𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Act 2 Chapter 105 JAYLAH
Jaylah sent in her spies after Ermalai anyway.
Only a half hour had passed before Kriti returned to Jaylah. At the sight of her, Jaylah felt a surge of satisfaction. Kriti was alive and her mission was successful despite Ermalai's ridiculous posturing. It bloomed when Kriti urged, "Follow me, Your Majesty. Quickly. I do not know how much time we will have left."
Nodding to the soldiers posted before her door, Jaylah hurried after her maid. "Glykeria's plan worked. With worries of water damage from the bathtub's worn lining, she and Voula forced the Czar out of his quarters for more than an hour while it is taken care of. And I urged another servant to place them into the red counsel room."
It was nearly enough to make Jaylah grin. "Good work, Kriti. I am impressed."
The red counsel room had paper-thin walls. If an eavesdropper was stationed in the room next door, they could hear anything said as if they were right next to the speaker. There was a reason no Oceanic officials ever conducted real business in there.
Jaylah thanked the Gods it was late enough at night for the hallways to be empty. She knew the shortcuts that any Navrikan spies would not. That was why they arrived in record time. Before slipping into the empty room with Kriti, Jaylah waved her soldiers on. They would only give her away. She would worry about getting out when the time came.
She vaguely heard Ermalai speaking. Maneuvering around the oblong table and it's array of chairs, which was the only piece of furniture in the room, Jaylah went to stand next to the shared wall. Kriti went to her side, standing more than an arm's length away as if unsure she should be there.
"—all Baneli told you?" That was Alexander's voice, deeper than Ermalai's. That name was familiar. Baneli... The realization hit her. That was the name of that old servant who had spied for the Navrikans.
"No." Ermalai's tone was forebodingly jubilant. "Oh, no. Having worked here for decades, he knew things no one else would have known. Not even the royal bitch herself."
Jaylah crossed her arms. That was not a very covert moniker.
"He told me the Empress has a snake within her home. Apparently, the traitor was the one to alert Aegeus Imperator that his wife was planning to overthrow him with an illegitimate heir. They singlehandedly wiped out the entire Imperial line and half their officials. It was such a lethal blow even I am impressed."
"This person is still around?"
"Of course. Though the Empress is spineless enough that even if she did, I doubt the traitor would get what they deserved. Even Baneli still lives." Ermalai sucked in an excited breath. "She is so close, just using her, and the Empress does not even know; she is utterly unsuspecting. The only shame is that this traitor is loyal to Oceana. I could never sway her to give us answers as Baneli did."
