Chapter 144.

Elise had taken the girls to get something to eat and later headed out to play by the lake. Mathilda always loved lakes, when she was younger she’d say that there were creatures living on the bottom, looking up at us when we stared at our reflections. And Kiera liked Mathilda, she felt safe with my sister so I knew they’d both be fine. The Guards would be with them so no harm would come to them and Elise was warm and kind and would keep a mother's eye on them. We stood in Darian’s office with three of the leaders of the Royal Guards; Eddie, Lauren, and Tam.  They stood with their hands clasped behind their backs listening to Darian briefing them on everything Zade related. Apparently, they knew a great deal already because Darian had these briefings once every two weeks. “My King, what is his end game?” Tam asked. “We don’t know,” he admitted. “The Elder coerced the Councilmen into going against the Monarch but they have been taken care of so Zade will get our fullest attention as well