43 Unknown prey.

The door opened with a sour face cosmos, he didn't smile like he always did which made Sebastian a bit glad.

Cosmos? Are you okay? thought you we're died inside there,! Sebastian exclaimed.

I am not feeling too good, is there anything? I heard a little bit of noise outside, what is going on? A parade? He asked Sebastian still looking worn out.

Ah, you and your questions, I just came to check on you, it was odd not seeing you at this time of the day, get some rest, he said leaving him.

Ok, I will soon be right out to join you all, soon.

Don't bother about that, I will be very busy, it looks like tones took a break without informing anyone but I will go find him...

"Tones? Is he okay? "

Yes, he is. I hope he is not, Sebastian muttered to himself, that would bring lesser problems for him.

He closed the door and turned to look at the bewildered man in front of him.

"I hope he didn't suspect I was I was here? "

"I doubt it. "

Then there were both silent staring at each other.

You look worried? Tones finally said noticing that he was disturbed.

"Yes, I am, you can't stay here for a long time, you know. Right now, they are searching for you"

You think they will search your room, soon, I get it...

It is not like that,right now he doesn't suspect a thing but he will soon be, when he doesn't see you or better still your dead body, cosmos clarified.

"You are right, it is not safe for me here but where is? I can't go back to my stay here in these plains because he is going to find me.

And he won't stop searching for me until he does, I need to..."

Make sure he thinks you are dead, cosmos interrupted him.

What! That is impossible, he shouldered.

Nothing is impossible, look Tones, Sebastian is not stupid, you said it yourself, hr will continue looking for you until he does, that is why we need to play his own game on him and first you need to get out of here.

Ah,my head is aching, I am very sorry for bringing you into this, this is all my fault, he told cosmos, his eyes pleading.

You are wrong, I brought myself into this, the day I allowed Sebastian convince me to join him, he picked up his coat and said before leaving.

"I will get you out of here latest this night and do not come out, let me go join other chase after your shadow".

....... .......... .......... ......... ........

He said that? Williams gasped.

Yes, he did, Gerald replied now looking at Natalie, she had been quiet all day.

Are you worried? She asked Williams, he was surprised by her tone, she didn't sound suppressed.

Yes, I am worried that he said all that to your face, what disrespect? He feigned annoyance, he wasn't surprised that the king had not believed them, he expected it, the aftereffects of his father's death came choking him like ever before.

And you are also worried about your reputation among other kingdoms right, I don't think he is the only one who has that opinion of you, her voice was calm enough like she was not saying all in her mind.

"I won't call it annoyance like what should I have expected? Any of their opinion of me was from the reputation of my father, can I blame them?"

"But we need them, we don't have all to win this war with Sebastian and you know that. "

"So who is to blame for this? "

Your father Of course, Gerald jumped in, he never liked any part of the late king and wished he never existed.

"Easy to say Gerald, easy to blame, let us not forget he is dead and can't take the blame anymore, who cares if he is the cause of this, we are the target now and will always be as long as Sebastian is living. "

What of lily's father, can't he help us? Natalie asked turning to Gerald.

"Huh! "

Yes, Gerald!

Maybe but this is not about me right, I am courting his daughter not him, I can't go and tell him this?

G

"Gerald? "

I don't know, Natalie,I don't even think the man likes me that much...

But you are marrying his daughter...

Stop it, both if you, lily's family can't help us, Williams said aloud now both of them turning to him.

Why? Thought you both were...

Because I told her not to.

"What! "

Why, dud you do that, Gerald asked him, confused.

What else, I don't want her involved in this, I don't want to endanger her or her family.

But these involves them too, Sebastian could come for them too, Williams, don't you understand? Natalie queried.

"Maybe I don't, maybe I just want to protect those that I love. "

.......... .......... ............. ...........

The sun was already setting, yet neither Tones nor anything that looks like him had been found, He and the other men with him were both tired searching inside the woods.

How did he disappear from the house without anybody noticing and where the hell did he go? For all he knew tones was an orphan and he had been with the rebels since he was a lad.

He wanted to eradicate the man but not like this, he was hoping to see his body laid somewhere in the paths outside the house but he didn't.

He used to be told stories of people disappearing to as far as the other lands with magic but he hadn't witnessed it nor believed it either but now he was contemplating it. He went back with the men to the house with them forming their own stories of his disappearance.

"Maybe he had been eaten by some wild animals when he went out that night. " He heard one say, that was very impossible than the "magic disappearance story"he had earlier thought of.

At least that someone could have heard or seen something.

He was still deep in thoughts when cosmos approached him, he had joined the men in looking for tones but he didn't go very far, he complained of having a fever.

"Any luck?" Cosmos .

"Does it look like it? I mean you didn't see him here, do you? If we had found him, wouldn't he be here? "

"I know you wouldn't see him, cosmos told him, coming closer to him.

What are you saying? Sebastian asked him, confused, he was not smiling like he used to.

"Shh, he cajoled him. Don't let the others hear, can we discuss elsewhere? "

Cosmos, what is it? I don't get you? He said, his curiosity already picked.

I saw him, lying there, dead, he told Sebastian, his face like he had seen a ghost.

Dead?

Yes, he was lying dead in his own vomit, last night.

I can't believe it? Sebastian feigned surprise, Of course he was glad that the man was dead but he didn't understand some thing, why did cosmos not tell him earlier?

Wait!, why didn't you tell me, I mean before now?

I was scared, No I meant shocked, I didn't know who did it, you know finding him in such state. Last night everyone was already drunk when I did so I thought if I announced it, it will make such a fuse...

You are right, Sebastian only muttered.

Isn't it shocking to find him dead in such a state that would bring pandemonium, I had to keep it to myself until this died down, I don't think you would like to announce it to the men, he died that way, cosmos said hoping Sebastian had believed him.

Wonderful, he wanted to exclaim, he didn't know the man was intelligent as this, Of course the men would be worried in seeing Tones in such state.

So where is the body?

Already buried it? At the back of the house in the woods, do you want to see it? He asked him wishing he would say No because there was no Tones there.

"No, thank you cosmos, I am glad you didn't say anything, the men would not take it lightly and keep this between us, would you?"

Yes I will, are you okay? He asked Sebastian noticing his nervousness.

Yes I am, I am okay, don't worry, he said leaving him.

Cosmos watched he as he left, relieved, now that he was sure Sebastian had believed him, he had only one other thing to do, get Tones out of here.

He opened the second down leading to the back of the house, his room was the last room on the house, so it had a second down.

A frightened tones came out, walking slowly like a snail.

So what now? He whispered to cosmos.

Let's get you out of here, cosmos urged him, taking the lead. It was very dark and only the moon was there source of light but they were not worried, the biggest part of the task had been taken care off now they only had to do just this one.