Chapter 125 The new compact

Chapter 125 The new compact


“You could walk faster than this, Mister.” Seth nudged the man with his knife as they walked to the main gates. 

The Ancient Faction’s big bird had been successful in dropping them, making the journey easier and faster. 

“Also,” he paused, a frown settling on his face. “I hope you're not trying to buy time. I could kill you faster than light would appear.” 

The man shook his head, his expression taut, not bothering to answer Seth. 

The younger man nodded satisfactorily. “I thought as much. You're indeed wise, choosing the battles you can win.”

He stopped at a familiar door, the Throne Room. “You remember this room?” Seth nudged. 

“You know, I can't keep hitting you when I want to speak to you. I at least deserve to know your name.” Seth said with a displeased expression. 

“Chris.” The elder muttered, pausing in front of the door as Seth opened it, leading him in. “Feels Familiar.” He looked around. And as he spoke, his veins bulged, clearly a reaction to the ritual that had taken place previously. 

“Is there a reason why you would bring me exactly here?” 

Seth raised his brow. “Sorry Chris, that is not a question for me to answer.” 

“It's mine.” Isabella strutted in, chins raised, shoulders high as she took her position on the high chair. 

“Yep, you heard the lady.” Lucien echoed, taking the seat beside her. One would think he had relinquished the position of king to her, but Lucien was all but having fun. 

“I just thought,” Isabella began, giving the visitors a small comfy smile. “Felt it would be nice to use a place that's familiar to both of us.” She shrugged, reclining on the chair as she played slowly with her hair. 

“Why are we here?” The elder named Chris spoke for his colleagues. “Pretty sure it's not for you to gloat about.” 

Isabella chuckled, sharing a glance with Lucien. “I think it is.” She giggled, producing a small mirthless laughter. “It's funny how the tables have turned, isn't it?” 

Chris looked away. “Funny no, but you're right. The tables have indeed turned. But if there's one thing all my years of leading the ancient Faction have taught me, it's that you want something.” 

“Really?” Isabella folded her hands, her expression intriguing. “I didn't know I needed something. That's a discovery.” Sarcsam dripped from her voice, lacing every word. 

“Cut the crap, Isabella Thorne. I know you.” 

“It's Queen Isabella to you now,” Isabella said despite the anger brewing in her heart. She had agreed to this plan and had instead been convinced by Lucien. 

Left to her, she would have all of them wiped out, but Lucien had used her words against her. The dead do not tell any stories and he wanted their stories told, presumably by the perpetrators themselves. 

“Queen Isabella,” Chris responded dryly, the words tasting like vinegar in his mouth. 

“Good,” Isabella grunted, her nod satisfied. “Now that we've established who's who, why don’t we get to why we are here. I've got a kingdom to run.” 

“You tell me, Queen Isabella. Why have you brought us here?” Chris retorted. 

“Well,” Isabella sat up, suddenly reinvigorated. “For starters, how about we talk about the treason you tried to commit?” 

“Unsuccessful.” He responded calmly. “Which by now, you should know, else you wouldn't be seated here as queen.”

Isabella chuckled. The man had been political all his life, planning and plotting everything to land on the throne only for his plans to get foiled at the last minute. She wouldn't expect a warmer response. 

“Then, let's move right to why we're all here. As you said, I'm queen and I have a lot of decisions to make, not that you can relate to, anyway.” She taunted with a smile. 

Chris’s expression was grim as he looked ahead, not allowing her to see the damage her words were causing him. It was only a matter of time, before things reverted to their original form. 

Isabella reached for the document that had been sitting in front of her, untouched since she got into the room. “We'd better get right at it.” She passed the document to Seth, who handed it over to Chris. “You should go through it and let me know what you think.” 

As she spoke, she leaned into her chair, her arms folded as she watched the older man's eyes run through the document, colour draining from his face. “This is preposterous!” He spat as he flung the paper away from him. 

