Chapter 457 - 456. Tell Or Not To Tell (1)
At night, I entrusted Mark with the task of eliminating Owen Glines and disposing of the body. I didn’t need to be present—Mark had his own score to settle, and I trusted him to handle it cleanly.
I had also instructed my informants to ensure that Glines’ family had left the kingdom before I could consider the matter closed from every angle.
Later, I sat alone in my office, the silence humming with finality. A message had just arrived—confirmation that Glines was dead and his family had been officially exiled. I leaned back into the chair, letting a quiet sense of satisfaction settle in my chest. After a moment, I rose and walked over to the leather couch tucked into the corner of the room. Sinking into it, I stretched out and let my eyes flutter shut, the tension finally beginning to ebb.
Thoughts churned behind my closed lids, weaving through everything that still needed to be done. I had advanced the upcoming meeting—originally scheduled to take place at Oasis later this year—to just two days from now. That way, I’d have time to spend at Denril afterward.
"I need a damn vacation," I muttered under my breath.
I didn’t realize when I drifted off, but the instant I felt a presence nearing, my body acted on instinct. My hand shot out and gripped the approaching wrist before it could make contact.
A startled gasp broke through the air.
My eyes blinked open to find a familiar mop of golden hair spilling into view. Wide, amber-gold eyes looked up at me, startled and uncertain. A pale, delicate face framed by soft strands of hair came into focus.
"Ah. It’s you, Sol," I muttered, releasing my grip and sitting up slowly.
"Th-think before you attack," he stammered, rubbing his wrist with a small pout.
"It was pure instinct, Sol. What are you doing here?" I asked, voice still groggy as I yawned.