and Margaret in the throne room as the councilors flocked in. “What is it?” Alina asked first with a look of urgency on her face.
He handed over to them a list. “ Control a unit of the guardsmen and Sentinels and have them capture or kill these people,” she ordered.
“And, why?” Greyhound asked, as he did four spears were directed at him.
Melissa quickly held her hand up. She'd given the Sentinels orders to kill anyone who questioned her orders. “They are a part of a cult…”she paused, realizing her choice of language won't have the desired effect. “....a shadow organization called the Oracle and their staging a mutiny tonight. They are armed and dangerous so order their deaths if necessary. Also put a mask on or something,” she said. Then she pointed to Margaret. “She is ruling in my stead for now report all progress to her she said handing her royal jewel over to Margaret right in front of them.”
Just as she did this, she walked out of the room, leaving Nathaniel and the Infernal with Margaret. “Wait,” Alina said as she walked away. “Where are you going?”
“To save my people. Begin the witch hunt,” she replied.