The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 123

Lucianne and the others arrived, and they felt an energy radiating from Pellethia's being. Her wide, sapphire eyes met Octavia's proud ones as they exchanged smiles, both internally happy for Pellethia that she finally unlocked the Empress's Authority, wielding it like it was second nature to her. Everyone's sights then went to the roots around Saxum, and Xandar wondered if those was what he thought they were.

His question was answered when some roots appeared next to Christian, making the duke flinch. But when a familiar beige flower with red polka dots grew instead of the strangulating structures they see on Saxum, Christian plucked the flower and awkwardly conveyed his thanks with a hand gesture before he linked his cousins and cousin-in-law, 'The Forest of Oderem is miles away. How the hell did this get here?'

Greg found this the perfect moment to retort by simply saying, 'Magic!

When Christian's eyes narrowed, Xandar explained, 'Pelly's Authority must be one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, in history. Not only can she control the magical parts of her empire now, she can summon any living beings there to help her if she were in foreign territory. No emperor had ever managed such a feat.'

Pellethia wanted the truth. Nothing but the truth. The forest heard her silent command, and small flowers with transparent petals grew and bloomed in the roots closest to Saxum's face. The odor exuded made Saxum more susceptible to heeding to Pellethia's demand. Pellethia didn't know just yet what the flowers were for so she emitted her Authority with full force when she asked, "Who. Told. You."

"The witch and vampire who raised me."

"Do this witch and vampire have names?"

"They never gave it to me, saying that it was for my own safety."

Pellethia didn't see the point in pressing for the witch's identity any further. Witches only lived to 500 years old, so it was no doubt that whoever it was was already dead.

"Is the vampire still alive?"

"Died four centuries ago."

"Did either of them ever leave the forest?"

"Not that I recall."

"Anyone came to visit her to hand them supplies?"

"Our supplies are found all around the forest. There was no need for external sources."

"I see," Pellethia reduced the intensity of her power and continued her line of questioning, "They said my father killed your family?"

"He ordered their assassinations. Kosh might have gotten someone else to do the dirty work for all I know." The hateful way he said the late emperor's name did not go unnoticed.

Pellethia continued, "Does the name 'Maddock' ring a bell?"

"No." Saxum mumbled, then added on his own, "Who's he?"

Looking into his angered but tired blue eyes, she simply murmured, "Someone I hope didn't lie to me."

Unbeknownst to him, a complex web of possibilities was expanding in Pellethia's mind. She couldn't help but feel that Saxum might just be acting based on false information he was brought up to think was the truth. "The three scientists you're working with - where are they?"

"In their lab."

"And where is that?"

"It's accessible by an inn, owned by a lycan named Vent."

Greg immediately refuted, "That's a lie. My people searched that place. There's no such room."

The flowers made Saxum clarify, "It's an underground lab that's only accessible through their freezer. The keypad is on one of the shelves, hidden by blocks of cheese. Maybe that's how your people missed it." "Bastards." Greg muttered.

When no one else had anymore questions, Pellethia put Saxum to sleep, and the vigils and custodes who arrived began carrying Saxum and the proditors back to the empire as the rulers discussed their next move. When Greg was given the green light to go after the scientists, he only had one question, "Am I allowed to end them as I please?"

The rulers mind-linked amongst themselves. Pellethia voted 'yes' without much thought, as did Xandar. After the whole mess those three caused, they were lucky that the decision was to end them. However the duke decided to torture them first was simply a punishment before death.

The four of them agreed that subjecting the triplets to a cycle of eternal torture wasn't wise because they didn't want to risk them breaking out and then disappearing. If Greg couldn't locate them for so long with his reach and network, the rulers knew that they themselves stood less of a chance if it happened to them.

After the discussion, Lucianne gave Greg a firm nod and uttered, "Do as you please."

Xandar added, "As long as they end up dead."

Greg rolled his eyes before replying, "That goes without saying. I'll take my leave now. Have fun collecting the other hybrids from Neptune's warehouse." Octavia recalled something, then asked as Greg was walking away, "You Grace, do you need a few of us to help carry..."

Without looking back, Greg waved a hand and replied, "No, we'll be fine. I doubt your kind is that heavy."

Greg left with twenty of his followers, and linked the rest that were scattered around the rogue world to make sure that Vent didn't leave his inn.

###

Gerella led everyone to the warehouse, and the kids were so happy to see her that they ran into her open arms without giving much thought about the new faces with her. She was relieved beyond words that they were all okay. She thought that a few of them would have died, but the death on the battlefield compensated for any deaths of children that were sustained during the triplets' experiment.

Neptune wasn't with them because he had already fled on his own without telling anyone the moment he received the link about trouble from Saxum. The adults left in the warehouse weren't fighters, so they gave in when the vigils, custodes and warriors escorted them out. The kids were the least affected since the adults told them that they were simply going on another trip.

A few little boys' eyes sparkled in awe when they were walking past Lucianne, and one of them even stopped right in front of her as his babysitter went ahead with her own daughters. His mother passed out during the Bordure attack and was now being carried by one of the lycans, so his babysitter took over caring for the little boy as they waited for his mother to regain consciousness.

The way the boy's eyes glued to Lucianne made Xandar mutter, "Goddess, hasn't this been a long enough day?"

Lucianne lowered herself and looked at the boy with a welcoming smile. He looked a little intimidated, so Lucianne carefully opened her palm like she was asking for his hand. After blinking his eyes for a moment, his little hand went to hers. He liked how warm it felt. "What's your name, sweetheart?" Lucianne asked gently.

"M-Michael," he answered shyly. "W-What's your name?"

"It's Lucy." She replied, gently touching his hair.

He gazed at his babysitter nervously, and that was when Lucianne realized that most of the adults had stopped walking as they watched her. Michael turned back to Lucianne and asked, "A-Are you our new friend, Lucy? Are we going to sleep in the same room at bedtime?" Oh, hell no.

Xandar's hand went to Lucianne's shoulder as he immediately said, "Actually, Lucy and I share a room at bedtime, Michael."

Michael looked up at the tallest creature he had ever seen when he said innocently, "We only have one bed left in our room at home. Can you pick another room?" Little piece of shit.

Before Xandar said another word, Lucianne gently hit his leg with the back of her hand to stop him from speaking before she spoke to Michael again, "Michael, we are going to find you and your family a new home, one that is as comfortable as your bedroom in your old home, okay?" "Will you be living with us?"

"No, sweetheart. I'm sorry. But I'll come visit."

"Promise?" His pleading blue eyes gazed into her black-and-lilac orbs.

She smiled wider and pecked a kiss on his forehead, making Michael blush, before she whispered, "I promise. Come now. Let's get you to a...temporary place while we find you a suitable home."

As Lucianne held his hand and started walking, Michael asked, "What's 'temporary'?"

Lucianne entertained his questions to keep his mind distracted as they walked out of the warehouse together. She didn't know at that time that Michael was Chong and Regina's son. The boy inherited most of his maternal family's features, so no one matched him to his now dead father.

Most of the captured adults still didn't know what to make of the situation. They liked that the queen was not scaring the children, but they knew that what their administrators and leader did may leave them with a very bleak future.

There was a group of angry widows and widowers whose mates just died on the battlefield, but they knew better than to start a row under those circumstances, so they just barged out as some sobbed and others put on a brave face.