Chapter 79 - 079: Seen

Anaria had only stayed in Zane’s residence for a short while before she began feeling uncomfortable.

The room was comfortable, the food was better than what they had carried on the journey, and nobody had disturbed them.

But none of that changed the fact that she was under Zane’s protection.

She did not intend to remain there indefinitely.

That evening, Anaria sat with the baby against her chest while Kenai and Kai discussed their plans.

"We should continue searching," Kenai said.

Anaria nodded "I agree."

Kai looked at her "Then we leave as soon as we know where to look next."

Anaria glanced toward the doorway "I don’t want to depend on Zane for everything."

"You don’t trust him," Kenai said.

"Yes"

She lowered her voice.

"I still don’t know what kind of person he is and he doesn’t look trustworthy "

The baby shifted against her chest. Anaria gently rubbed her back.

"We should search without letting him know too much about why we’re here."

Kenai nodded.

Before they could continue, the system chimed.

[New Instruction.]

[Head back to the council room]

[Hide and listen.]

Anaria blinked "Listen to what?"

[An important conversation will take place nearby.]

[Remain unseen and gather information.]

Anaria immediately became alert.

She looked toward Kenai and Kai. "I need to go somewhere for a moment."

Kenai frowned "Where?"

"Somwhere but I’ll be back."

She carefully carried the baby with her and slipped out of the room.

She did not know exactly what the system wanted her to hear, so she moved quietly through the residence.

The system guided her toward a quieter section of the building.

Anaria eventually found a narrow space behind a wooden wall where she could remain hidden without being noticed.

She crouched down and kept the baby close.

The child was unusually quiet, only making small movements against her chest.

Anaria placed a finger gently against her lips"Stay quiet for Mommy."

The baby stared up at her.

Anaria waited.

A few moments later, voices came from the room nearby. They sounded angry.

"You cannot continue doing this, Zane!"

Anaria’s eyes narrowed.

She recognized Zane’s voice.

"Watch your words."

Another male voice answered sharply.

"We have watched long enough."

Anaria leaned slightly closer to the wooden wall.

Several people were inside.

The conversation quickly became heated.

"You have no rightful claim to this position," one of them said.

Zane’s voice hardened. "I am the Lord of Wolverine."

"You took that position," another council member replied. "That does not make you the rightful ruler."

Anaria’s eyes widened.

She remained perfectly still.

The council continued.

"The people accepted you because they believed the rightful heir was dead."

Zane did not answer immediately.

Anaria’s heart began beating faster.

She knew where this was going.

One of the council members spoke again.

"But he is not dead."

Anaria stopped breathing for a moment.

Another voice followed.

"The rightful heir is alive."

Her fingers tightened around the baby.

Alive?

She could barely believe what she had heard.

Then the name was spoken.

"Rylan is alive."

Anaria’s heart seemed to stop.... Rylan.

She pressed herself closer to the wall.

They knew. The council knew that Rylan was alive but how. It doesn’t make sense.

The strange answers she had received in the market. The difficulty finding him. The secrecy surrounding the Wolverine leadership.

She had been searching for Rylan while the people closest to the throne already knew he was alive.

Anaria looked down at the baby "We found him, big pap" she whispered. But she still did not know where he was.

Then the sound of footsteps approached.

Several people in the room became quiet.

Anaria lifted her head.

Someone spoke. "Bring him in."

Her heart began racing again.

She heard the door open.

Footsteps entered the room.

Anaria could not see through the wall, but she knew something important had just happened.

The council had said Rylan was alive.

And now they were bringing someone before them.

She held the baby closer and waited.

The footsteps stopped.

For a few seconds, nobody spoke.

Then a council member’s voice broke the silence.

"Stand before the council."

Anaria’s heart pounded.

She slowly moved toward a small opening between the wooden boards.

Through it, she could see part of the room.

Several council members stood around a large wooden table.

Zane stood at the front, his expression dark.

Then Anaria saw the person who had just been brought inside.

Her eyes widened.

It was him.

Rylan.

He looked thinner than when she had last seen him, and there were still signs that he had been injured.

But he was alive.

Anaria covered her mouth with one hand before a sound could escape.

The baby moved against her chest.

Anaria immediately steadied her "Shh," she whispered.

Her eyes remained fixed on Rylan.

She had spent so long searching for him.

She had crossed forests, soothed corrupted beasts, entered Wolverine, questioned strangers, and even accepted protection from a man she did not trust.

And he had been here. Alive.

Rylan looked around the room. His eyes eventually settled on Zane.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Zane stared at him as though he had seen a ghost.

His face lost all color.

"You..."

Rylan said nothing.

The council members watched them both. One of them stepped forward. "The rightful heir has returned."

Anaria’s heart race.

But she also understood something else that was happening.

Zane had believed Rylan was dead.

And now he was standing directly in front of him.

Anaria remained hidden behind the wall, holding her baby tightly as she watched the two brothers face each other.

She wanted to run to Rylan. She wanted to call his name. But she knew she could not reveal herself yet.

Not until she fully understood what was happening.

The system remained silent.

For once, Anaria did not need it to tell her what to do.

She had found Rylan.

Now she had to figure out how to get to him safely before something else happens