Chapter 190 Cleaning the Palace
Caden’s POV
The east wing was silent. Too silent. My boots barely made a sound on the polished floor, but every step made me feel like the walls themselves were watching. I glanced at Coban, holding Cassian in his arms like a tiny glowing cannonball, and couldn’t help smirking.
“You know,” I muttered under my breath, “I always thought cleaning up Clarence’s mess would involve paperwork. Not toddlers throwing men into walls.”
Coban shot me a sharp look. “Shut up. They’ll hear you. And then what? Another airborne man?”
I laughed quietly. “I’ll take that over what’s downstairs any day.”
Cassian wriggled in Coban’s arms, giggling and pointing toward the hallway ahead. Golden sparks flickered off his tiny fists. Atlas, perched on my shoulder, mirrored the motion, sending a pulse of light toward a closed door that made it tremble ever so slightly.
I leaned closer to Coban. “You think they know exactly how strong they are?”
He shrugged. “I think they don’t care. That’s more terrifying.”
We reached the first door in the east wing. Coban crouched slightly, whispering, “Ready?”
I nodded, feeling Atlas shift on my shoulder, golden light humming around us like a warning. “Always.”
Coban pushed the door open slowly. Inside, a man in uniform froze instantly. His eyes widened at the sight of the glowing toddlers. Cassian’s golden light flickered in warning. Atlas raised both fists, humming energy that made the air crackle faintly.
“Stop right there,” I said calmly, keeping my voice low but firm.
The man’s jaw tightened. “I-I-I”
Cassian raised one hand. A burst of golden energy flared, and the man stumbled back, hitting the edge of a desk. Atlas sent a smaller pulse from my shoulder, pinning him against the far wall.
I muttered under my breath, “Yep. This is what I signed up for.”
Coban grinned, adjusting Cassian in his arms. "And this is exactly why I don’t complain about paperwork.”
The man struggled to regain balance. I leaned close to Coban, whispering, “You think they’ll let him go if we tell him to?”
Coban shook his head. “Not a chance. They’re having fun.”
I gestured toward a cleared corner of the room. “Alright, let’s move him.”
Cassian squealed happily, golden sparks trailing as he lifted his tiny hands. Atlas mirrored him from my shoulder. The man staggered like a puppet being moved on strings, flinching every time the boys shifted their focus.
We managed to guide him into a small storage room, closing the door behind us. His knees hit the floor with a soft thud, and the two boys immediately stopped pulsing energy, as if satisfied with their work.
“Great,” I muttered, exhaling. “One down.”
Coban chuckled. “Yeah, and about ten more to go.”
We moved down the hallway. Another door. Same story. Cassian pointed. Atlas followed. Another man froze in place, eyes wide, golden light wrapping around him like invisible chains.
I whispered to Coban, “This is going way too smoothly.”
Coban smirked. “Don’t jinx it.”
The man tried to lunge forward. Cassian waved his hands. He stumbled back into a chair. Atlas on my shoulder nudged him again. He fell over, groaning.
“Yeah,” I muttered, “definitely too smoothly.”
By the time we reached the main stairwell to the upper floors, we had guided three men into empty rooms, all under the boys’ subtle but terrifying control. Coban and I were a perfect rhythm, one cleared doors, the other moved prisoners, the boys lighting the way with small pulses of energy that told anyone watching, Don’t even think about it.
Coban leaned close as we paused at the top of the stairs. “You know what I love about this?”
“What?”
He smirked. “Every man Clarence planted here is now terrified of two toddlers.”
I laughed quietly. “Yeah. That’s the kind of reputation I want the kids to have.”
Cassian squealed in agreement, golden sparks flaring off his tiny fists, while Atlas bounced on my shoulder, a faint hum of energy vibrating through the air.
We moved along the upper floor. Empty rooms at first, quiet servants’ quarters, storage, and empty chambers, but then we heard it, footsteps. Quick, cautious. Someone moving down the corridor, trying to stay hidden.
I motioned to Coban. He crouched, Cassian still in his arms, ready. Atlas tensed on my shoulder.
The figure appeared. A man in uniform, glancing nervously around. He froze when he saw us. The golden light from the boys wrapped around him before he could even react.
“Stop,” I said firmly, letting the pulse from Atlas keep him pinned.
Coban leaned in. “You want me to give him a little nudge?”
I smirked. “Do it.”
Cassian squealed, and Coban lightly gestured toward the man. A soft surge of energy lifted him off his feet, making him stumble backward like a puppet being pulled. Atlas mirrored him from my shoulder. The man flailed briefly before hitting the wall.
I couldn’t stop a laugh. “You think Clarence’s guys even expected toddlers to do this?”
Coban shook his head. “Nope. And now they know they’re not just dealing with us, they’re dealing with the whole family.”
By the time we had cleared the upper east wing, guiding three more men into empty rooms, the boys were still glowing lightly, their little faces proud and mischievous. Coban and I paused on the balcony overlooking the hall below.
“Think that’s all of them?” I asked.
Coban shook his head. “No. But every one we catch sends a clear message. Clarence’s little plan isn’t going to work.”
Cassian squealed and waved his tiny fists. Atlas bounced on my shoulder. Their energy pulsed through the hall, a warning and a promise all in one.
I couldn’t help but grin. “Yep. Clarence just got a masterclass in why you never underestimate toddlers.”
Coban laughed. “And we get to supervise the show.”
“Supervise? More like hold the line while the kids have fun.”
He smirked. “Exactly. Now let’s finish the sweep before they figure out how to unfreeze the ones we already caught.”
With that, we moved down the hall, Cassian and Atlas lighting the way, golden sparks flaring with every step, leaving a trail of stunned, terrified men behind us, and a very clear message not to mess with this castle, and you’ll be at the mercy of toddlers with powers you can’t even imagine.