“I would think twice before doing that,” Seth grunted as he picked up the paper, handing it over to the ancient elder. 

“And I would listen to him if I were you,” Isabella commented from the table, hiding her smile. “What's wrong, Chris? The terms are not satisfying enough?”

Chris hissed as he looked away. He was visibly trying to hold himself back. “Terms?” He whipped his head as if he had not heard her correctly. “You call these terms?” 

Isabella sighed. “Ah,” she looked at the man with a lazy expression. “Perhaps, age is taking its toll on Elder Chris’s brain.” 

Lucien coughed lightly, trying to hide his laughter while Seth chuckled. 

The man in question, turned red, his veins threatening to split out from his head. “You really want to go this route, Isabella?” 

“Queen Isabella!” Isabella said with a firm voice, all traces of smiles gone from her face. “You'll speak and address me properly.” She stood, walking closely to the other older man. 

The temperature in the room fell, adjusting to her icy temperament. 

“And you should be lucky I'm not having you killed for the stunt you chose to pull causing the entire realm's lives. Lives that some families are yet to recover from.” 

Cjris swallowed fearfully. He'd not noticed it before, but as she stood close to him, he could feel his blood boiling. Not the anger type, but the kind where everything within you had just witnessed a superior being. 

“This won't work. It's not feasible.” He turned away, ashamed at having cowered so easily, but he knew it was not up to him. Something inside of him was controlling his reactions. 

Isabella raised a brow, conveying her surprise. “And you know that, how?” She gave him a small smile, telling him she was listening. 

“I know this because my people are actively plotting the attack to take me back.” 

Isabella chuckled, before shaking her head sadly at the man. “It's such a sad way to live, isn't it?” 

“What are you talking about?” Chris’s voice shook and for the first time, Isabella could see the vulnerability behind the strong guy he was trying to portray to her. 

She glanced at Lucien and then Seth, before turning to Chris’s companions. “Don't tell me he doesn't know?” Her expression was genuine. 

“Know what, Queen Isabella?” His voice was lower than usual. 

Isabella shook her head pitifully at him, feeling his pain momentarily. “It's such a shame and you have us to thank you for taking you from there.” 

“Kidnapping.” Chris corrected softly. He was still confused, but Isabella was starting to see understanding in his eyes, and he looked like he was fighting hard not to take it.

“Kidnapping, Chris. Whichever suits your agenda.” She agreed. “Now, back to what I was saying,” she turned to his companions. 

“They had plans, just so you know. Ambush you into thinking it was a Reunion and have you killed.” 

Chris's face changed as he looked at his companions. The woman was the first to look away while the younger man stared at him, his eyes filled with challenge. 

The older man sat in silence for a while, before glancing at Isabella slowly. “I have only one condition to the terms in my hands.” 

His companions looked at him in shock. “Don't do it, Chris.” The younger man shook his head, fighting the guard holding him to let him go. 

“Yeah, so you can have no qualms killing me once we're free.” He hissed as he stared at Isabella. 

Isabella shook her head. She was impressed by his effective decision-making. “What condition, Chris?” She asked, genuinely interested in where he was headed. 

“I'll be made the leader.” He said simply. 

Isabella frowned. “You're currently the leader of the Ancient Faction, Chris. What more do you want?”

Chris shook his head, determined to get what he wanted. “You don't set up a homecoming and try to kill your leader if he's indeed the leader of your Faction.” 

Isabella raised a brow. “You want this to be a dictatorship?” she frowned, studying him deeply. 

Chris shook his head. “For now.” He grunted, his eyes hard. “Only before I'm able to flush out the bad ones among us “ 

Isabella snorted. She'd had her fill. “Then I suggest you begin by looking inward.” She scoffed and walked slowly back to their seat. 

“Consider it done.” She said to the surprise of all of them. “What happens in your territory is none of our business.” She said, raising a pen. 

Chris nodded. “I agree.”