"Based on what we have gathered so far, we know the boy is now somewhere inside the Blue Sovereign's territory. We stopped our chase near her border," Sunny said calmly.
King Talon leaned back on his throne, fingers tapping the armrest. "Hmm… and what did that new boy risk his future to take from my son's room?" Talon asked.
Ryan stepped forward proudly. "Father, here it is," he said, pulling out the totem and placing it gently in Talon's palm.
Talon's brows narrowed. "Hm. This is unique… My first time seeing a design like this." His eyes shifted to Sunny. "Have you ever seen anything like this, Sunny my boy?"
Sunny shook his head. "No, my king. I only know what he told me that it belonged to his parents. He said that when I confiscated it from him during training."
Talon hummed, studying the totem longer. "Something is… fishy. There is no way that child escaped my territory alone. Not without help."
Ryan's jaw tensed. "So you are saying...?"
"It looks like we have a traitor in this sector," Talon said, voice low and cold.
Ryan immediately bowed. "Don't worry, Father. I'll find out who that bastard is. I swear it."
King Talon's stern look softened slightly. "I appreciate your help, son."
He stood from the throne, pacing slowly. "Also… yesterday, the Viper and her Razors were attacked by some lowlife drifters. I need to determine whether this action was not orchestrated by our own people."
Ryan clenched his fists. "You are the king of this sector. No one would dare go against your orders. Not even me."
"I know, son." King Talon stopped walking and faced him. "No one here would willingly defy me. You've all shown loyalty I deeply value." For a moment, King Talon's expression almost seemed proud almost gentle.
Then that expression faded just as quickly.
Meanwhile, back in the Blue Sovereign's territory, RV was finally getting settled into his new environment.
"You stink," Tanya said bluntly, wrinkling her nose. "Go take a bath. It's right there." She pointed to a wooden door.
"OH! Okay." RV hurried to the bathroom in shame although it was not partly is fault.
Minutes later, steam drifted out as he stepped out, drying his hair with a towel. Having clean water felt more like a luxury than a necessity. He exhaled in relief.
"There is nothing more refreshing than a good bath," a smooth voice said.
RV flinched.
The Viper was standing by the doorway, arms crossed.
"I didn't mean to scare you."
Her presence alone was enough to make RV stand up straight like a soldier. She carried an unreal calmness like someone who could slit a throat before the victim blinked.
"Hm." She nodded once. "Tanya told me what happened to you. I am… sorry for your loss." Her voice softened, but her eyes remained sharp.
"Thank you. But you don't have to worry. I won't be staying long," RV said.
"We both know that's a lie." The Viper stepped closer, her gaze inspecting him like a blade. "Your hands are too clean. Too clean for someone who 'travels' around."
RV's heartbeat quickened loud, loud enough he feared she could hear.
"I know you came from the Red Sector," she continued. "But there is no need to be afraid. I am not going to send you back to that place."
RV swallowed hard.
"I am not like Talon," the Viper said, her voice slightly colder when mentioning his name. "You will be taken care of here."
"T-Thank you…" RV bowed slightly.
The Viper studied him again. "I only have a few questions."
"What is it?" RV asked quietly.
She reached into her robe, pulling out a small, old book. "There was a boy in the Red Sector," she said. "He carried a totem like this."
RV's breath caught when he saw the symbol his symbol etched on the book's cover.
"If I may ask…" RV forced himself to speak. "What do you want with this boy?"
"Why?" The Viper's eyes sharpened. "Because he is very unique."
RV looked away. "There is nothing unique about me."
The Viper didn't blink. "Is that so?"
"Yes. And…" RV lifted his chin a little. "I am the person you are looking for."
Her eyes didn't widen. She didn't gasp. She simply stared at him as if she already knew.
"Well," she finally said, shutting the book. "Then things just became much more interesting."
She turned to leave.
"I have business to attend to. We will speak again soon."
RV watched her walk away, his stomach twisting. Just meeting her felt like standing in front of a calm ocean that you knew hid sharks beneath the surface.
Tanya appeared seconds later. "Did she talk to you already?"
RV nodded. "Yeah…"
"Oh, don't worry. She looks scary but she won't kill you. Probably." Tanya said as she dragged him toward the inner hall.
But RV wasn't convinced.
Because now more than ever…
He knew he had stepped into something he wasn't prepared for.
Something deadly.
And escaping the Red Sector…
might have only thrown him into an even bigger storm.