Chapter 138: spy mission

Chapter 138: Chapter 138: spy mission

The elder turned his attention to the three brothers, his gaze turned cold. "You would protect someone who might pose a threat to the very territory you were born and raised in?"

Reid let out a humorless laugh, his usual playful expression replaced by something far less pleasant. "We never liked this territory much anyway. Or have you forgotten how you treated our mother?"

The elder’s expression remained unchanged, but he offered no rebuttal. The silence that followed was answer enough, and Caleb seemed to take it as an opportunity to voice his own contempt.

"Your sentiments are going to destroy this land. You’ve grown weak because of a woman."

A low growl rumbled from the three brothers almost simultaneously. The sudden shift in their demeanor made the atmosphere in the chamber considerably heavier, and even the officials standing nearby seemed to tense at the sound.

The elder quickly raised both hands.

"Enough. I will not have this discussion turn into something else."

Amelia placed a hand on Enzo’s arm before reaching for Reid, gently trying to calm them down before their anger escalated. Once she was certain they were listening, she turned her attention back to the elder.

"I have every right to keep my secrets, especially when you’ve already decided I’m a threat to this territory."

The elder exhaled through his nose, looking less than pleased with her response.

"Then you should be making amends for what you’ve done. You should be working hard enough that the people can see you’re on their side. If they believe you’re fighting to protect them, they may eventually begin to accept you."

"Do you honestly think that will make them hate me any less?" Amelia interrupted, her expression hardened. "What about the people who lost their loved ones? Do you expect them to forget what happened just because I start fighting alongside them? You can’t be serious."

The elder paused briefly, but instead of answering her question, he continued as though she hadn’t spoken.

"At the very least, the majority may reconsider their support for a death penalty. There are lots, i mean lots of petitions for your death, circulating against you, after you were brought into the military."

That silenced Amelia.

No matter what she did, there would always be people who saw her as the enemy, and she couldn’t change their minds simply by proving herself useful.

After a moment, she straightened her shoulders and met the elder’s gaze.

"Yes, I possess a divine beast. But this ability to awaken dormant gifted powers in other people is something I’ve only recently discovered. I don’t fully understand how it works yet, and I won’t risk people’s lives by using them as experiments just to satisfy your curiosity."

Since the conversation began, the elder seemed somewhat satisfied with her answer. He inclined his head slightly before speaking again.

"As long as you’re willing to use that ability when the time comes, we will provide whatever resources you require."

The elder turned his attention to Caleb, his expression settling into the same calm he had maintained throughout the discussion.

"I have a mission for you. You will lead a team to a secret location and gather intelligence on the Underworld Territory. The higher-ranked recruits have yet to return, so you will be responsible for overseeing the operation in their absence." ℴ

Caleb straightened immediately, his earlier displeasure giving way to professional composure. "I would be honored to take on the responsibility."

"I hope you continue to feel that way," the elder replied evenly, "because Amelia and the three Ellington brothers will be accompanying you."

Whatever enthusiasm Caleb had managed to muster vanished from his face.

"How can that be?"

"It is part of Amelia’s punishment. Have you forgotten?"

"There must be another solution," Caleb insisted, his brows drawing together. "Putting people like them on my team is practically guaranteeing that the mission won’t go as planned. I can’t be expected to carry out a delicate intelligence operation while worrying about whether they’ll cooperate."

The elder regarded him without the slightest hint of concern.

"As long as Amelia is with them, I expect the mission to proceed smoothly. The brothers are rather... fond of her, after all." He paused briefly, making no effort to hide his intentions. "I see no reason not to put those feelings to good use."

Dean tilted his head, appearing to consider the elder’s words with genuine interest.

"I never thought an elder could be so sharp."

The elder’s eye twitched at the thinly veiled insult, but he wisely chose not to engage with Dean’s commentary.

Instead, he continued as though nothing had happened. "You will have another recruit accompanying you. Amy will be joining the team as well."

Almost as if she had been waiting for her cue, Amy stepped into the room. She approached the elders and offered a crisp bow before taking her place beside the others, her expression composed and her attention fixed on the proceedings.

The elder looked over the assembled group, apparently satisfied with the team he had put together.

"You will leave tonight. Does anyone have any objections?"

For a moment, no one answered. Caleb looked as though he still had plenty to say, but with the elder’s decision already made, he seemed to understand that further protests would accomplish little.

Reid, however, had never been particularly good at letting a perfectly good silence go to waste.

"Excellent! Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a life-or-death spy mission." His grin widened as he glanced at Amelia. "And if we’re lucky, we might even find time for a few other activities, provided the tents are big enough."

Amelia drove her elbow into his ribs before he could elaborate.

Reid doubled over slightly, letting out an offended grunt before raising both hands in surrender.

"Fine, fine! I take it back. Completely professional from this moment onward."

Amelia turned her face away just in time to hide the faint smile that threatened to break through. Across the room, Caleb and Amy exchanged a brief, unreadable look.

The elder’s voice cut cleanly through the moment.

"You may all leave."

They filed out of the chamber without further comment. The moment the doors closed behind them, Caleb reached for Amy’s arm and steered her in the opposite direction from where Amelia and the brothers were heading. His voice dropped low the second they were out of earshot.

"Did you plan this?"

Amy didn’t look at him.

"What makes you think that?"

"You never accept a mission unless it’s with the higher recruits." Caleb’s grip on her arm tightened just enough to demand an answer. "So what exactly are you planning?"