After hearing Riven's words, the Duke's eyes flashed with anger, but his gaze faltered under Riven's intense stare. The Duke's hand clenched around the pen, the ivory handle groaning in his grip before he began to write. Each line was a confession of his evil deeds. The trembling of his hand on the page was a silent testament to his terror, a visible sign of his broken will.
The room was a tomb, the only sound the frantic scratching of the pen on paper. Vaelorian watched the spectacle with a cold sense of detachment. His heart pounded against his ribs, but not from fear—from a searing, righteous anger. This was it. This was the moment they'd all been working towards. The Duke's life was a tangled knot of depravity and Vaelorian was finally watching it unravel. He couldn't bring himself to look away from the grotesque dance of ink and parchment.
Riven, on the other hand, reveled in the moment, a predator toying with its prey. He leaned back in his chair, his movements fluid and unhurried. A dark satisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he watched the Duke's spirit break with each stroke of the pen. It was a beautiful thing, the way power could be so easily transferred, a silent and deadly exchange.
The Duke finished and looked up, his eyes a murky pool of fear and hatred. His voice, once full of pomp and authority, was now a rasp.
"It's done," he said, the words barely a whisper.
Riven's smile was a chilling thing, devoid of warmth or humor. "Good," he said, the word dripping with a dark, triumphant satisfaction as he snatched the paper, his gaze sweeping over the script. His eyes narrowed, the dark intensity in them deepening as he read.
Vaelorian's curiosity got the better of him. He leaned forward, his voice low and tight with impatience.
"What does it say?"
Riven's gaze met his, his voice was grim when he finally spoke.
"It's everything we already know and more. The Duke's involvement in the human trafficking ring, his connection to Lord Tharron… it's all here."
The Duke's face, already pale, turned a sickly white. He stammered, his words a desperate plea.
"You won't get away with this."
A cold, mirthless laugh erupted from Riven. "Oh, I think we already have, Morwyn," he said, his eyes glinting with victory. "We already have."
As if on cue, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed outside the room. The guards exchanged nervous glances, their weapons still aimed at Vaelorian and Riven. Vaelorian's eyes fixed on the door, his expression unreadable. "That must be Eryndor and Barron," he said, his voice a low rumble. "His timing is impeccable as always."
A wide grin spread across Riven's face. "Something we can both agree on."
The door burst open, but it wasn't who they were expecting. The room was flooded with heavily armed men in the uniforms of the Imperial Guard.
Riven's smile was a cynical twist of his lips. "Ah, right on cue," he drawled, a sarcastic tone to his voice. "The cavalry has arrived after we've done all the heavy lifting."
Vaelorian shot Riven a playful glance, a flash of relief in his eyes. "Let's focus on the good things, my love."
The leader of the group, a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression, stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "We're here to take custody of the Duke, Your Highness," he said, his voice firm and unwavering.
Vaelorian's gaze narrowed, his voice cold as he demanded, "Identify yourself and on whose orders are you here?"
The Captain maintained his respectful posture as he replied, "I'm Captain Harris of the Imperial Guard, Your Highness. I'm here on his Majesty's orders. Your father wants you back at the Imperial Palace. Let us handle the rest."
Vaelorian and Riven shared a look, a silent conversation passing between them. A wider, more genuine smile spread across Riven's face. "Oh well," he said, his voice light. "We can't say no to the emperor's summons now, can we?"
Vaelorian nodded at the Captain. "Thanks for coming, Captain Harris. Were you briefed about the situation on the ground?"
The Captain's expression remained respectful. "We've been briefed, Your Highness. By the Emperor himself."
Riven's eyes lit up, a wicked grin on his face. The more people who knew about what Duke Morwyn had done, the more public his punishment would be. And that meant the world would know that Riven had played a part in bringing the Duke down, just like he wanted.
"We'll take the Duke into custody," the Captain continued. "And ensure that he faces justice. But first, we need to gather all the evidence and testimonies we can."
Vaelorian nodded. "There'll be no need for that. We've obtained a written confession from the Duke. Riven, would you be so kind as to hand it over to the Captain?"
Riven, still grinning, handed the confession to the Captain. The man scanned the document before nodding.
"This is excellent work, Your Highness. With this confession, we have enough evidence to convict the Duke and dismantle the entire human trafficking ring." The Captain's expression became stern again as he turned to the Duke. "Duke Morwyn, you're under arrest for orchestrating the trafficking of human beings and other crimes against the empire."
The Duke's face turned crimson with rage, but he knew he was beaten. He glared at Vaelorian and Riven, his eyes filled with a venomous hatred as the Captain's men took hold of him.
As the Captain and his men led the Duke away, Vaelorian and Riven followed closely behind. They walked through the winding corridors of the estate, the silence broken only by the echo of their footsteps.
Once they reached the entrance hall, Vaelorian turned to Riven. "I'm glad this is finally over," he said, his voice low with relief.
Riven's gaze locked onto Vaelorian's, his eyes searching. "Not yet," he replied, his voice barely a whisper. "We still have to make sure that everyone involved is brought to justice."
Vaelorian nodded, his expression determined. "You're right. Let's see this through to the end."
The Captain approached them again, his expression serious. "Your Highness, we'll need your testimony to convict the Duke and the others involved. Can I count on your cooperation?"
Vaelorian didn't hesitate. "Of course. I'll do whatever it takes to see justice served."
The Captain nodded, his expression grim. "Good. I'll have my men escort you back to the palace, Your Highness."
As the Captain's men led them away, a sense of relief washed over Vaelorian. It was finally over. The Duke would face justice, and the people of the empire would be safe from his depraved actions. But as they walked, Riven's hand brushed against his, their fingers intertwining in a subtle gesture of support. Vaelorian's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at Riven.