Forged In The Flames By Karima Sa’ad Usman
Chapter 78 Preparations (Nikolas POV)
The onion soup was delicious, and I could not believe Aliana was a good cook. I would find time to have kitchen adventures with her. We deserved an everyday life, and I was aiming for it.
We left Gabriel’s house and headed to the safe house at the back of the palace. We used it to interrogate criminals or people we suspected of wrongdoing. I had never used it before but planned to use it today. I needed all the information I could get from Newton to know who he was in league with.
I sent for Doctor Newton and Qusack, and Abraham went to get him. They told him he needed to check on me. He had no clue what the safe house was used for, so he wouldn’t be on alert. A chair with silver chains was ready so we could; bind him and torture him.
I was angry, and I felt manipulated. I wondered what the asshole was thinking when he chose to join up, and I had a feeling he had something to do with the disappearance of my Dr Adams. Because the only way he could have gotten the job is if Adams disappeared. I could not wait to drill him for answers.
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Qusack ushered him in, and he had come with his bag. He was indeed prepared to check me. The moment he stepped it, realisation dawned on his face. There wasn’t really much to hide. There were silver chains, Chairs and a table. It was pretty obvious what was about to happen.
The bastard tried to turn around and leave, but Abraham was behind him and had locked the door. “I think you should have a seat, Newton,” I said calmly, and he became scared. I guess he figured that fighting would be unwise because he was outnumbered and outmatched. He sat down, looking frightened. And once he was seated, Qusack secured him with the silver chains. Once that was done, The fear was more pronounced.
“Newton,” I said calmly, and he was attentive.
“How many of you are working for Fredrick?” I asked, and his eyes widened.
He tried to pretend he had no idea what I was talking about.
“Wrong move, Newton,” Qusack said, and the Dr still looked clueless, so Qusack punched him in the face breaking his nose in the process.
“I am not the patient type, and neither am I diplomatic. We either do this the easy way or the hard way, and trust me, the hard way would be more fun for us,” I said to him calmly, and he sobbed.
“You were the only one who learned I was planning to marry a Lyacn to get the crown. How did Fredrick find out?” I asked him, and he shook his head.
“Someone else must have told him,” He said.
“Who? Qusack or Abraham? Because those are the only ones that knew of my plans,” I said, and he shook his head.
“I told your mother; I told her last week,” he said, and I frowned at him.
“And why will you do that?” I asked him, and he bowed his head.
“She is always asking for information,” He said.
“So you are her informant?” I asked him, and he nodded.
It was easier to say he was my mother’s informant than say he was working for Fredrick.
“If you say so, then perhaps my mother told her brother of my plans. I still do not appreciate people that volunteer information that isn’t theirs to give, Newton. I do not appreciate it at all,” I said, and Qusack punched him again so he could understand that his answer wouldn’t let him off the hook.
“I have evidence and eyewitnesses that saw you killing a Lycan in the woods. My mother was feral then, so do not say you were working for her. I also know you have been poisoning Gabriel. So I will ask you again. Who are the people you are working with? How many of you are spying for Fredrick in Forest?” I asked, and he tried to lie, but when Qusack raised his hands to punch him, he yelled for mercy.
“We are seventeen,” He said, and I was attentive.
“Ten are Hill spies put in place by Isaac Lucas of Peakland, and the remaining seven work for King Fredrick. We met the Peakland spies here, and
Fredrick asked us to work with them. Our charge is to report everything you do. Before you took over Forest, The Peakland spies were dormant. After the uprising, they were trapped in Forest because Gabriel would not allow communication with the outside world. They married werewolves to seem less threatening and have half breed children. Lisa is a daughter to one of them,” He said, and I did not know how to feel. Learning about Lisa was hard, but I composed myself and seemed uninterested in it.
“So, where is Isaac Lucas?” I asked, even though I knew he had died in battle with my father.
Newton was quiet for a while, as if speaking was difficult.
“I think he ran away during the battle and had been secretly communicating with his men. Lisa’s father would be the best to give you pointers in that regard. My duty was to ensure your mother did not regain her sanity. I was also asked to watch your activities and wait for King Fredrick to give me the go-ahead to finish you off. He did not want to kill you initially because you were achieving what he could not. Gabriel had made taking Forest impossible until you came along. After you took over, he asked me to finish you off, but you were inaccessible,” He said, and I could see that he was trying to say everything at once. Qusack’s punch must have been very painful. “What about the Lycans and werewolves you murdered in the forest?” I asked because I remember a series of murders during that time.
“They saw me giving information to Snow and Hill hunters. I did not kill them, just that one Lycan because he tried to fight and expose me. I had no choice,” He said, and Abraham cut in.
“So what changed?” Abraham asked.
“Forest Post office was working thanks to your reform, so we were instructed to start sending the letters through the post office,” He said. I now understood why Gabriel kept Forest in a time capsule; nothing was coming in or going out. It was to protect the region and incapacitate the enemies from within and without. I had broken down the barriers and created an opening forthem without even knowing it.
“I want the names of everyone and their function. I want to know who they are working for and how long they have been spying on us.” I said, and the man nodded quickly.
“By the way, Where is Adam?” I said, going with my guess, and he shook his head.
“I do not know who Adam is,” he said, and there was some sincerity in his eyes.
“He was my doctor,” I said, and realisation dawned on his face.
“Fredrick must have had him abducted and killed before sending me to join your team,” he said, and his explanation was plausible. I was already on my conquest to reclaim Forest around that time, so it was possible that Fredrick would try to infiltrate my team to keep an eye on me.
“The spies on my cabinet?” I asked him as if I knew there were spies, and he shook his head.
“The only Spy we have on your Cabinet is Epsilon Jafet. He is useless because he never has useful information. The only information he gave us was when you demoted Ingham and when you demoted and humiliated your mother. Fredrick has tried to help him go up the ranks here, but we know you run a closed system,” he said, and I was shocked to learn of Jafet.
To think of it, Jafet was originally from Snow, a notorious condemned criminal who ran into the woods to escape death. He miraculously found my camp and sought my help.
Initially, I was wary, but I let him join once his story checked out.
Now I knew it was a ploy to get him in the ranks.
I was uncomfortable with him, so he was never part of my first four. Though overqualified, I just couldn’t place him there, and he never got promoted from his position. He made a lot of effort and showed a lot of promise in battle and strategy, but I could never promote him. He should be Delta right now after I had demoted Ingham because he had the strength and agility for battle, but I had chosen Abraham instead. I did not know if it were luck, but I was glad because if that bastard was as close to me as Abraham was, I would have been finished.
“Secure the prisoner and bring in everyone he mentions on that list. Close down the post office and restrict movements. Call for a meeting; Grant and Ingham must be in attendance. It is time to start strategising,” I linked Abraham and Qusack and left the safe room.
I decided to head upstairs; I wanted Lisa away from Aliana as quickly as possible. She knew too much, and I did not know whose team she was on. I wouldn’t have let her close to my mate if I had known about her father. I needed to do damage control fast. I cannot go to war if I have enemies in my home.