Levon rushed outside, firmly telling Nyasia to stay in her hall. She stayed in the courtyard, her gaze on the thick smoke rising toward the night sky. Just then, Fay hurried inside.
"What happened?" Nyasia asked.
Fay reported that the guards had all been sent to investigate. The fire happened at the very edge of the forest at the back of the Rashet estate.
Nyasia's heart thumped.
Fire at the forest?
"Brother was punishing the servants earlier. And then—" She stopped, her eyes turning to Fay. "Isn't there a maid who's been locked up?"
"Yes, my lady. She's guarded in the basement of the annex building."
Nyasia creased her brows. "But aren't the guards being sent to the forest?"
"I—" Fay couldn't speak.
"This is all a trap," Nyasia said. "The guards are being lured to the forest. To weaken security at the annex building."
Fay's eyes widened.
"I must tell the butler!"
But Nyasia couldn't wait. She grabbed her shawl and draped it around her shoulders, then strode out of the hall. Fay's footsteps and murmurs trailed behind her.
"My lady, this is dangerous! The young master wants you in your hall!"
Nyasia shook her head.
If they informed Basil, whoever was scheming would see it coming. But she never went out. She wouldn't alert anyone watching Basil's movements.
"There might be guards who stayed."
The only question was how many.
They hurried along the narrow pathway between the hedges and saw two guards at the entrance fighting a group of men in black robes. Six of them. The guards were surrounded. Quickly, Nyasia ordered Fay to light the kerosene posts at the front while she lit the ones at the bottom.
Then, in seconds, the front yard of the annex blazed with light. The men in black robes immediately fled, leaving the guards lying on the ground, crippled from the attack.
Nyasia bent over the guards still on the ground. Fay quickly approached. One guard was dead. His throat was slashed. The other had bleeding on his stomach, his eyes were wavering.
"Quick," Nyasia said. "Inform Mrs. Reinel. We can still save him."
"Should you go inside?" Fay asked, pointing the half-opened door of the basement.
"No," Nyasia said firmly. "There could be traps. And if I'm found there, they'll blame me. That maid is likely gone, anyway."
As Fay ran away, Nyasia's eyes turned to the sky. The smoke was fading now. Guards were starting to return. A few saw her, eyes widened. Ignoring their shock, she pointed the men lying on the ground.
.....
NEARLY two hours later, Levon returned to the Paragon Hall. With a strained face, he immediately held Nyasia's shoulders, his eyes scanning her face. He turned to Fay who quickly bowed.
"Don't blame her," Nyasia said. "I insisted on going."
"What you did was dangerous. You could have been killed. It's not safe outside."
"I almost died staying inside this hall, anyway," Nyasia said with a wry smirk. "So did the man survive?"
"Sia—"
"I'm not a mannequin."
Levon sighed.
"He's in the infirmary. He might live."
"I couldn't see how many. But at least there were six people," she said.
"That many?" he said. Hiring that many assassins would cost a lot. Especially against a major clan like theirs.
"They're desperate. They wanted that maid silenced for sure," she said, observing his calm demeanor.
"Brother, did you plan this?"
"Smart girl," he said, with a sly smile.
He hadn't locked up the maid just to gather evidence. He wanted the enemy to make a move. To test their capability. Their reach. It was clear Mrs. Nox had outside help. 'A powerful backer.'
"The fire started near a few birch trees hidden behind thicker woods. Not easy to find. Someone must've told them exactly where to look," he said, his jaw tight.
"Hm," she said, pouting a little.
Desperate people would make reckless decisions. Her brother simply banked on that desperation, so they'd make mistakes.
"Don't go out anymore. I'll take care of everything. There's no need for you to solve things recklessly."
She tugged his arm.
"Does... he know?" she pressed.
Levon sniffed.
"What can that man not know? Regardless, I'll be the one solving this problem, alright? I made him stay away."
She smiled faintly.
If only that were true.
Just then, a female guard entered the hall. Her head bowed, then she reported that the maid in the basement was dead.
Nyasia exhaled.
But Levon's face didn't change.
It didn't matter anymore. He had already sent a priority order to a Sinopia agent to trace the bean's origins.
He just waved it off.
As soon as the guard left, Nyasia spoke.
"Brother, aren't we having a clan banquet soon? I think it's better to attend."
He turned.
"Attend? In times like this, you shouldn't leave this hall. Sia, you know how dangerous this is."
"I'll be there." She smiled, unaffected. "You'll protect me, won't you?"
*